Use the present perfect. Present Perfect - Present perfect tense: education, use, forms, exercises

25.12.2014

For many who study English, time PresentPerfect instills fear and confusion. And all because in the Russian language there is no such verb tense.

In fact, there is nothing scary about this time and you shouldn’t be afraid of it.

In today's article I will talk about education and use Present Perfect in English, and I hope that you will be able to “make friends” with this unusual tense of the English verb.

Let's first consider in what cases this time should be used.

Using the Present Perfect

The fact is that the Present Perfect expresses an action that began in the past and was completed at the time of speech.

The duration of action is not important to us; it is not indicated. What is important to us is the result of this action or the very fact of its commission.

Often, time markers help us determine that this is exactly the case: just, already, yet, recently, lately etc.

For example:

• Jane has already read this book. - Jane had already read this book (before the moment they started talking about it).
• We haven’t seen each other recently. - IN Lately we haven't met.

When we talk about a repeated action between the past and the present, the use of the Present Perfect is more relevant than ever:

• I have visited Rome 3 times. - I've been to Rome three times.
• We have eaten at this restaurant many times. - We have eaten at this restaurant many times.

Also Present Perfect or present perfect tense can describe an action that began in the past and continues in the present. Eg:

• They have known each other for 3 years. - They have known each other for 3 years.
• I have studied English since childhood. - I studied English since childhood.

In the case where the period in which the action occurred has not yet ended, and can be indicated by the words today, this week, this month, this year, we also use the present perfect tense. Let's look at examples:

• Ellie has written 20 articles this month. - Ellie wrote 20 articles this month.
• My sister has finished painting her room this week. This week my sister finished painting her room.

And the last rule for using the Present Perfect: when we talk about our experience to date. Eg:

• Have you ever been to London? - Have you ever been in London?
• He has never been to Japan. - He has never been to Japan.
• We have never spent so much time together. - We have never spent so much time together.

In this case, the following adverbs of time are used: ever, never, so far,uptonow, untilnow.

We must not forget that in sentences with PresentPerfectTense there cannot be precise time indicators, like yesterday, 5 years ago, last summer,at 3 o’ clock and so on. The Past Simple would be appropriate here.

Education Present Perfect

Now let's look at how the simple perfect tense is formed in English.

The scheme is quite simple: have/has + past participle/V-ed.

This means that you need to take the verb have or has, depending on the person performing the action and add a semantic verb to it in the form of the past tense, that is, add an ending -ed, if the verb is correct, or select the appropriate form from the third column of the table if the verb is irregular.

You can see the table of irregular verbs in the article The Past Simple: how it is formed and when it is used. This table should be memorized.

Below you will see an example of the formation of an affirmative, negative and interrogative sentence in the Present Perfect with with the correct verb work- work.

Accordingly, the particle not helps to form a negative sentence and is placed after the verb have/has.

They can also be shortened: have+ not= haven’ t; has + not = hasn't’ t. Eg:

• I haven’t asked you to come and yell at me. “I didn’t ask you to come and yell at me.”
• It hasn’t stopped raining until today. “It hasn’t stopped raining until today.”

To form a general question, move have/has to the beginning of the sentence:

• Have you cleaned the room yet? - Have you already cleaned the room?
• Has she bought that dress? - Did she buy that dress?

If you want to ask a question to a specific member of the sentence, put have/has after the question word, then comes the subject, followed by the semantic verb. Examples:

• What has Zoe sent you? - What did Zoe send you?
• Why have you done that? - Why did you do that?

But remember this: if you want to know information about time (question with the word when), use Past Simple instead of Present Perfect.

• When did you come here? - When did you come here?
• When did they meet? - When did they meet?

To practice the Present Perfect tense in everyday life, mentally pronounce the actions you just did, for example: I have just read this article.My friend has already shared it to our group.

See you soon!

