Present perfect simple: positive

• I've played in a band.

• She's had dance lessons.
• They've visited lots of interesting places.

We form the present perfect simple with:

Subject + have/has + past participle.

Positive (+)
Subject have/has past participle
• I
have
• You
• played • in a band.
He/She/It has • had • dance lessons.
• finished • all the work.
• We
• written • to the manager.
• You have
• They

We usually use short forms (I've, You've, He's, She's, We've, They've) when we are
speaking and in informal writing.

Regular verbs have past participles which are the same as their past simple forms,
ending -ed.
• We visited London. → She's visited many cities.
• The letter arrived yesterday. → The letter has arrived!

Irregular verbs have irregular past participles. Sometimes the past participle of
an irregularverb is the same as the past simple form.
• They had dance lessons last year. → We've hadswimming lessons.
• We met for a coffee last week. → They've metmany times before.

Sometimes the past participle of an irregularverb is different from the past simple form.
• She did some homework last night. → She's done lots of homework.
• I spoke to the manager yesterday. → I've spoken to the manager.

We can use the present perfect to talk about life experiences of a living person.
• She's eaten in lots of expensive restaurants.
• I've travelled around India.
• They've read all the Harry Potter books.

We don't say when the action happened with the present perfect.
• I've visited Paris.I've visited Paris last year.

We don't use the present perfect to talk about the experiences of dead people.
• Shakespeare wrote more than 30 plays.Shakespeare has written more than 30 plays.
Present perfect simple with just, already and yet
• I've already visited three universities.
• She's just won the match.
• I haven't made a decision yet.
• ‘Have you seen that new film yet?’ ‘Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.’

We can use the present perfect positive with just or already:

Subject + have/has + just/already + past participle.

Positive (+)
Subject auxiliary just/already past participle
I have • already visited three universities.
She has • just won the match.

We usually use short forms (I've, You've, He's, etc.) when we are speaking and in informal
writing.

We can use the present perfect negative with yet:

Subject + haven't/hasn't + past participle + yet.

Negative (-)
Subject auxiliary past participle yet
I haven't made a decision
yet.
She hasn't finished it

We can form present perfect questions with yet:

Have/Has + subject + past participle + yet?

Yes/no questions (?)

Auxiliary subject past participle yet
Have you seen that film
yet?
Has he made a decision

We form short answers with:

Yes + subject + have/has.
No + subject + haven't/hasn't.

Regular verbs have past participles which are the same as their past simple forms,
ending -ed.
 • visit → visited arrive → arrived

Irregular verbs have irregular past participles. Sometimes the past participle of
an irregularverb is the same as the past simple form and sometimes it is different.
• have, had → had lose, lost → lost
• do, did → done eat, ate → eaten

In British English, we use the present perfectwith just, already and yet to talk about
recent events and actions.

We use just in positive sentences to talk about very recent events or actions.
• She's just won the match.
• They've just made a big announcement.

We use yet in questions and negative sentences to talk about actions and events
happening up to now.
• Have you finished that book yet?
• I haven't made a decision yet.

We use already in positive sentences to talk about actions and events that happened
before now or earlier than expected.
• I've already visited three universities.
• Spring has already arrived in Madrid!

Present perfect simple with for and since

• She has lived here for over 30 years.
• I haven't played tennis since my accident.
• I've known Maya since I was twelve.
• ‘How long has she lived here?’ ‘For over 30 years./Since 1988.’

We can use the present perfect with for and a period of time.

We can use the present perfect with since and a date, day, time or event.

Positive and negative

Subject auxiliary past participle for/since
for over 30 years.
+ She has lived here
since 1988.
for a week.

- I haven't played tennis • last Saturday.

since • my accident.
• I hurt my back.
We can form present perfect questions with How long …?

Questions
How long auxiliary subject past participle
have you known Maya?
? How long
has she lived here?

We can give a short answer with for or since.

• ‘How long have you known Maya?’ ‘For six years./Since I was twelve.’
• ‘How long has she lived here?’ ‘For over 30 years./Since 1988.’

