How do we use the PRESENT PERFECT tense

How do we use the PRESENT PERFECT tense? By Lynn Mateas

Form in the Positive • Have + past participle • I have studied at Algonquin college for two weeks. • You have never arrived on time since you started this class. • He has worked at that job since last July. • We have been in this room for a while. • They have always taken their lunch to work . (= since they started working there)

Contractions • I’ve • You’ve • He’s • She’s • It’s • We’ve • They’ve Note: He’s = 1. He has Or 2. He is How do you know which one is which? 1. He has been (past Part. ) 2. He is happy/ Canadian/ (adj/noun/…)

Form in the Negative • have + not + past participle • = haven’t • Don’t worry! I have not been here for more than five minutes. • She hasn’t lived in Ottawa for very long. • We haven’t done much so far. • They haven’t owned a car since they arrived here.

Type One – Past to Now • We use it to tell about an action that started in the past and continued until now. = PAST TO NOW Use: for or since I have been able to drive for more than 30 years. I haven’t eaten that food since I was young. I haven’t seen her in a long time.

Type Two- Past Time only • This type is the same as the past tense. It tells us that the action happened in the past only, NOT NOW. • I have visited friends in Toronto. • I visited friends in Toronto.

Be Careful with Type Two Present Perfect • You cannot say WHEN the action happened. • I have visited friends there last month. WRONG

Is this correct or wrong? 1. He has lived here before. Correct 2. He has lived here in 1992. Wrong

Type Two – Using Present Perfect in the Past (not to now) • Recent Past – just, recently, lately Be careful where you put them. • I have recently read a book about the period of King Henry VIII. • The teacher has just come into the room. Be quiet! • They have been to New York lately.

Type Two - Past • We can also use the word already, which means sooner than expected; before this time. Mary: Finish your work. Students: We’ve already finished it. Mary: Really? That was fast.

Type Two Again – For Repetition • We like to use present perfect to talk about past repetition. • I have flown on an airplane many times. • However, he’s flown only once. (=one time) • She’s never flown.

Review • Type One = Duration = past to and including NOW; use for or since or in/for a long time/short time or all my life Eg. I have worn glasses all my life. • Type Two = indefinite Past = past only, not now; do not say the time or when it happened. Eg. I have finished my work. yesterday

What tense should you use? Simple past or present perfect? 1. He ________ to Toronto. has gone/been or went not - was to Toronto 2. She _______ to class five minutes ago. came to /went to (not arrived to)

What tense should you use? Simple past and/or present perfect? 1. How long _______they____ (live) in Japan? have they lived = are still living there now did they live = are not living there now

What tense should you use? Simple past and/or present perfect? 1. I _______ (go, never) to a cinema in Ottawa. have never gone or never went Have never gone is best because you still live in Ottawa and so this feels like you are saying I have not gone … yet. (but I may/will)

What tense should you use? Simple past and/or present perfect? 1. I ______ (drive) a small car in my country/province. drove = in your country/province is a specific past time = while I was in my country = it may not say three years ago, but it is a specific past event

What tense should you use? Simple past and/or present perfect? Mary: Hey, Joe. ______ (finish) the report, yet? Have you finished / Did you finish Have you finished is traditional grammar, but Did you finish is modern Joe: No, I _____ (finish), yet. haven’t finished / didn’t finish

Finally, • make sure that you know all of the irregular verbs and their spellings. • minus ½ for each letter mistake on a test • Fly flew flown • Sit sat • Feel felt • Etcetera …