Not everything in a foreign language can be mastered the first time. This is especially true for grammar rules, of which there are many in English. More than once, students, in their quest to master a foreign language, have to return to the same topic and analyze it again and again. Today we propose to consider the aspect of the perfect present tense, and to do this not only from the theoretical side, but also in close tandem with practice. We will give examples for each present perfect rule that will act as a visual example. Thanks to the methodical development of structures, knowledge of the rules will be absorbed subconsciously; all that remains is to consolidate it with training exercises.

In order to understand the significance of this aspect, it is necessary to rethink the Russian approach to the tense system. In our speech, completed actions automatically refer to the past. In English, it is not the fact of completion that is important, but the relevance of the action. Therefore, the perfect can be in the past, in the present and in the future.

The present perfect includes those actions the result of which is relevant to this moment. Accordingly, the events of this aspect:

• were completed quite recently;
• happened once, but the result appeared only now;
• express everyday experience;
• are long-term (started in the past, are happening now and will continue in the future).*

*The last paragraph uses verbs that cannot be used in meaning with the Perfect Continuous, or can be used equally in both tenses.

Let's move on to mastering meanings in practice, which the next section will help us with.

Present perfect example sentences

Predicates in this form are grammatical constructions consisting of two elements. Let us examine in detail each type of sentence in the present perfect.

Statement

Affirmative phrases that carry a positive result of an action are formed using the auxiliary have and the past participle. Moreover, the auxiliary verb has different shapes: for 3rd person unit (he, she, it) – has, for everyone else – have. Let us derive a generalized diagram.

Nick(1)has(2) bought(3)anewdressforme(4) - Nick bought me a new dress.

This is the basic form from which other types of utterances are derived. To practice it, we will give examples of 10 affirmative sentences with translation in the present perfect.

• They have finished theprojectA-20 thisweek– They completed the A-20 project this week.
• I have used thiscomputersince2010 – I have been using this computer since 2010.
• She has lived in England for three months –ShelivedVEngland 3month.
• We have just cooked potatoes with vegetables –We just cooked potatoes and vegetables.
• You have already been in Prague –YoualreadywereVPrague.
• I have seen a koala in the local zoo three times. It has always slept – I saw a koala at the local zoo three times. SheAlwayssleeping.
• They have owned this building since they bought it in 1999 –TheyownthisbuildingWiththosesince thenHowboughthisin 1999year.
• He has always liked such films –To himAlwayslikedsuchmovies.
• We have never flown byamilitaryplane– We have never flown on a military plane.
• It is the first time she has painted someone's portrait –Shefirstdrewwhose-Thatportrait.

Please note that present perfect phrases are translated into Russian as verbs perfect form, and imperfect designs.

Negation

The particle not is responsible for the negative result of an action, as in all English aspects. Once it is added to the corresponding form of have, the affirmative statement turns into a negation.

Children(1) have not (2) done (3) their homework yet (4) – ChildrenmoreNotdonemyhomework.

Much more often, both in colloquial speech and in writing, the abbreviations haven’t/haven’t are used.

• He hasn't been in Africa for five months –HeNotwasVAfrica 5months.
• I haven 't feed mydogyet– I haven’t fed my dog ​​yet.
• We haven't packed our suitcases –WeNotpackedoursuitcases.
• She hasn't been seen her best girlfriend for many years –SheNotsawmythe bestgirlfrienda lot ofyears.
• You haven 't passed thisexam– You failed this exam.

Being derived from statements, negative sentences are not fraught with complexity. The only thing worth mentioning is that if the expression contains negative adverbs, then the second negation (not) is no longer placed, because There cannot be two negatives in a sentence in English!

• She has never played football– She never played football.
• She hasn't 't played footballthisweekShe didn't play football this week.

Keep this rule in mind when using negative adverbs.

Questions

To create a general question, you need to perform a syntactic rearrangement of the verb have, moving it to the beginning of the phrase.

Has(1) she (2) answered(3) all your questions already (4)? – ShealreadyansweredonAllyoursquestions?

