Present Perfect

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

FORM:
The Present Perfect Simple is formed with the auxiliary verb have (or has for the 3rd person singular) plus the past participle of the main verb. Observe these examples and pay attention to the negative and question forms:
  • You have seen that movie many times.
  • Have you seen that movie many times?
  • You have not seen that movie many times.
Aff. SUBJ + HAVE/HAS + PP
Neg. SUBJ + HAVEN’T/HASN’T +PP
Int. HAVE/HAS + SUBJ + PP ?
Short Answer: Yes, I have. / No, I haven’t.

PAST PARTICIPLES
REGULAR VERBS : INFINITIVE + -ED  (Example: walk-walked-walked)
IRREGULAR VERBS: 3RD COLUMN IN THE LIST OF IRREGULAR VERBS. (E.g. run-ran-run)

USES
We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You cannot use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We can use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, up to now, already, yet, etc.

The concept of "unspecified time" can be very confusing to English learners. It is best to associate Present Perfect with the following topics:

1. Personal experience
You can use the Present Perfect to describe your experience. It is like saying, "I have the experience of..." You can also use this tense to say that you have never had a certain experience. The Present Perfect is never  used to describe a specific event.



  


      -  I've been to France.
     -  John has studied two foreign languages.
     -  People have travelled to the Moon.

2. Duration from the past until now
 We use the Present Perfect to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now. For five minutes, for two weeks, and since Tuesday are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect.
 

     -  I've had a cold for two weeks.
     -  She's been in England for six months.
     -  Mary has loved chocolate since she was a little girl.

Look at the following examples:
     -  She has been in England for six months.
     -  She has been to England.

Notice that been in the first sentence is the past participle of be, whereas in the second instance it is that of go. Remember that go has a double participle gone / been. Look:
     - Mary has gone to the dentist.
     - Mary has been to the dentist.

In the first sentence, Mary went to the dentist and she is not back yet. However, in the last sentence she went there but now she is back. 

Notice:
Last year and in the last year are very different in meaning. "Last year" means the year before now, and it is considered a specific time which requires Past Simple. "In the last year" means from 365 days ago until now. It is not considered a specific time, so it requires Present Perfect.
     -  I have seen that film six times in the last year.
     -  I saw that film last year.

Since / For
We use for with a period of time, for example: a few days, half an hour, two years. So with for we talk about periods. We use since with the time when the action started, for example: last year, June 8, I met you. So with since we talk about the point a period starts.
     -  I've known Mary since 2001.
     -  I've known Mary for nine years.

How long...?
The question word that is more often used with the Present Perfect is How long...? It must be answered with a since or for phrase.
     - How long have you known your boyfriend?
     - Since we were at school. 

Don't forget that When...? is incompatible with the Present Perfect. Instead, you have to use a Past Simple, as the answer will be an exact point or date in the past:
     - When did you know your boyfriend?
     -  Last summer.

Just / Already / Yet / Still / Ever.
These adverbs are often used with the Present Perfect.
a) You can use just meaning 'short time ago.'  It is placed in front of the past participle:
     -  I've just finished my homework.
     -  She's just lost her umbrella.
b) You can use already meaning 'sooner than expected.' It's placed before the participle in affirmative sentences:
     -  I have already washed my hair.
     -  We've already seen that film in the cinema.
c) You can use yet only in negatives and questions. It shows that the speaker is expecting something to happen. It always comes at the end of the sentence:
     -  Have the children come back yet?
     -  They haven't had dinner yet.
d)  Still is similar to yet in negative sentences, but it is placed between the subject and the auxiliary.
     -  They still haven't had dinner.
     -  Dad still hasn't washed up.
e) You can use ever meaning 'any time' in questions, and never, both always in front of the participle:
     -  Have you ever been to the United States?
     -  I've never been to America.




FORMA:
El Present Perfect Simple se forma con el verbo auxiliar have (o has para la 3 ª pers. sg) más el participio pasado del verbo principal. Observad estos ejemplos y prestad atención a la negativa y la pregunta:

  • You have seen that movie many times.
  • Have you seen that movie many times?
  • You have not seen that movie many times. 
Af. SUJ + HAVE/HAS + PP
Neg. SUJ + HAVEN’T/HASN’T +PP
Int. HAVE/HAS + SUJ + PP ?
Respuesta corta: Yes, I have. / No, I haven’t.

PARTICIPIOS DE PASADO
VERBOS REGULARES : INFINITIVO + -ED  (Ej. walk-walked-walked)
VERBOS IRREGULARES: 3ª COLUMNA EN LA LISTA DE IRREGULARES. (Ej. run-ran-run)

USOS
Usamos el Present Perfect para decir que una acción sucedió en un momento no especificado antes de ahora. El momento exacto no es importante. No se puede utilizar este tiempo con expresiones de tiempo específico como: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. Se puede usar el Present Perfect con expresiones de tiempo no especificado tales como: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, up to now, already, yet, etc.

