Present Perfect is a special tense in English. It has no analogues in the Russian language. Therefore, it is not complex rules that will help you understand its construction and understand cases of use, but simple example sentences.
General information
Present Perfect tense or Present Perfect tense is one of the 12 English tense forms in the English language and belongs to the present group. It describes an action that occurred before a certain point in the past, but has a direct connection with the present. In other words, he has a special mission - to report the present result of an action that happened in the past. Not to be confused with Past Simple, which is intended to describe events that happened at a specific time in the past.
Present Perfect is translated into Russian as a verb in the past tense. It is this nuance that causes various kinds of doubts and difficulties among language learners. Numerous examples of Present Perfect Simple sentences with translation will help you figure it out.
Affirmative examples Present Perfect tense
|
Offer |
Translation |
|
I have just drunk my first morning cup of coffee |
I just had my first cup of coffee of the morning. |
|
The train has already come to the railway station by now |
The train has already arrived at the railway station by now |
|
We have received good results before and now we are happy |
We got good results earlier and are now happy |
|
He has never been to Great Britain |
|
|
They have been a little tired lately |
They've been a little tired lately |
|
The meeting with a famous writer has already taken place |
The meeting with the famous writer has already taken place |
|
She has already achieved her purpose to become a doctor |
She has already achieved her dream of becoming a doctor. |
|
They have known one another for ages |
They have known each other for many years |
These examples help you understand the formation of the affirmative form of the Present Perfect: have/has + main verb in 3rd form . The auxiliary verb has is used after he (he), she (she), it (it) . In all other cases - have . The second part of the construction can be expressed by a regular verb with the ending -ed (received) or the form from the 3rd column of the table of irregular verbs (known).
Such “time markers” as already (already), just (just), lately (lately), for ages (many years), before (previously), by now (by this time) are clear signs of the Present Perfect time . As soon as they appear on the horizon, you can safely use this temporary form.
Negation
|
Offer |
Translation |
|
I have not drunk my first morning cup of coffee yet |
I haven't had my first cup of coffee of the morning yet. |
|
The train has not come to the railway station yet |
The train has not yet arrived at the railway station |
|
We have not received good results yet |
We haven't gotten good results yet |
|
He has not ever been to Great Britain |
He's never been to the UK |
|
They have not been tired lately |
They haven't been tired lately |
|
The meeting with a famous writer has not taken place yet |
The meeting with the famous writer has not yet taken place |
|
She has not achieved her purpose to become a doctor yet |
She has not yet achieved her dream of becoming a doctor. |
|
They have not ever known one another |
They never knew each other |
These examples of negative sentences in the Present Perfect show the position of the negative particle not (not) : she stands between have/has and the main verb in the 3rd degree. In addition, the tense indicator is most often used in negation yet (yet) , which comes at the end of the sentence. Please note never (never) : It is used in affirmative sentences, but with a negative meaning, since double negatives are not possible in English. And its synonym ever can be used in negative and interrogative sentences with the meaning “never”, and in affirmative sentences with the meaning “ever”.
Question
|
Offer |
Translation |
|
Have you just drunk your first morning cup of coffee? |
Have you just had your first cup of coffee of the morning? |
|
Has the train already come to the railway station by now? |
Has the train arrived at the railway station by now? |
|
Have they received any good results before? |
Have they gotten good results before? |
|
Has he ever been to Great Britain? |
Has he ever been to the UK? |
|
Have they been a bit tired lately? |
Have they been a little tired lately? |
|
Has the meeting with a famous writer already taken place? |
Have you already met with a famous writer? |
|
Has she already achieved her purpose to become a doctor? |
Has she already achieved her dream of becoming a doctor? |
There are tenses in English that are not in Russian. They are the main “culprits” of grammatical difficulties. These include Present Perfect - Present Perfect tense.
Education
Before turning to the question of when the Present Perfect Simple is used, it is appropriate to briefly consider the meaning and “structure” of this tense. It is translated into Russian as the Present Perfect tense. Its main function is to describe events that happened in the past, but have been completed by now and their result affects the present day.
The Present Perfect tense is formed using two verbs. The first is the auxiliary verb have, which is “valid” only for I (I), you (you), we (we), they (they) or has - for he (he), she (she), it (it ).