• Have you ever cooked a Caesar salad? –YouWhen-somedaypreparedsaladCaesar?
• Have they gone to the city’s museum two times? –Did they go to the city museum twice?

Such questions can be answered using brief constructions Yes,shehas/wehave or No,shehasn't't/wehaven't. In place of she/we, any pronoun corresponding to the statement is inserted.

Alternative questions that provide a choice of two indicated options require a more precise answer. Outwardly they look like general issues, but have an additional (alternative) part attached by the conjunction or.

• Have you been friends since 2004 or since 2005? –Yoube friendssince 2004of the yearorsince 2005?
• Has she studied Japanese or Chinese for 7 years? –ShesevenyearsteachesJapaneselanguageorChineselanguage?

When using special question words, general sentences change their construction for the present perfect tense, skipping significant words forward.

• Where has he bought such a dictionary? –WhereHeboughtsuchdictionary?
• How long have we known each other? –How long have we known each other?
• A separate type of special combinations is a question for the subject.
• Who has written is it on the blackboard? –WhowroteThisonblackboard?
• Who has just used mysmartphone? – Who just used my smartphone?

By the way, to answer this question they can use short phrases: Ihave,shehas and so on.

Interrogative sentences with a negative construction have a special emotional connotation. They are used only in colloquial speech.

• Hasn 't he called hismotheryet? “Hasn’t he called his mom yet?”
• Haven 't I told themaboutthatsituation? “Didn’t I tell them about that situation?”

And the last type is dividing questions. At first glance, they look like statements, but if you look closely, you can identify a question tail with a pronoun and the verb have. It is noteworthy that the additive will always be opposite in meaning to the main phrase.

• You have played basketball this week, haven't you? – YouplayedVbasketballonthisweek,isn't itNo?
• She has ridden an elephant, hasn't she? – She rode an elephant, didn't she?
• They haven 't been inthejungle, have they ? “They weren’t in the jungle, were they?”
• Jack hasn't 't visited you, has he ? “Jack hasn’t visited you yet, has he?”

So, we have considered all possible types of the perfect present in statements of various types. Before moving on to the exercises, let’s summarize the information received and remember again what grammatical constructions of the present perfect and example sentences can be found in the speech of native Englishmen.

A perfect presentation is not difficult to understand, but it is difficult to start using it in your communication.
This material was prepared by native English speakers themselves in a very accessible and understandable form.

What is Present Perfect

1. Present Perfect is a mix of the present tense and the past.
2. Present Perfect - makes your English richer.
3. In American English Present Perfect is often replaced by Past Simple.

When is the Present Perfect used?

1. The action happened and we see the result now.
2. When we're talking about about our life experiences.
3. When various kinds of changes occurred in life, in the world, in oneself, etc.
4. When general achievements are mentioned.
5. When you need to emphasize the duration of accomplished facts.

Let's look at the above points in more detail.

1. The action happened and we see the result now

The main marker is the word “just”, which is not translated into Russian, but it is implied. Or when it is important for us to focus on what has been done or happened.

I (just) had breakfast. I have breakfast.
I (just) did homework. I have done my homework.

I (just) washed my car. I have washed my car.
We (just) arrived. We have arrived.

She (just) forgot her car keys. She has lost her car keys.
The plane (just) landed. The plane has landed.

2. When it comes to our experience

For example: he never ate frogs, she never went to America, they flew on a plane, we never got chickenpox, etc.

The main marker is the word “once, before” or “never”, which are also not translated, but are implied by the context.

I've seen this movie (before). I have seen this movie.
Have you ever been in love? Have you ever fallen in love?

She had never seen snow. She has never seen snow.
Have you ever driven a Ferrari? Have you ever driven on a Ferrari?

I was (once, before) in Paris. I have visited Paris.
I've never been sick (before). I've never been sick before.
I've seen this world. I've seen the world.

