1. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
Any time you see the word “perfect” for a tense, you know you must use: Have + Past Participle
There is past perfect, present perfect, and even past and present perfect progressives.
For Present Perfect the form is:
Has/Have + Past Participle (P.P.)
“Have” is NOT a helping verb, so the main verb DOES change. Normally, the past participle is the same as the past tense.
IF YOU DON’T KNOW, USE THE PAST TENSE.
I have worked…
She has played…
We have lived…

2. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
There are a lot of irregular past participles, though.
(You can find them on page 149 of your grammar book)
Here are some that you should know: be
been
become
bite
bitten
break
broken
choose
chosen do
done
draw
drawn
drink
drunk
eat
eaten
fall
fallen
fly
flown
forgot
forgotten
give
given go
gone
know
known
ride
ridden
ring
rung
see
seen
show
shown
sing
sung
speak
spoken
take
taken
throw
thrown
write
written

3. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
As you can see there is a second choice for past participles:
(1) If you don’t know use the past tense. (2) If you still don’t know, try adding “n” or “en”.
To form the negative we put “not” BETWEEN “have” and the past participle.
I have eaten breakfast.
I have not eaten breakfast.
She’s eaten breakfast.
She hasn’t eaten breakfast.
See that you can also use contractions with “have”.
Notice, also, that the past participle doesn’t change for he/she/it. Only “have”/“has”.

4. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
Time for a quick game of “Four In A Row”,
to see how much you already know!
play
rise
work
steal
break
speak
feed
forgive
shoot
forget
choose
come
cost do
grow
get
speed
give
like go be
fall
hear
hold
wake
hide
have
see
eat
shine
walk
burn
write
keep
know
draw
say
sell
catch
help
sit
run
feel
leave
cook
build
cut
park
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

5. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
The name “present” perfect can be confusing though.
The reason we call it “present” perfect is because we are talking about
the state of things—how things are—NOW.
There are four (4) reasons we use Present Perfect Simple:
(1) Something that finished happening in the past, but you didn’t say when you did it. (I have been to China) (I went to China in 2012)
(2) Something that finished happening in the past, but is still important, now. (I have broken my leg. I can’t walk) (I broke my leg last year, but I’m fine, now)
(3) Something that started happening in the past, and is still happening, now.
(I have lived in Taipei for 2 years) (I lived in Korea for 4 years)
(4) Something that happened a short time ago, using “just”. (usually because the listener is curious why you aren’t still doing it, now)
(I have just finished my homework) (I finished my homework last night)

6. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE So, tell me which type these are:
There are four (4) uses:
(1) Past; No Time
(2) Past; Important Now (3) From Past Through Now (4) Short Time Ago
So, tell me which type these are:
(1) I have studied English since (2) I’ve just begun to understand this grammar.
(3) Where have you been?
(4) I haven’t had much time to study Chinese.
(5) I have visited Singapore, twice!
(6) This month, I have had 10 bottles of Coca-Cola.
(7) I haven’t asked my sister what she wants for Christmas, yet.
(8) I have recently started eating more vegetables. Yuck.
(9) What have you done to my classroom?!
(10) I haven’t watched the new Avengers movie.

7. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
Now you know that present perfect can look like past simple.
The only difference is that we are talking about how things are now.
There is one verb that is special in “present perfect”.
Remember that Present Perfect is talking about how things are now.
So try changing this past simple sentence into the present perfect:
Mr. Matt went to Fiji in 2012.

8. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
Now you know that present perfect can look like past simple.
The only difference is that we are talking about how things are now.
There is one verb that is special in “present perfect”.
Remember that Present Perfect is talking about how things are now.
So try changing this past simple sentence into the present perfect:
Mr. Matt went to Fiji in 2012.
Because the verb is “go”, many people write:
Mr. Matt has gone to Fiji.
But if we remember that we are talking about how things are now, then we realize that if Mr. Matt “has gone” to Fiji, he didn’t come back!
Mr. Matt is STILL in Fiji!

9. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
Now you know that present perfect can look like past simple.
The only difference is that we are talking about how things are now.
There is one verb that is special in “present perfect”.
Remember that Present Perfect is talking about how things are now.
So try changing this past simple sentence into the present perfect:
Mr. Matt went to Fiji in 2012.
To show that Mr. Matt went to Fiji and is not still there (is not there now), we use “been”:
Mr. Matt has been to Fiji.
This is like “Mr. Matt was in Fiji”.
It shows that the action is finished happening, but we don’t say when.

10. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
There are nine (9) time expressions you need to know for Present Perfect.
Specifically, these are almost ONLY used with Present Prefect, so if you see them in a sentence, you know right away that it’s Present Perfect.
SINCE says when an action started in the past (I have lived here since 2016). FOR says how long an action has been happening (I have lived here for 2 years).
Obviously, if you have one piece of information you can find the other.
Which is why you can’t have both.
Also, if you’re answering a question, you should answer the same way:
A: “How long have you lived in Taipei?” B: “…since 2016”. “…for 2 years”. 1
SINCE
WHEN? 2
FOR
HOW LONG?

11. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
There are nine (9) time expressions you need to know for Present Perfect.
Specifically, these are almost ONLY used with Present Prefect, so if you see them in a sentence, you know right away that it’s Present Perfect.
We use “ever” and “never” to talk about something you did or didn’t do in your entire life.
EVER is used to make a question. (Have you ever eaten snails?) NEVER is used for a negative answer. (No, I have never eaten snails.)
Notice there is no “not” or “haven’t” in the sentence. NEVER means “NOT + EVER”, so “not” and “never” together cancel each other out. (I haven’t never eaten snails = I have eaten snails)
For a positive answer you just make a positive sentence (Yes, I have eaten snails). Or simply just use the helping verb (Yes, I have.) 3
EVER 4
NEVER

12. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
There are nine (9) time expressions you need to know for Present Perfect.
Specifically, these are almost ONLY used with Present Prefect, so if you see them in a sentence, you know right away that it’s Present Perfect.
We use ALREADY and YET to correct what someone thinks.
If someone thinks the answer will be “NO”, we change it to “YES” with ALREADY.
A: (Thinking: He didn’t eat breakfast) Here is a breakfast sandwich.
B: Thank you, but I’ve already eaten breakfast. (Now, “A” thinks I ate breakfast)
If someone thinks “YES”, we change it to “NO” with YET (at the end of the sentence).
A: (Thinking: He finished his homework) Do you want to play video games?
B: I can’t. I haven’t finished my homework, yet.
(Now, “A” thinks you didn’t finish your homework)
A: (Later) Have you finished your homework, yet? 5
ALREADY 6
YET

13. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
There are nine (9) time expressions you need to know for Present Perfect.
Specifically, these are almost ONLY used with Present Prefect, so if you see them in a sentence, you know right away that it’s Present Perfect.
When we did adverbs, we learnt that “recently” and “lately” aren’t adverbs, even though they end with “ly”.
Both of them mean a short time ago.
Both can go at the end of a question.
(Have you seen him recently?) (Have you seen him lately?)
But RECENTLY goes between “have” and the “past participle”, or at the end.
(I have recently bought a car.) (I have bought a car recently.)
While LATELY can only go at the end of a sentence.
(I haven’t seen him lately.) 7
RECENTLY 8
LATELY

14. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
There are nine (9) time expressions you need to know for Present Perfect.
Specifically, these are almost ONLY used with Present Prefect, so if you see them in a sentence, you know right away that it’s Present Perfect.
Although we never say exactly when something happened, we can use the current time period to limit the possibilities.
I have been to Singapore. 9
THIS (TIME)
1987
NOW

15. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
There are nine (9) time expressions you need to know for Present Perfect.
Specifically, these are almost ONLY used with Present Prefect, so if you see them in a sentence, you know right away that it’s Present Perfect.
Although we never say exactly when something happened, we can use the current time period to limit the possibilities.
I have been to Singapore, this millennium. 9
THIS (TIME)
1987
NOW
2000
NOW

16. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
There are nine (9) time expressions you need to know for Present Perfect.
Specifically, these are almost ONLY used with Present Prefect, so if you see them in a sentence, you know right away that it’s Present Perfect.
Although we never say exactly when something happened, we can use the current time period to limit the possibilities.
I have been to Singapore, this decade. 9
THIS (TIME)
1987
NOW
2000
NOW
2010
NOW

17. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
There are nine (9) time expressions you need to know for Present Perfect.
Specifically, these are almost ONLY used with Present Prefect, so if you see them in a sentence, you know right away that it’s Present Perfect.
Although we never say exactly when something happened, we can use the current time period to limit the possibilities.
I have been to Singapore, this year. 9
THIS (TIME)
1987
NOW
2000
NOW
2010
NOW
2017
NOW

18. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
There are nine (9) time expressions you need to know for Present Perfect.
Specifically, these are almost ONLY used with Present Prefect, so if you see them in a sentence, you know right away that it’s Present Perfect.
Although we never say exactly when something happened, we can use the current time period to limit the possibilities.
I have been to Singapore, this month. 9
THIS (TIME)
1987
NOW
2000
NOW
2010
NOW
2017
NOW
December 2017
NOW

19. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
There are nine (9) time expressions you need to know for Present Perfect.
Specifically, these are almost ONLY used with Present Prefect, so if you see them in a sentence, you know right away that it’s Present Perfect.
Although we never say exactly when something happened, we can use the current time period to limit the possibilities.
So when you are using time you have to think:
Is that time, now?
If it is, you must use Present Perfect.
(I have eaten 10 doughnuts this morning.)
(I have been to the doctor’s office twice in 2017.)
If not, you use Past Simple.
(I went to the hospital twice in 2015.) 9
THIS (TIME)

20. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
There are nine (9) time expressions you need to know for Present Perfect.
Specifically, these are almost ONLY used with Present Prefect, so if you see them in a sentence, you know right away that it’s Present Perfect. 1
SINCE
WHEN? 2
FOR
HOW LONG? 3
EVER 4
NEVER
ALREADY 5 6
YET 7
RECENTLY 8
LATELY 9
THIS (TIME)