1. SKBE 1003 Foundation English Kazakh – Lao Group “The Struggles on Learning Present Perfect Tense”

2. Introduction The present perfect tense: use to describe the idea that something happened or never happened before without specific time in the past, but still has relevance in the present and will be continued into the future. I have stayed at UKM for a few years.

3. English has three main divisions of tense, such as Past, Present, and Future, so these different tenses often make learners difficult and confuse while building sentences. The Present Perfect tense still makes itself difficulty in particularly of the verbs (past participle) Regular: walk – walked – walked Irregular: go – went – gone Past Present Future

4. Learning English grammar is not easy but it is very important to learn how to make sentences appropriately with its tense. Therefore, it is essential for the learners in order to understand and be able to use it correctly. We have started the group project since Dr. Nadzrah accepted our topic.

5. The Understanding of Present Perfect Tense THE PRESENT PERFECT IS USED TO DESCRIBE ■ An action or situation that started in the past and continues in the present. I have lived in Bristol since 1984 (= and I still do.) ■ An action performed during a period that has not yet finished. She has been to the cinema twice this week (= and the week isn't over yet.) ■ A repeated action in an unspecified period between the past and now. We have visited Portugal several times. ■ An action that was completed in the very recent past, expressed by 'just'. I have just finished my work. ■ An action when the time is not important. He has read 'War and Peace'. (= the result of his reading is important)

8. Problems learners have with the Present Perfect Tense Students who start to learn English language grammar have numerous issues with the present perfect. These range from intralanguage issues. While learning people usually compare and try to interpret the grammar rules of their first language with English language grammar rules. It’s very important to be careful, because here is a verb tense in your first language with a similar form, but the meaning is probably NOT the same.

9. Form Form or structure shows the way how the tense made. Mostly students at pre-intermediate or lower levels often use wrong auxiliary verb, or mix up present perfect with past simple (V1+ed or V2), or sometimes use both of them at the same time, because both tenses show the action started in the past. Ex.: I didn‘t done my homework./ I don‘t have done my homework. They also face the problem of recognising the contracted or shortened form of the verb as in an example bellow. Ex.: He’s - is or has.

10. Meaning and Use Present perfect tense shows an action that started in the past and continues in the present, or a repeated action in an unspecified period between the past and now.

11. Present Perfect of Past Simple In German, French and other European languages’ grammar includes both: Past simple and Present perfect tenses. But, there are some differences on usage of them. In German, the present perfect is perfect to talk about everything that has happened to you recently: Ich habe gestern den berühmten Herrn Haudegen getroffen. - Yesterday I met the famous Mr Haudegen. In French language, for an action or an event started in the past and still true in the present they use le passé composé (however, le passé composé is not connected to the present in French, so, sometimes, you need to be clearer). Have you ever been to France? As-tu déjà été en France? Both tenses can refer past, that’s why sometimes it is really difficult to see the difference.

12. Meaning of signal words Signal words are the words that shows the time of the action. It’s easier to put in the correct form of the verb if you know the signal word and which tense it demands. Present Perfect tense usually goes with signal words such us: already, (not) yet, just, ever, never, and still.

13. Solutions For beginner level students using tables, playing games and speaking activities, that are related to the Present Perfect, will be very useful.

14. There are some speaking activities for the simplest use of has/have + past participle:

15. Irregular verbs have to memorized like new vocabulary items

16. Students can draw time lines followed by exercises in which they have to put time expressions. This kind of task can help them to understand the use of “for” and “since”.

18. For visual learners time lines to illustrate differences between tenses are very helpful. To solve those problems, many models, symbols and signs are recommended to use. Especially, symbols like a bridge for the present perfect showing connection between past and present, diagrams, which openly shows all the specifics of Present Perfect and tables and pictures that provide differences between them.

19. Conclusion THE PRESENT PERFECT IS USED TO DESCRIBE ■An action or situation that started in the past and continues in the present. I have lived in Bristol since 1984 (= and I still do.) ■An action performed during a period that has not yet finished. She has been to the cinema twice this week (= and the week isn't over yet.) ■A repeated action in an unspecified period between the past and now. We have visited Portugal several times. ■An action that was completed in the very recent past, expressed by 'just'. I have just finished my work. ■An action when the time is not important. He has read 'War and Peace'. (= the result of his reading is important). (Dr.Martin Parrot, 2010)

20. It is essential to solve the problems of understanding Present Perfect tense and to find the accurate solutions of them. We can face with the problem while understanding the Present Perfect Tense clashing it with Past Simple or have difficulties in the understanding its form and meaning thence over-use it or even not use it. We need to learn the Present Perfect tense because it is an important part of a whole tense structure,it is important to use it right and appropriately. The main tool to understand and learn the Present Perfect Tense properly is practice.

21. Ultimately, everything is on the learner's own, if you want to use tenses correctly and to speak and write grammatically right, be prepared to the problems and to look for its solutions. While learning foreign language struggling can be not only with Present Perfect Tense but also with the whole grammar itself, do not forget about your future goals thence problems will be solved.

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