The second is the main verb in the 3rd form. In English, the 3rd form of regular verbs is created by adding the ending -ed to the word stem (to wish - wished, to blame - blamed, to clean - cleaned). Irregular verbs do not "require" rules. The third form can always be found, respectively, in the third column in the table of irregular verbs.
The Present Perfect tense can be used instead of the Present Perfect Continuous to describe events that began in the recent past and continued until the present minute. This happens when the main verb belongs to the verbs of the state (to respect - to respect, to adore - adore), which are not used in the Continuous aspect (long).
Table: Present Perfect formation with regular and irregular verbs
Cases of using the Present Perfect
As can be seen from the table, the Present Perfect tense is translated into Russian using verbs in the past tense. The same thing happens with the translation of sentences used in the Past Simple (Simple Past) and Past Perfect (Past Perfect): we again translate them with verbs in the past tense. At first glance, there is no logic. But it is there. It can only be explained by the rules for using the Present Perfect:
- To describe events that happened not so long ago and have ended by now. In this case, the exact period of what happened is not determined, it is blurred, as it has no meaning. The point is different - in the end.
Have you ever watched The Lord of the Rings? - Have you ever watched “The Lord of the Rings”? (It doesn’t matter when the event happened, the main thing is whether you watched this film or not)
- For a description that has ended, but the time period in which the event occurred has not ended(this year (this year), this week (this week), today (today), ever (ever) and others):
This week I have not visited my grandmother - This week I did not visit my grandmother (A week is a period of time that has not yet ended).
- To express an action that was performed in the recent past, but its result is important for the present moment:
I have lost my key. I cannot open the door. - I lost my keys. I can't open the door. (The action happened in the past, but the result of losing the keys affects the present).
- To describe repeated actions:
He has cleaned this room twice today - He cleaned the room twice today.
Present Perfect time markers (already - already, ever, never, just - only and others) are the best helpers when choosing a grammatical structure.
TOP 4 articleswho are reading along with this
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, the Present Perfect is often replaced by the Past Simple.
When is the Present Perfect used?
1. The action happened and we see the result now.
2. When it comes to 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 my 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 house has been built nearby, a child has grown up, you have learned more words in English, a new president has been elected, 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
| I You We They | have | cooked dinner |
| He She It | has | cooked dinner |
Negation in Present Perfect
| I You We They | have not - haven't | lived in Moscow |
| He She It | has not - hasn't | lived in Moscow |
Questions in the Present Perfect
| Have | I You We They | seen that? |
| Has | He She It | known about..? |
One of the most difficult tenses to understand in English is Present Perfect Tense(present perfect tense). Almost every person who learns English finds it difficult.
Very often this tense is confused with the past simple. After all, sentences in these tenses are translated similarly, and sometimes even identically.
In this article I will talk in detail about the Present Perfect: when it is used, how it is formed and how it differs from the past simple.
From the article you will learn:
- Rules for using the Present Perfect tense in English
- Formation of negation in Present Perfect time in English
- Formation of questions in the Present Perfect tense in English
Difference between Present Perfect and Past Simple
To help you understand when to use the Present Perfect tense, we will compare it with the Past Simple tense, with which it is often confused.
Past Simple Tense
Past Simple is translated as “past simple” tense.
When to use:We use it when we talk about events that happened in the past.
What we show: The very fact of an action that once happened.
For example:
I lost my keys.
I was losing your keys.
You lost your keys sometime in the past and now talk about it as a fact that once happened to you. For example, over lunch you told a friend that you lost your keys last week.
Present Perfect Tense
Present Perfect is translated as “present perfect (completed)” tense.
When to use: We use the present perfect when we talk about an action that happened in the past, but it has meaning now.
What we show: The result of an action done in the past.
Let's look at an example:
I have lost my keys.
I lost your keys.
For example, you call your wife and ask her when she will come home from work so that she can open the apartment. She asks you why you don’t do it yourself. And then you answer that you lost your keys (this has already happened) and therefore you cannot enter the apartment (the result of you losing your keys).
We see the result of this action right now : I am now without keys and cannot get into the apartment.
How to distinguish present perfect from past simple
Look at the following pictures:
For example, you were cooking dinner yesterday. And now you say it as a fact. This action has nothing to do with the present moment.