El concepto de tiempo no específico puede ser confuso para los estudiantes de inglés. Es mejor asociar el Present Perfect con los temas siguientes:

1. La experiencia personal
Se puede usar el Present Perfect para describir nuestra experiencia. Es como decir "tengo la experiencia de". También se puede utilizar este tiempo para decir que nunca habéis tenido una cierta experiencia. El Present Perfect nunca se utiliza para describir un evento específico.

     -  I've been to France.
     -  John has studied two foreign languages.
     -  People have travelled to the Moon.


2. Duración de una acción pasada que afecta al presente
Usamos el Present Perfect para expresar que algo empezó en el pasado y ha continuado hasta la actualidad.  For five minutes, for two weeks, y since Tuesday son todos ejemplos de duración que pueden emplearse con este tiempo.
      -  I've had a cold for two weeks.
     -  She's been in England for six months.
     -  Mary has loved chocolate since she was a little girl.

Echad un vistazo a estos ejemplos:
     -  She has been in England for six months.
     -  She has been to England.

Observad que been en la primera frase es el participio de be, mientras que en la segunda frase es el de go. Recordad que go tiene un participio doble gone / been. Mirad:

     - Mary has gone to the dentist.
     - Mary has been to the dentist.

En el primer ejemplo, María fue al dentista y todavía no ha regresado, sigue fuera. Sin embargo, en la última frase ella fue pero ahora ya está de vuelta. 

Notad:
Last year y in the last year son muy distintos en significado. "Last year" significa el año antes de éste, y se le considera como una fecha específica que requiere Past Simple. "In the last year" significa desde hace 365 días hasta la fecha de hoy. No se considera una fecha en concreto sino un periodo de tiempo y por eso lleva Present Perfect.
     -  I have seen that film six times in the last year.
     -  I saw that film last year.


Since / For
Usamos for con periodos de tiempo, por ejemplo: a few days, half an hour, two years. Así que con for  hablamos de periodos. Usamos since con el momento en que la acción empezó, por ejemplo: last year, June 8, I met you. Por lo tanto, con since hablamos del punto en el que empieza un periodo.
     -  I've known Mary since 2001.
     -  I've known Mary for nine years.

How long...?
El pronombre interrogativo que más se utiliza con el Present Perfect es How long...? Se debe contestar siempre con una frase con since o for.
     - How long have you known your boyfriend?
     - Since we were at school. 

Que no se os olvide que When...? es incompatible con el Present Perfect. En su lugar, debéis utilizar el Past Simple, puesto que la respuesta va a ser un punto exacto en el tiempo o una fecha en concreto.
     - When did you know your boyfriend?
     -  Last summer.

Just / Already / Yet / Still / Ever.
Estos adverbios se usan a menudo con el Present Perfect.
a) Usad just con el significado de 'acabar de + infinitivo.'  Se coloca justamente entre el auxiliar y el participio:
     -  I've just finished my homework.
     -  She's just lost her umbrella.
b) Usad already con el significado de 'ya.' Se coloca entre el auxiliar y el participio en oraciones afirmativas:
     -  I have already washed my hair.
     -  We've already seen that film in the cinema.
c) Usad yet sólo en negativas y preguntas. Se traduce por 'ya' en preguntas y por 'todavía no' en negativas. Siempre va al final de la oración:
     -  Have the children come back yet?
     -  They haven't had dinner yet.
d)  Still es parecido a yet en negativas, pero se coloca entre el sujeto y el auxiliar.
     -  They still haven't had dinner.
     -  Dad still hasn't washed up.
e) Usad ever con el significado de 'alguna vez' en preguntas, y never, ambos siempre delante del participio.
     -  Have you ever been to the United States?
     -  I've never been to America.


PRACTICE:

Put in affirmative, negative and interrogative:
1)He comprado un cuaderno. I/buy/a notebook.
2) Has estudiado hoy. You/study/today.
3)He visitado a mis padres. I/visit/my parents.
4) Han venido a verte. They/come/to see you.
5)Han robado la bici. They/steal/the bike.
6) He vivido en Londres. I/live/in London.
7)Has pensado en Tom. You/think/Tom.
8) Has montado en caballo. You/ride/a horse.
9)Hemos visto esa película. We/see/that film.
10) Ha leído el periódico. He/read/the newspaper.
11)Habéis tomado café. You/have/coffee.
12) Han ido a París. They/go/to Paris.
13)Juan ha cogido el tren. Juan/take/the train.
14)He quedado con Ana. I/meet/Anna.
15)Ana ha cogido el libro. Ana/catch/the book.
16) Has traído el libro. You/bring/the book.
17)Hemos visto el partido. We/watch/the match.
18)Me ha dado un beso. She/give/me a kiss.
19)Han jugado al ajedrez. They/play/chess.
20)Te hemos escuchado. We/listen/to you.

More Practice:
Exercise1, Exercise2, Exercise3, Exercise4, Exercise5, Exercise 6.

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