Present Perfect Tense

1. Use of the Present Perfect

1.1. result of actions in the past is important in the present – It is not important when the actions happened.

I have cleaned my room.

1.2. recently completed actions

He has just played handball.

1.3. states beginning in the past and still continuing

We have lived in Canada since 1986.

1.4. together with lately, recently, yet

I have been to London recently.

2. Signal words

• just
• yet
• never
• already
• ever
• so far
• up to now
• recently
• since
• for

3. Form

have/has + past participle *

4. Examples

4.1. Affirmative sentences in the Present Perfect – regular verbs

Long forms	Contracted forms
I have cleaned my room.	I've cleaned my room.
You have cleaned your room.	You've cleaned your room.
He has cleaned his room.	He's cleaned his room.

4.2. Affirmative sentences in the Present Perfect – irregular verbs

Long forms	Contracted forms
I have gone home.	I've gone home.
You have gone home.	You've gone home.
He has gone home.	He's gone home.

4.3. Negative sentences in the Present Perfect – regular verbs

Long forms	Contracted forms
I have not cleaned my room.	I've not cleaned my room.
	I haven't cleaned my room.
You have not cleaned your room.	You've not cleaned your room.
	You haven't cleaned your room.
He has not cleaned his room.	He's not cleaned his room.
	He hasn't cleaned my room.

4.4. Negative sentences in the Present Perfect – irregular verbs

Long forms	Contracted forms
I have not gone home.	I've not gone home.
	I haven't gone home.
You have not gone home.	You've not gone home.
	You haven't gone home.
He has not gone home.	He's not gone home.
	He hasn't gone home.

4.5. Questions in the Present Perfect – regular verbs

Long forms	Contracted forms
Have I cleaned the room?	There are no contracted forms.
Have you cleaned the room?
Has he cleaned the room?

4.6. Questions in the Present Perfect – irregular verbs

Long forms	Contracted forms
Have I gone home?	There are no contracted forms.
Have you gone home?
Has he gone home?

* past participle:

• regular verbs → infinitive + -ed

How to use short/contracted forms with the Present Perfect

We often use short/contracted forms of auxiliaries in spoken English. The Present Perfect is formed with the auxiliary have. So short/contracted forms are used frequently with Present Perfect.

1. Affirmative forms

Pronouns	Long forms	Contracted forms
I	I have gone	I've gone
you	you have gone	you've gone
he, she, it	he has gone	he's gone
we, you, they	we have gone	we've gone

2. Negative forms

Pronouns	Long forms	Contracted forms
I	I have not gone	I've not gone
		I haven't gone
you	you have not gone	you've not gone
		you haven't gone
he, she, it	he has not gone	he's not gone
		he hasn't gone
we, you, they	they have not gone	they've not gone
		they haven't gone

1. Questions without question words in the Present Perfect

Auxiliary	Subject	Verb	Rest	Yes/No	Subject	Auxiliary (+ n't)
Have	you	done	the shopping?	Yes, No, No,	I I I	have. have not. haven't.
Has	Jane	played	basketball?	Yes, No, No,	she she she	has. has not. hasn't.
Have	they	been	to Canada?	Yes, No, No,	they they they	have. have not. haven't.

2. Questions with question words in the Present Perfect

Question word	Auxiliary	Subject	Verb	Rest	Answer
How often	have	you	tried	to download the file?	I have tried to download the file three times.
How long	have	they	lived	in Ottawa?	They have lived in Ottawa since 2009.
Where	has	he	been?		He has been at home.

► Use has with the 3rd person singular (he, she, it) and in all other persons have.

Use the verb in the past participle:

• regular verbs: infinitive + -ed
• For a list of irregular verbs go here

Don't forget to check your understanding by doing this quiz

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