First Impressions

Present Perfect

Professor Erirck Razo

Use

We use the present perfect simple to refer to events in the past but which connect to the present.

Uses

• Experiences

• Recent completed events

• Past events, present results

• Time + for and since

• How long …?

• Yet

• Introducing past time events

  
  

Experiences

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

*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.

Recent completed events

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 or recentlyfor 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.)

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.

*That house on the corner has been empty for three years.

Not: … since three years.

*That house on the corner hasbeen empty since 2006.

Not: … for 2006.

How long …?

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.)

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’.

Multiple Choice

I __________(not / work) today.

• have not work

• has not work

• had not work

Multiple Choice

We _________(buy) a new lamp.

• has we bought

• have bought

• had bought

Multiple Choice

We _____________(not / plan) our holiday yet.

• have not plan

• have not planing

• have not planned

Multiple Choice

Where ____________(be / you) ?

• have you be

• have you been

• has you been

Multiple Choice

He ________(write) five letters.

• has write

• has written

• has writtened

Fill in the Blank

She ___________(not / see) him for a long time.

Fill in the Blank

___________(be / you) at school?

Multiple Select

School ___________(not / start) yet.

• has not started

• has not started

• haved not started

Multiple Select

_________(speak / he) to his boss?

• Has he spoken

• has he spoken

• HAS HE SPOKEN

Multiple Select

No, he _______(have / not) the time yet.

• has not had

• has not has