For example, you call your family for dinner. You say that you cooked dinner (action in the past). But you focus on the result - now you have dinner ready.
Look at the table comparing Past Simple and Present Perfect:
| Past Simple Tense | Present Perfect Tense |
|
We use: We show: |
We use: We show: |
|
Example: I bought a bag. For example, I say |
Example: I have bought the bag. For example, Ishowing |
Let's look at another example.
Past Simple:
I ate.
I ate.
For example, to the question: “Did you eat yesterday?”, I say that yes, I ate. This is simply the fact of the action itself in the past: I ate yesterday, but during this time I had already become hungry and now I can eat more.
Present Perfect:
I have eaten.
I ate.
I want to say with this sentence that I ate and, as a result, now I am full. This is important to me at the moment, because now I don’t want to eat anymore.
Now let's take a closer look at the uses of Present Perfect Tense.
Rules for using the Present Perfect tense in English
Let's see in what cases we use completed time:
1. The end/result of the action is visible right now
This means that the action you are talking about has just ended. And the result of this action is visible right now.
For example:
I cleaned the room (just finished cleaning, everything is still clean).
She cooked dinner (you can see the finished dinner right now).
2. We care about the result, not the time when something was done
We only care about the result - what we did. The time it was done is not important.
For example:
She did her homework (she has a notebook with her homework ready at the moment (result), it doesn’t matter to us exactly when she did it).
He prepared the presentation (right now the presentation is ready, when he prepared it is not important to us).
3. Talk about your life experiences
That is, you are talking about what has or has not happened to you to date. The words often used are: ever, never, several (one, two, three, etc.) times.
For example:
He had never jumped with a parachute (he hadn't by now).
She has been to New York twice (by now, this is her life experience).
4. We talk about an unfinished period of time
That is, the time period you are talking about (week, month, year) has not ended, and you have the opportunity to perform the action a certain number of times.
For example:
I fed the cat twice today (the day is not over yet and you can feed her again).
He has gone ice skating three times this winter (winter is not over yet and he can do more).
Rules for forming Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect tense is formed with have/has and a verb in the past form.
There are regular and irregular verbs in English. Depending on the verb, this form is formed as follows:
- if the verb is correct, then we add the ending -ed to it: cook - cooked, finish - finished.
- if the verb is irregular, then we put it in the 3rd form: do - done, eat - eaten.
There is no rule by which we can determine the correct or irregular verb in front of us. You can only find out by looking it up in a dictionary or memorizing it. The same goes for forms of irregular verbs. You need to memorize them or look them up in the dictionary.
Now let's look at the diagram of such a proposal:
Actor + has/have + regular verb ending in ed or 3rd form of irregular verb
When we talk about someone in the singular (he - he, she - she, it - it), we use has. In all other cases - have.
| I | ||
| You | ||
| We | have | done |
| They | cooked | |
| She | bought | |
| He | has | |
| It |
They have bought a new flat.
They bought a new apartment.
She has broken her arm.
She broke her arm.
Abbreviations
We can shorten has and have in sentences. It will look like this:
has = 's
have='ve
The rule for adding the ending -ed
When we add the -ed ending to a verb, there are a few things to keep in mind.
1. If the verb ends in -e, then it is added to the verb -d only
chang e- chang ed- change
clos e- clos ed- close
2. If the verb ends to a consonant, in front of which stands stressed vowel, then the consonant is doubled
sto p-sto pped- stop
ba n-ba nned- forbid
Exceptions: verbs ending in -x and -w:
fi x-fi xed- fix
flo w-flo wed- leak
Note: V British English, when a verb ends in -l, then it is doubled regardless of where the stress falls
travel l- travel lled- travel
American version:
travel l- travel led- travel
3. If the verb ends in -y and there is a consonant before it, then y changes to i+ed
cr y-cr ied- cry
tr y-tr ied- try
Important: If there is a vowel before -u, then the ending -ed is added no change letters
sta y-sta yed- stay
pla y- pla yed- play
Tense indicators Present Perfect Tense
There are words in the English language that are very often used in the present perfect tense. Here are the main ones:
- never - never
- just - just now
- yet - not yet / already
- already - already
- lately/of late - recently
- recently - recently
- ever - ever
- this week/month/year - this week/this month/this year
They have moved recently.
They moved recently.
