Present Perfect

Form and Use

Present Perfect: IntroductionRead the sentences:

I have climbed the highest mountain.

She hasn’t spoken with the tongue of angels.

He has scaled these city walls. Has he held the hand of a devil? It has not run through the fields. Have we found what we are looking

for?

Which are affirmative, negative and interrogative?

AffirmativeAffirmative

I have climbed the highest mountain.

He has scaled these city walls.

NegativeNegative

She hasn’t spoken with the tongue of angels.

It has not run through the fields.

InterrogativeInterrogative

Has he held the hand of a devil? Have we found what we are looking

for?

Present Perfect: FORMAffirmativeAffirmative

I have climbed the highest mountain.subject + auxiliary verb have + main verb in the past participle

NegativeNegative

I have not climbed the highest mountain.subject + auxiliary verb have + not + main verb in the past participle

InterrogativeInterrogative

Have I climbed the highest mountains.auxiliary verb have + subject + + main verb in the past participle

Present Perfect: USE

We use the Present Perfect to talk about:

an action that took place in the past but we don’t know when

past activities with consequences in the present

situations that started in the past and continue up till now

Time Markers

We usually use these time markers with the present perfect:

Just, yet (negatives and interrogatives), already, for, since, ever, never, so far, recently, lately, always, how long