3. When various kinds of changes occurred in life

What could it be: gasoline prices have risen, a new building has been built nearby new house, the child grew up, you learned more words in English, elected a new president, etc.

She has lost weight. She has lost some weight.
Our son learned to read. Our son has learned how to read.

Gasoline prices have increased significantly. Gas prices have increased a lot.

My dream has come true. My dream has come true.

Since I moved to Canada, my English has really improved.
My English has really improved since I moved to Canada.

Vanechka has grown since the last time I saw him.
Ivan has grown since the last time I saw him.

4. When talking about overall achievements

Apple released a new iPhone, a man flew to Mars, a new cure for cancer was invented, and the ideal car was finally created in Russia.

Doctors have discovered drugs for many diseases.
Doctors have discovered cures for many diseases.

Man has been to the moon. Man has been to the moon.

The computer made it possible to study online.
The computer has made it possible to learn online.

5. When to emphasize the duration of accomplished facts

Everything is simple here: we have been in a relationship for 5 years, I have lived in Australia since 1990, I have not seen him for 2 years, she has been working in this company for 10 years, etc..

I haven't been on vacation this year. I haven’t had a holiday this year.
I have known Anya for 5 years. I have known Anna for 5 years.

Sam has been working here for 7 years. Sam has worked here for 7 years.
I haven't seen my brother since last year. I haven’t seen my brother since last year.
We've been dating for 3 months. We have been in a relationship for 3 months.

Important nuance!
If you are taking an exam or focusing on American English, remember:
In American English, present perfect is often replaced by past simple.

I have just seen him. Bre
I saw him.

I just saw him. Amer
I saw him.

She has never seen snow. Bre
She had never seen snow.

She never saw snow. Amer
She had never seen snow.

Formation of the Present Perfect

have/has + verb ending - ed - or irregular verb from the third column -V3-

Simple sentence

Negation in Present Perfect

Questions in the Present Perfect

How do you like this phrase: “No one is perfect, that’s why pencils have erasers.” - “No one is perfect, that’s why there are erasers on pencils”? However, “Perfect” still exists, and it is “Present”. What is “Present Perfect”?

To begin with, it is worth noting that there is simply no equivalent to this tense or the Present Complete in the Russian language - this is where the whole difficulty of understanding lies. But hold on! We're here to sort it all out. Let's go!

Rules for the formation of the Present Perfect

Let's look at an example:

I have seen this film before.

We have first place subject(subjects or subject), then auxiliary verb(auxiliary) - have or has + Past Participle = seen.

Using the Present Perfect

• When we talk about experience and achievements ( experience & achievements):

I have jumped with a parachute!- I jumped with a parachute!
I’ve just graduated from University and got a diploma!- I just graduated from university and received a diploma!
She has started to walk!- She started walking!

• To show some changes:

You've lost weight!- You've lost weight!

• When an action occurred in the past, but we do not know when exactly, or time does not matter. The main thing is not when the action occurred, but its result in the present:

Have you read this book?- Did you read this book? (Ever?)
Nick has traveled a lot. - Nick traveled a lot.

• In sentences with Stative/State verbs when an action began in the past, continues in the present and may continue in the future. Words that can be used in these sentences are: since(since) and for(during):

I’ve known him for ten years.- I have known him for 10 years (I knew him in the past, I know him now, and maybe I will know him in the future).
I haven’t felt well since Monday.- I haven't been feeling well since Monday.

• When the time of action is determined by words just(just now), already(already), yet(more). Precise connection with the present:

I’ve just seen an interesting movie.- I just watched an interesting film.
She has already left.- She's already gone.
The show has not begun yet.- The show hasn't started yet.

• When an action took place during a period that has not yet ended. These periods include: today(Today), this morning(this morning), this week(this week), this month(this month), this year(this year), etc.:

She has called her best friend this morning.- She called her to the best friend in the morning (the morning is not over yet).
I have never been to China.— I have never been to China. (I have never been to China in my entire life.)