Regular verbs have past participles which are the same as their past simple forms,
ending -ed.
• visit → visited arrive → arrived

Irregular verbs have irregular past participles. Sometimes the past participle of
an irregularverb is the same as the past simple form and sometimes it is different.
• have, had → had lose, lost → lost
• do, did → done eat, ate → eaten

We use the present perfect to talk about present activities that started in the past.

We use for to talk about the period of time up to the present, e.g. for four years, for two
days.
• The company has been in business for four years.

We use since to talk about the time when an activity started. This can be a date, a day, a
month, a time or an event, e.g. since 1903, since yesterday, since May, since 8 a.m., since
my birthday, since I was ten years old.
• I've been here since 8 a.m.
• I haven't seen you since the wedding.

We often use the past simple after since.

• She's had that car since she started learning to drive.

We use the question form How long …? to ask about the period of time an activity has
continued for. We can reply with for + the period of time …
• ‘How long have you known Maya?’ ‘For six years.’

… or we can reply with since + the time when the activity started.
• ‘How long have you known Maya?’ ‘Since I was twelve.’

Present perfect: still and yet

• I still haven't bought a present for Ed. I keep forgetting!
 • She still hasn't packed her case. She's going on holiday tonight!
• Emma still hasn't arrived. She's really late!
• I haven't finished my English essay yet. I'll do it at the weekend.
• Has Ed left yet?

Still goes between the subject and haven't/hasn't.

Subject + still + haven't/hasn't + past participle

Negative (-)
Present perfect with still
Subject still auxiliary verb past participle
She hasn't arrived.
still
I haven't bought a present.

Yet goes at the end of the sentence or question.

Subject + haven't/hasn't + past participle + yet.
Have/has + subject + past participle + yet?

Negative (-)
Present perfect with yet
Subject auxiliary verb past participle yet
She hasn't arrived
yet.
We haven't had breakfast
Questions (?)
Present perfect with yet
Auxiliary verb subject past participle yet
Has she left
yet?
Have they packed their bags

Regular verbs have past participles which are the same as their past simple forms,
ending -ed.
• visit → visited arrive → arrived

Irregular verbs have irregular past participles. Sometimes the past participle of
an irregularverb is the same as the past simple form and sometimes it is different.
• have, had → had lose, lost → lost
• do, did → done eat, ate → eaten
We use the present perfect with still in negativesentences to talk about actions that we
expected to happen before now. Still looks back at the past.
• Emma still hasn't arrived. She said that she'd be here at six o'clock. (I expected
Emma to arrive before now.)
• I still haven't bought a present for Ed. I keep forgetting!

We use the present perfect with yet in negativesentences and questions to talk about
actions that we expect will happen. Yet looks towards the future.
• Emma hasn't arrived yet. I'll tell you when she arrives. (I expect Emma to arrive in
the future.)
• I haven't finished my English essay yet. I'll do it at the weekend.
• Has she left yet?
• Have you packed your bag yet?

Present perfect simple: wh-questions

• ‘How much has he won?’ ‘£5,000!’
• I can't find my keys. Where have they gone?
• ‘Why haven't you finished this work?’ ‘I've been busy.’
• What have you made for dinner?

We form present perfect simple wh- questionswith:

Question word + have/has + subject + past participle?

Wh- questions (?)

Question word have/has subject past participle
• I
have
• you
• done?
• What has he/she/it
• been?
• Where
• we • gone?
have • you
• they

We use present perfect wh- questions to ask about recent events or actions.
• ‘Where have you been?’ ‘At school.’
• ‘Why hasn't Laura arrived? ’ ‘Her car has broken down.’

The present perfect (simple) connects the past with the present. We use present
perfectquestions to ask about recent events that are news.
• ‘Have you heard the news about Mike?’ ‘No. What has he done?’ ‘He's won the
competition.’

We don't usually use ever in wh- questions.

• What have you done?What have you ever done?
We don't say when the event or action happened with the present perfect and so we don't
usually ask questions with when. We use the past simple instead.
• When did you hear the news?When have you heard the news?