Learn English Grammar and Vocabulary
Present Perfect Tense
Form: Subject + has / have + past participle form of the verb
- He has written the letter.
- I have finished the job.
- They have accepted our invitation.
The present perfect tense is used to talk about an action just completed.
- He has just gone out.
- I have finished the letter.
Indefinite past action
The present perfect tense is used to talk about past actions whose time is not given or definite.
- I have been to Africa several times.
- I have read ‘Alice in the Wonderland’.
- I have visited Australia and West Indies.
- I have read all the plays of Shakespeare.
Note that no definite point of past time can be used with the present perfect tense. If you have to mention a definite point of time in the past, use the simple past.
- I saw him yesterday. (NOT I have seen him yesterday.)
- We visited them last week. (NOT We have visited them last week.)
Note that certain adverbs of time like ever, never, always, since, for, so far, already, yet, today, this week etc., can be used with the present perfect tense.
- I have never met him before.
- Have you ever been to Turkey?
- She has always been a rebel.
Past actions continuing up to the present
The present perfect tense is used to talk about past actions that began sometime in the past and has continued up to the present.
- We have lived in this city for ten years.
- I have known him for a long time.
- I haven’t seen him for a long time.
Related posts:
Comments are closed.