Present Perfect Tense – Rules and Examples

The Present Perfect tense is a versatile grammatical construction that holds a unique place in English verb tenses. It serves to express actions or states that have relevance to the present moment, yet have occurred at some indefinite point in the past.

This tense is characterized by its combination of the auxiliary verb “have” or “has” with the past participle form of the main verb. Through its nuanced usage, the Present Perfect tense allows speakers and writers to convey experiences, accomplishments, or situations that carry significance from the past into the present, shaping the narrative of ongoing relevance in language.

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What Is the Present Perfect Tense?

The present perfect tense is a grammatical construction in English used to describe actions that were completed in the past but have relevance or impact on the present moment. It is formed by combining the present tense of the auxiliary verb “have” (or “has” for third-person singular subjects) with the past participle of the main verb.

For example:

• I have eaten.
• She has finished her homework.
• They have traveled to Europe.

In each of these sentences, the action (eating, finishing homework, traveling) occurred at some indefinite time in the past, but its effects or relevance extend to the present moment. This tense is often used to express experiences, achievements, or actions that have a connection to the present or have occurred within an unspecified timeframe leading up to now.

Structure of present perfect tense for simple statements

The present perfect tense is formed using the auxiliary verb “have” (in the appropriate form) followed by the past participle of the main verb. Here’s the general structure:

Subject + have/has + past participle of the verb

Here’s a breakdown:

• Subject: This is the person or thing performing the action.
• “have/has”: The choice between “have” and “has” depends on the subject:
  • “have” is used with the pronouns “I,” “you,” “we,” and “they.”
  • “has” is used with the pronouns “he,” “she,” and “it.”
• Past participle: This is the third form of the verb.

For regular verbs, the past participle is formed by adding “-ed” to the base form of the verb. However, irregular verbs have different past participle forms. For example:

• Regular verb: walk → walked
• Irregular verb: eat → eaten

Here’s how it works with the verb “to play” as an example:

• I have played
• You have played
• He/She/It has played
• We have played
• You have played
• They have played

Here are a few examples of sentences in the present perfect tense:

1. She has finished her homework.
2. They have traveled to many countries.
3. We have seen that movie before.
4. He has eaten lunch already.
5. I have read that book.

The present perfect tense for negatives

The present perfect tense for negatives is formed by using “has not / have not” or its contractions “hasn’t / haven’t” followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Here’s the structural formula for the present perfect tense in negatives:

Subject + [has not/have not] + past participle

For example:

• I have not seen him.
• She has not finished her homework yet.
• They have not traveled abroad before.

In informal speech or writing, contractions like “hasn’t / haven’t” are commonly used, while in formal writing, the full form “has not / have not” may be preferred.

The present perfect tense for questions

When forming questions in the present perfect tense, the structure typically follows the pattern:

[Question word} + [have/has] + [subject] + [past participle] + ?

• Question Word: This can be a question word like “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” “how,” or sometimes “have” or “has” alone.
• ? A question mark at the end to indicate it’s a question.

Here are some examples:

• Have you eaten lunch yet?
• Has she finished her homework?
• What have they done with the money?
• How long have you known each other?
• Why hasn’t he called me back yet?

How to use the present perfect tense with adverbs

Using adverbs with the present perfect tense can add additional context or detail to the action or event that has occurred. Adverbs can modify the time, frequency, manner, or degree of the action. Adverbs are typically placed after the auxiliary verb “have” or “has” and before the main verb’s past participle. Here’s how to use adverbs with the present perfect tense:

[ Subject] + [have/has] + [adverb] + [past participle]

For example:

1. She has just finished her work.
2. We have already seen that movie.
3. He hasn’t yet visited Paris.
4. I have always wanted to learn to play the piano.
5. She has rarely traveled outside of Europe.
6. He has carefully read the instructions.
7. They have completely renovated their house.

How to use the present perfect tense in the passive voice?

Forming the present perfect tense in the passive voice involves using the auxiliary verb “have” or “has” followed by “been” and then past participle of the main verb. Here’s the general structure:

[ Subject] + [have/has] + [been] + [past participle of the main verb]

Here’s how you can use it in a sentence:

Active Voice: She has written the report.
Passive Voice: The report has been written by her.

Active Voice: They have completed the project.
Passive Voice: The project has been completed by them.

Active Voice: He has sold his car.
Passive Voice: His car has been sold by him.

