The Present Perfect tense How and when to use it

Present Perfect Verb Tense we use to describe: 1) Experiences in the past 2) Completed events 3) Actions that began in the past and continue now, with consequences in the present time

Main Uses of the Present Perfect Something that started in the past and still true now Example: Spain has been a member of the EU since 1986

Main uses of the Present Perfect Indefinite past action (the time is unspecified or unknown) Example: I have seen that person somewhere ?

Main uses of the Present Perfect Repeated action in the past Example: I have been to England lots of times

Main uses of the Present Perfect An action that began in the past and has recently finished (we can add “just”) Example: My sister has just arrived from holidays, she told me the flight was very nice

How to form the Present Perfect Subject + have / has + past participle I spoken You begun He shown She come It gone We cut They become People swum Everyone won …..

Past Participles What is a past participle? For regular past tense verbs, the –ed form: liked, walked, worked, talked For irregular past verbs, memorize: been, seen, had, eaten, shown, written

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Key words for present perfect Already = (adv.) before now I have already finished my homework. Not yet = (adv.) not before now Scientists have not discovered a cure yet

Key words for present perfect Never = (adv.) not at any time in the past, including now I have never seen such a beautiful sunset! Ever = (adv.) at any time, including the present ** Used only in questions Have you ever ridden a horse?

Reminder about Adverb Placement With two verbs (auxiliary and main verb), place the adverb between them I have never eaten raw fish.

Key words for present perfect Before = at some time in the past behind the present time I have been to Las Vegas before. Several times, many times, a few times, a couple of times, a lot of times = for indefinite or repeated past actions

Key words for present perfect Since and for Since + specific point in the past when the action started I have lived here since 1987 ( /sIns/ ) For + duration, length of time I have lived here for 34 years

Practice: since or for? _______ 6:00 _______ January _______ Wednesday _______ a month _______ two days ago _______ November 1 _______ 2004 _______ an hour _______ I was young _______ January _______ 10 years _______ Monday _______ 12 noon _______ I got up _______ 5 minutes _______ a long time ago _______ four days

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