Present perfect

1. The Concept of Present Perfect Tense

The Present Perfect Tense is used to describe an action or event that started in the past, continues to the present, and may continue into the future.

Examples of Present Perfect Tense

2. Structure of Present Perfect Tense

2.1. Affirmative Sentences

S + have/has + Past Participle (PII)

• S = I/We/You/They + have
• S = He/She/It + has

Examples:

• I have graduated from my university since 2012.
• We have worked for this company for 4 years.
• She has started the assignment.

2.2. Negative Sentences

S + haven’t/hasn’t + Past Participle (PII)

• haven’t = have not
• hasn’t = has not

Examples:

• We haven’t met each other for a long time.
• Daniel hasn’t come back to his hometown since 2015.
• I haven’t started the assignment.

2.3. Questions

Q: Have/Has + S + Past Participle (PII)?

A: Yes, S + have/has.

No, S + haven’t/hasn’t.

Examples:

• Have you ever travelled to Vietnam? // Yes, I have./No, I haven’t.
• Has she arrived in London yet? // Yes, she has./No, she hasn’t.
• Have you started the assignment?

3. Uses of Present Perfect Tense

➣ An action completed up to the present moment without specifying when it occurred.

Examples:

• I have done all my homework.
• He has lost my key.

He has lost my key

➣ An action that began in the past and continues in the present.

Examples:

• They’ve been married for nearly fifty years.
• She has lived in Tokyo all her life.

They’ve been married for nearly fifty years

✎ Note: We can use the Present Perfect Continuous for cases like the second example.

Examples:

• She has been living in Tokyo all her life.
• It ’s been raining for hours.

➣ An action done in the past and still being done now.

Examples:

• He has written three books and he is working on another book.
• I ’ve played the guitar ever since I was a teenager.

I’ve played the guitar ever since I was a teenager

➣ Using a clause with “since” to indicate when something started in the past:

Examples:

• They ’ve stayed with us since last week.
• I have worked here since I left school.

They’ve stayed with us since last week

➣ An experience up to the present moment (often using the adverb “ever”).

Examples:

• My last birthday was the worst day I ’ve ever had.
• Have you ever met George? Yes, but I’ve never met his wife.

My last birthday was the worst day I’ve ever had

➣ An action in the past that is important at the time of speaking.

Examples:

• I can’t get into my house. I ’ve lost my keys.
• Teresa isn’t at home. I think she has gone shopping.

Teresa isn’t at home. I think she has gone shopping

✎ Note: In some cases, we use the past participle of the verb TO BE: BEEN as a past participle of the verb GO.

In English tenses, the "Present Perfect" and "Past Simple" are two tenses that many people easily confuse. Therefore, pay close attention to use English tenses appropriately in context!

4. Signs to Identify the Present Perfect Tense

Each English grammar point has different signs to identify for appropriate application. For the Present Perfect Tense, you will find the following words and structures in sentences to recognize it:

– just, recently, lately: recently, just

– already: already

– before: before

– ever: ever

– never: never

– yet: yet (used in negative sentences and questions)

– for + N – period of time: for (e.g., for a year, for a long time, for 3 months)

– since + N – point in time: since (e.g., since 1977, since March)

– so far = until now = up to now = up to the present: up to now

– in/for/during/over + the past/last + time period: in/over the past (e.g., during the past 5 years)

– Superlative + Present Perfect Tense

– This is the first (second/only…) time + Present Perfect Tense

Examples:

• This is the first time I have eaten Banh mi in Vietnam.
• This is the best champagne I have ever drunk.
• This is the most delicious cake I have ever eaten.
• This is the most memorable experience I have had in my life.
• All day, all night, all my life