The Present Perfect Simple Or Continuous
I have been to the town hall.
Structure: Have/has + past participle* makes the present perfect.
*some verbs are irregular ( exemple: to give®given, to cost® cost)
She has lost her post.
They have taken a rest.
I have been to Australia
The present perfect tense is used to describe something that happened in the past, but the exact time when it happened is not important. It has a relationship with the present.
I have done my homework = I finished my homework in the past. It is not important at what exact time, only that it is now done.
We do not use the present perfect with an adverbial which refers to past time which is finished:
As we do not use exact time expressions with the present perfect, we cannot say:
I have done my homework yesterday
In this case we use the past simple tense:®I did my homework yesterday.
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Present Perfect Simple |
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Positive Form |
Negative Form |
Interrogative Form |
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I have worked |
I have not worked |
Have I worked? |
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You have worked |
You have not worked |
Have you worked? |
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She has worked |
She has not worked |
Has she worked? |
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He has worked |
He has not worked |
Has he worked? |
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It has worked |
It has not worked |
Has it worked? |
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We have worked |
we have not worked |
Have we worked? |
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They have worked |
They have not worked |
Have they worked? |
Using already ,just and yet with the present perfect:
Already, just and yet canbe used with the present perfect.
Already means 'something has happened sooner than we expected:
'The movie only came out yesterday, but I have already seen it.'
Just means 'a short time ago':
I have just seen your brother going into the bank with a gun!'
Yet is only used in questions and negative sentences. It means 'something is expected to happen':
- 'Have you finished the report yet?'
- ‘No, I haven't finished it yet.'
Using since and for with the present perfect:
‘Since’ and ‘for’ canbe used with the present perfect for something that started in the past and continues in the present:
They’ve been marriedfor nearly fifty years.
She has livedin Liverpool since 2009.
I have worked here since I left school.
We use the present perfect ofbewhen someone has gone to a place and returned:
A: Where have you been? = Where have you gone?
B: I’vejust been out to the supermarket.= I’vejust been out to the supermarket
Read the sentences below and learn:
‐ I’m tired out. I’ve been working all day.
-They have been training on the newprogramme every week since it started.
- I have been typing the report since 10 am.
The present perfect continuous is formed with have/has been + (verb+ing).
The present perfect continuous tense is used to refer to an action which started in the past and continues today.
I have been learning English since September.
(I started in September and I continue to take lessons today.)