In each case, the auxiliary verb “has/have” is followed by “been,” and then the past participle of the main verb is used.

When to use the present perfect tense?

The present perfect tense is used to describe actions or events that have a connection to the present moment, either because they occurred recently or because their effects are still relevant. Here are some common situations when you would use the present perfect tense:

1. Recent actions

When something happened in the past, but the exact time is not specified, especially if it’s recently completed. For example:

• I have just finished my homework.
• They have already eaten dinner.

2. Experiences

When talking about life experiences up to the present moment. For example:

• I have visited Paris three times.
• She has never flown in an airplane.

3. Unfinished actions

When actions started in the past but are still relevant to the present. For example:

• He has lived in this city for ten years.
• We have been working on this project since Monday.

4. Changes over time

When discussing changes or developments that have occurred up to the present moment. For example:

• The company has grown significantly in the last year.
• Her English has improved a lot since she moved to London.

5. Actions with indefinite time

When referring to actions that happened at some unspecified time in the past. For example:

• Have you ever been to Japan?
• She has read that book before.

In summary, the present perfect tense is used to indicate a connection between past actions or experiences and the present moment, emphasizing their relevance or ongoing impact.

When not to use the present perfect tense

The present perfect tense is used to indicate actions or events that occurred at an unspecified time in the past, or that have relevance to the present moment. However, there are situations where the present perfect tense may not be appropriate:

Specific Time References

When you have a specific time reference in the past, such as yesterday, last week, or in 1999, it’s generally more appropriate to use the simple past tense. For example:

• Incorrect: I have finished my homework yesterday.
• Correct: I finished my homework yesterday.

Definite Past Actions

If the action or event clearly happened at a specific point in the past and is not relevant to the present moment, the simple past tense is preferred. For example:

• Incorrect: I have visited Paris when I was 10.
• Correct: I visited Paris when I was 10.

Series of Completed Actions

When describing a series of completed actions in the past without any specific relevance to the present, the simple past tense is more suitable. For example:

• Incorrect: I have walked, talked, and ate lunch.
• Correct: I walked, talked, and ate lunch.

Narratives and Stories

In narratives, stories, or historical accounts, the simple past tense is often used to maintain the flow of the story. Present perfect can disrupt the narrative flow. For example:

• Incorrect: He has discovered a hidden treasure. Then he has told his friends about it.
• Correct: He discovered a hidden treasure. Then he told his friends about it.

Habitual actions in the past

When describing habitual actions or states that occurred regularly in the past, the simple past tense is typically used. For example:

• Incorrect: I have played soccer every Saturday.
• Correct: I played soccer every Saturday.

Present Perfect Tense Practice Worksheet

Here is a practice worksheet of present perfect tense:

20 example sentences of the present perfect tense

Here are 20 examples of present perfect tense:

1. I have finished my homework.
2. She has visited France.
3. They have seen that movie before.
4. He has eaten lunch already.
5. We have completed the project on time.
6. I haven’t finished my homework yet.
7. She hasn’t visited France.
8. They haven’t seen that movie before.
9. He hasn’t eaten lunch yet.
10. We haven’t completed the project on time.
11. Have you finished your homework?
12. Has she visited France?
13. Have they seen that movie before?
14. Has he eaten lunch yet?
15. Have we completed the project on time?
16. Where have you been?
17. How many times have you watched that movie?
18. Why haven’t they finished their homework yet?
19. When has she visited France?
20. Who has eaten lunch already?

Test your understanding of the present perfect tense

1. Mary _______________ her homework already. (finish)
2. We _______________ that movie three times this week. (watch)
3. _____ John _______________ his keys again? (misplace)
4. They _______________ for the same company for over a decade. (work)
5. She _______________ her new phone since last month. (own)
6. _____ you ever _______________ sushi before? (try)
7. The team _______________ its goals for this quarter. (achieve)
8. He _______________ the recipe but hasn’t tried it yet. (memorize)
9. The cat _______________ the mouse under the table. (catch)
10. I _______________ to Paris twice in my life. (travel)
11. She _______________ a lot of progress in her studies. (make)
12. _____ anyone _______________ my phone charger? (see)
13. The company _______________ a new CEO. (appoint)
14. We _______________ all the cookies in the jar. (eat)
15. He _______________ his driving test on his first attempt. (pass)