Present Perfect

We use the Present Perfect when:

1.   We’re talking about something that happened in a non-specific time in the past. The opposite of Simple Past.

Simple Past: “I finished my homework last night.”

Present Perfect: “I’ve finished my homework.

2.   There is a connection with the present:

-       I’ve lost my key. (= I haven’t got it now.)

-       Jim has gone to Canada. (= He is in Canada now.)

-       Have you washed your hair? (= Is it clean now?)

-       Oh dear, I’ve forgotten her name. (= I can’t remember it now.)

3.   We give new information or announce a recent happening:

-       Do you know about Jim? He’s gone to Canada.

-       I’ve lost my purse. Can you help me look for it?

4.   We use the present perfect with this morning/this evening/today/this week/this term etc. (when these periods are not finished at the time of speaking):

-       I’ve smoked ten cigarettes today.

-       Has Ann had a holiday this year?

-       I haven’t seen Tom this morning. Have you?

Structure:

Have (I, you, we, they) /has (S/he, it) + verb in the past participle (3^rd column of verbs)

We can use the present perfect with JUST (= a short time ago)

-       “Would you like something to eat?” “No, thanks. I’ve just had lunch.”

-       Hello, have you just arrived?

We can use the present perfect with ALREADY in questions to say that something has happened sooner than expected, to show surprise, or in affirmative, to express a happened experience:

-       “Have you already finished your meal?”

-       “Don’t forget to post the letter!” “I’ve already posted it.”

We often use EVER with the present perfect:

-       Have you ever eaten caviar? (At any time in a lifetime)

We also use to say you have NEVER done something or that you haven’t done something during a period of time that continues up to the present:

-       I have never smoked.

-       Jill has never driven a car.

We often use present perfect with YET. It shows that the speaker is expecting something to happen. Use yet only in questions (like already in questions, but to get an information and not show surprise) and negative sentences:

-       Has it stopped raining yet?

-       I haven’t told them about the accident yet.

PRACTICE Exercise I, Exercise II, Exercise III, Exercise IV