She has just finished.
She just finished.
But we never use the following words in the Present Perfect tense:
- yesterday - yesterday
- last week/year/month - on (in) last week/year/month
Why aren't they used?
After all, these words focus on when we performed the action, and not on the news/result of the action itself. We use them in the Past Simple.
Formation of negation in Present Perfect time
A negative sentence is constructed in the same way as an affirmative one. Only after the auxiliary verb have/has do we put the negative particle not.
The outline of such a proposal would be as follows:
Actor + has/have + not + regular verb ending in ed or 3rd form of irregular verb
| I | |||
| You | |||
| We | have | done | |
| They | not | cooked | |
| She | bought | ||
| He | has | ||
| It |
We have not done my homework.
We haven't done our homework.
She has not cooked dinner yet.
She hasn't cooked dinner yet.
Reduction
We can shorten have/has and the particle not like this:
have + not = haven’t
has + not = hasn’t
Formation of questions in Present Perfect tense
To ask a question in this tense, we need to put have/has in the first place in the sentence. Let's look at the diagram:
Have/has + character + regular verb ending in ed or 3rd form of an irregular verb?
| I | ||
| you | ||
| Have | we | done? |
| they | cooked? | |
| she | bought? | |
| Has | he | |
| it |
Have they finished?
Are they finished?
Has he met his friend?
Did he meet his friend?
The answer to the question can be positive or negative.
We can also give:
- short answer
- full answer
Short positive answer contains the word yes, an actor and an auxiliary verb:
Have did they do it? Yes, they have.
Did they do it? Yes.
Has he read it? Yes, he has.
Did he read this? Yes.
Short negative answer starts with no, and to the auxiliary verb we add the particle not.
Have did they do it? No, they have not.
Did they do it? No.
Has he read it? No, he has not.
Did she read this? No.
Complete positive answer looks like an affirmative sentence, only at the very beginning we put yes.
Have they wrote a letter? Yes, they have written a letter.
Did they write a letter? Yes, they wrote a letter.
Has did she buy the dress? Yes, she has bought the dress.
Did she buy this dress? Yes, she bought this dress.
Complete negative answer looks like a negative sentence, only at the very beginning we put no.
Have they wrote a letter? No, they haven't written a letter.
Did they write a letter? No, they didn't write a letter.
Has did she buy the dress? No, she hasn't bought the dress.
Did she buy this dress? No, she didn't buy this dress.
So, we got acquainted with the Present Perfect tense. If you still have any questions, ask them in the comments below the article. And now, to consolidate the theoretical part, let's move on to the practical task.
Reinforcement task
Translate the following sentences into English. Leave your answers in the comments.
1. He bought a car.
2. She finished her work.
3. They haven't cleaned the room yet.
4. Have you read these books?
5. He hasn't started yet.
6. We fixed the car.
7. They went to the cinema yesterday.
Present Perfect (present perfect) is used to denote an action that took place in the past and has a result in the present.
Education Present Perfect Tense
The Present Perfect is formed using the auxiliary verb to have in the present tense ( have, has) and the past participle form of the semantic verb. This form of the verb is also called the “third form of the verb” and is designated conventionally as V3 (verb 3). For regular verbs this is the infinitive ending –ed, for irregular verbs it is the third column V ):
I have played.
He has played.
We have played.
Interrogative form: have (has) + subject + V3:
Have I played?
Has he played?
Have we played?
In a special question, the necessary interrogative pronoun is placed before have (has):
Where have I played?
Why has he played?
With whom have you played?
In a question to the subject, an interrogative pronoun who is placed before the predicate instead of the subject itself (in this question the auxiliary verb has is always used):
Who has worked?
Negative form: have (has) + not + V3:
I have not played.
He has not played.
We have not played.
Interrogative negative form: have (has) + subject + not + V3 or haven"t (hasn"t) + subject + V3:
Have I not played?
Has he not played?
Have we not played?
Abbreviations used in colloquial speech:
have not = haven"t = "ve not
has not = hasn"t = "s not
have = "ve
has = "s
I haven"t played. = I"ve not played.
I've played.
Haven't I played?
| Affirmative form | Negative form |
|---|---|
| I have play ed He (she, it) has play ed We have play ed You have play ed They have play ed | I have not play ed He (she, it) has not play ed We have not play ed You have not play ed They have not play ed |
| Question form | Interrogative-negative form |
| Have I played? Has he (she, it) play ed ? Have we play ed ? Have you play ed ? Have them play ed ? | Have I not play ed ? Has he (she, it) not play ed ? Have we not play ed ? Have you not play ed ? Have they not play ed ? |
Using Present Perfect Tense
Present Perfect is used:
1. To express an action that took place in the past, but has a result in the present. The presence of such a result connects the past action with the present:
I have lost my keys. I lost my keys.
(lost in the past, but there is a result - now I don’t have them, I can’t open the door)
Has the rain stopped? Has the rain stopped?
(interesting in the lack of rain at the moment)
The duration of the action may not be specified (as in the previous sentences) or may be expressed by adverbs just, ever, never, already, yet(in questions and negatives), lately recently, lately, recently recently. In this case, the sentence should not contain adverbs indicating the past tense:
I have never been in London. I've never been to London.
He hasn't come home yet. He hasn't come home from work yet.
But compare:
My mom has already cooked dinner. Mom has already prepared lunch.
My mom already cooked dinner yesterday. Mom already prepared lunch yesterday. (yesterday
indicates past tense, which is why it is used )
Note. The Past Simple Tense is just used with the adverb just now:
I broke it just now. I just broke it.
2. To express both a one-time action and an action repeated several times in the past (the sentence may contain the words often often, twice twice etc.) and in sentences answering the question how much/many how much:
I have read that book twice. I read this book twice.
I have been in London three times. I've been to London three times.
I "ve ironed 8 skirts. I ironed 8 skirts.
3. Present Perfect is used with adverbs denoting periods of time that have not yet elapsed today today, this week this week, this month this month, this year this year etc.:
Have you listened to the radio today? Did you listen to the radio today? (not expired today)
It has not rained this week. There was no rain this week. (this week has not expired)
But if the specified period of time has already ended, then the Past Simple Tense form is used:
I have drunk coffee this morning. I drank coffee this morning.(said in the morning)
I drank coffee this morning. I drank coffee this morning.(the morning has already passed, it is said, for example, in the afternoon or evening)
4. The Present Perfect is used to express an action that began in the past and continued until the moment of speech or is still ongoing at the moment of speech. The sentence must contain the prepositions since (from some past moment to the present) or for during. At the same time, the Present Perfect can be translated either in the present tense or in the past, depending on the situation.
a) with verbs not used in the Continuous (for more details, see):
I haven't seen you for ages. I haven't seen you for ages.(I didn’t see it and just saw it at the moment of speaking)
Has not been here since two o'clock. He (has been) here since two o'clock.(started being here at two o'clock and is still here now)
I have known him for three years. I've known him for three years.
b) with some verbs instead of the Present Perfect Continuous, if the speaker wants to focus not on the duration, but on the fact of the action.
I have lived in Moscow for five years. I have been living in Moscow for five years.(fact is important)
I have been living in Moscow for five years. I have been living in Moscow for five years.(duration, process is important)
The Present Perfect is also used with the conjunction since since. In this case, the Present Perfect is used in the main clause, and in the subordinate clause starting with since, the Past Simple is used:
I have written only one letter to my relatives since I left. I've only written one letter since I left.
I haven't letters received from him since he left. I haven't received any letters from him since he left.
Present Perfect is also used with the adverb since since:
We moved to a new flat last year, and we haven't met our friends since. We moved last year, and haven't seen our friends since then.
5. The Present Perfect is used to express a perfect future action instead of the Future Perfect in adverbial subordinate clauses of time and condition, which are introduced by conjunctions after, when, as soon as, until (till), if etc. In this case, the Present Perfect is translated into the future tense of the perfect form:
He will wait for you until you have come. He will wait for you until you come.
Usage of Present Perfect Tense
- An action, the result of which is evident in the present tense (in Russian it corresponds to the past tense).
- An action repeated several times in the past.
- With adverbial words denoting periods of time that have not yet expired.
- To express an action that began in the past and continued until the moment of speech or is still ongoing at the moment of speech: instead of the Present Perfect Continuous (in Russian it corresponds to the present and past tense).
- The future perfect action in subordinate clauses of time and condition (in Russian corresponds to the future tense).