• Description of events of the recent past. Usually in such cases the words are used recently(recently), lately(lately, recently):

We have come back recently.- We just returned.
You've worked hard lately.- You've been working a lot lately.

• When the action occurs for the first (second, third, etc.) time:

It’s the first time I have done it.- I did this for the first time.
It’s the second time I have driven a car.- I drove the car for the second time.
It’s the third time she has called him this morning.“She called him this morning for the third time.”

Peculiarities of using been and gone in the Present Perfect: examples

« Been" And " gone» are past participles (the third form of the verb), gone is the past participle form of the verb go, and been is the past participle form of the verb be. Everything seems clear, but when translating into or from Russian, students have many problems. Let's look at examples:

Is Ann in the office? No, she has just been to Great Britain. And she is at home today relaxing. She'll be here tomorrow.

Is Ann in the office? No, she has just gone to China. She is spending there one month supervising the work of our subsidiary and is coming back on the 25th.

As you can see from the context in the first case, Anna was in the UK, but has already returned. Her journey has just ended.

In the second case, on the contrary, her journey has just begun, she has left and will stay in China for another month.

It follows that the Present Perfect with " been" means back and forth action, and the Present Perfect with " gone" means action only there.

Conclusion

After all of the above, the question arises: “Why then? Past Simple, if there is a Present Perfect?”

There is a huge difference between Past Simple and Present Perfect. Past simple happened in the past. We know when, and the time is over. This means that the present is not included in it. Yesterday, last year, two minutes ago. All this already finished time.

And if unfinished time? Today, this week, over these ten years (all these periods of time include the moment “now”), then we use Present Perfect. Let's compare:

I've fed a tiger today. I fed ten tigers yesterday.
She went to Europe last summer. I’ve never been to Europe in my life.
We've had many customers this week. We didn't have so many customers last week.

I lived here for ten years. I’ve lived here for ten years.

In what case am I still here? I live? Of course, I’ve lived here for ten years because it means that the action started in the past and is still ongoing. I lived here for ten years means I lived a long time ago, but have already moved. So you walk past the house in which you once lived a long time ago, and say: I lived here for ten years a long time ago.

We hope that now you have no doubts! Have a great English and evolve!

We invite you to familiarize yourself with other tenses of the English language

Big and friendly EnglishDom family

Present perfect tense ( present perfect) formed using an auxiliary verb tohave (for third person singular ( he, she, it) – has ) and the third form of the semantic verb (see the third column in the table of irregular verbs).

Scheme:

have/has+3rd form of the semantic verb

Example:

I have done the work. I got the job done.

We have done the work. We got the job done.

You have done the work. You've done the job.

He (she, it) has done the work. He (she, it) did the job.

They have done the work. They got the job done.

To form interrogative form, we transfer the auxiliary verb to have forward and put it before the subject:

Example:

Have you done the work yet? Have you already completed the work?

In negative form added to the auxiliary verb to have particle not.

Example:

I have not done the work yet. I haven't done the work yet.

Use of the present perfect tense.

1. Expresses a completed action related to the present moment through this result. This tense is translated into Russian by a perfective verb in the past tense (“bought”, “made”).

Examples:

2. The present continuous tense can express an action or state that started in the past, lasted for a period of time and is still ongoing. The period of time during which an action occurs is indicated by a phrase with a preposition for(for). The moment from which the action began is indicated by the word since(since then).

Examples:

Word already (already) can be used in interrogative or affirmative sentences. It can occur either at the end of a sentence or between the auxiliary and main verbs. Place in a sentence does not affect the overall meaning.

Examples:

Word yet can be used in both interrogative and negative sentences. IN interrogative sentences has the meaning “already”, in negative “yet”. Yet always comes at the end of a sentence.

Examples:

In the present perfect tense in negative sentences it is possible to use the words never (never). In interrogative sentences never is replaced by the word ever (ever).

Examples: