Present perfect simple (I have worked)

de English Grammar Today

We use have/has + the -ed form of the verb.

(full form)
I, you, we, they
have
she, he, it
has
+ worked.
(short form)
I, you, we, they
’ve
she, he, it
’s

(full form)
I, you, we, they
have not
she, he, it
has not
− worked.
(short form)
I, you, we, they
haven’t
she, he, it
hasn’t

Have I, you, we, they

(full form)
I, you, we, they
Have not
she, he, it
Has
?− worked?
(short form)
I, you, we, they
Haven’t
she, he, it
Hasn’t
We use the present perfect simple to refer to events in the past but which connect to the present.

Experiences

We use the present perfect simple to talk about our experiences up to now. The time of the experiences is not

important:

[talking about musical theatre productions]

And I’ve  seen  ‘Buddy’ and I’ve  seen  ‘Starlight Express’ in London. And I want to see ‘Phantom of the Opera’

next.

We’re going to Wagamama’s for dinner tonight. I’ve been there a couple of times before.

Although we do not give a specific time, we often use general time expressions like ever, never, before, in my

life, so far, up until now with this use of the present perfect simple:

We  haven’t met  before, have we?

They’ve sold 110  so far. (so far = from a point in the past up until now)

We often use ever, not … ever and never when we talk about experiences:

It was the worst performance we have ever  seen.

Have you  ever tried  to write your name and address with your left hand?

She’s never  said sorry for what she did.

We often use the present perfect simple for a unique experience when we are using a superlative:

I felt  the happiest  I  have  ever  felt. My first Olympic final; the bronze medal; European record of 9.97

seconds.

The dome of the Blue Mosque at Isfahan is the most beautiful building  Ihave ever seen.

It was the best decision  I  have  ever  made in my life.

It’s  the worst sports programme  I  have  ever  seen  and the first I have everturned  off.

We usually use the present perfect simple with the first time when we’re talking about an immediate,

continuing or recent event:

That’s  the first time I’ve seen you get angry.

We use the present perfect simple to talk about a finished event or state in the very recent past. We do not

give a specific time. We often use words like just orrecently for events taking place a very short time before

now:

What’s this? What’s just  happened?

The company employs around 400 staff and has recently  opened an office in the UK.

Niki and John have just  come back from a week in Spain.

Past events, present results

We use the present perfect simple when a single past action has a connection with the present:

She’s broken her arm in two places. (Her arm is still broken now.)

Why haven’t you  dressed in something warmer? (You got dressed in the past but the clothes are not warm

enough for now.)

A fire  has broken out at a disused hotel on the seafront. (The fire is burning now; it’s a recent event too.)

Your flowers  haven’t arrived. (Your flowers are not here; they were supposed to arrive in the past.)
Time + for and since

We use the present perfect simple with for and since to talk about a present situation that began at a specific

point in the past and is still going on in the present. We are looking back from the present to a point in the

past.

Compare

For refers to
periods of time,
That house on the corner has e.g. three years,
beenempty  for three years. four hours,
Not: … since three years. ages, a long
time, months,
years.

Since refers to a
previous point
That house on the
in time, e.g. last
corner  has  beenempty since 2006.
Monday, last
Not: … for 2006.
year, 1987,
yesterday.

The house was empty in 2006 and it is still empty now.

We often use expressions with for and since to answer the question How long …+ present perfect simple. We

use the How long …? question to ask about the duration of a state or activity:

A:

How long have you worked there?

B:

Since 21 August. So for about four months.

Yet

We use yet + the present perfect simple, mainly in questions and negative statements, to refer to things we

intend to do in the future but which are not done:

Don’t wash up that cup. I haven’t finished  my coffee  yet. (I intend to finish it.)

Haven’t you  done your homework  yet? (You intend to do it.)

We use already + the present perfect simple when we want to emphasise that something is done or achieved,

often before the expected time:

I’ve  already  booked my flight home.

A:

Will you go and clean your teeth!

B:

I’ve already cleaned them.

Still

We use still + the present perfect simple when we want to emphasise that something we expected to happen

continues not to happen:

She still hasn’t said  sorry to me.

I feel really tired. I  still  haven’t recovered  from the jet lag.

Introducing past time events

The present perfect simple is often used in newspaper headlines or TV news programmes to report a recent

past event. It is then followed by a series of verbs in the past simple (underlined):

Charlton Heston has died aged 84, a spokesman for his family has said. Heston died on Saturday at his

home in Beverly Hills. His wife Lydia, whom he married  in 1944, was at his side. Heston  won a best actor

Oscar for his starring role in the epic ‘Ben Hur’.

We can also use the present perfect simple to introduce an ‘open’ general point about something. We can

then use the past simple (underlined) to give more detailed specific information:

Have you  seen  any Arthur Miller plays? I saw  a fantastic production of ‘The Crucible’.

American English

In American English the past simple is often used instead of the present perfect simple, often

with already and yet.

Compare

American English British English

Did  you  eat (yet)? Have you eaten (yet)?