Present Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect x Simple Past

We use the Present Perfect Simple to talk about: Things/ experiences that have happened in our lives up to now. We don’t say when they happened.

I have been to Paris.

I have cut my finger!

Susan loves that film. She’s seen it eight times!

Have you ever eaten Japanese food?

A: Have you read Hamlet? B: No, I haven’t read any of Shakespeare’s plays.

The action in the past has a result now.

“Where is your key?”“I don’t know. I’ve lost it.” (I don’t have it now)

He told me his name, but I’ve forgotten. (I can’t remember it now)

I can’t find my bag. Have you seen it? (Do you know where it is now?)

Present Perfect with adverbs:

JUST – a short time ago‘Are you hungry?’ ‘No, I’ve just had lunch.’

ALREADY – something happened sooner than expected‘Don’t forget to send the letter.’ ‘I’ve already sent it.

YET – until now – only in negative sentences and questions

Has it stopped raining yet?

I’ve written the letter, but I haven’t sent it yet.

STILL – not yet

When we talk about a period of time that continues from the past until now, we use the present perfect.

Have you heard from Joe recently?

Everything is going well. We haven’t had any problems so far.

I am hungry. I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast.

It’s good to see you again. We haven’t seen each other for a long time.

We use the present perfect with today/ this evening/ this week etc… when these periods are not finished at the time of speaking.

Have you had a holiday this year?

I haven’t seen Tom this morning. Have you?

Rob hasn’t studied very hard this term.

When we say it’s the first time something has happened.

Don is having a driving lesson. It’s his first one. It’s the first time he has driven a car.He has never driven a car before.

We use the Present Perfect Continuous for an action that started in the past and continues up to now.

How long have you been learning French?I’ve been learning French for 7 years.I’ve been learning French since 2006.

Tim is still watching TV. He’s been watching TV all day.

An action that started in the past and finished recently but the results are evident in the present. You are out of breath. Have you

been running?

Paul is tired. He has been working very hard. Why are you so dirty?

What have you been doing?

Present Perfect Simple x Past Simple

Study this example situation:

Tom is looking for his key. He can’t find it.He has lost his key. (present perfect)This means that he doesn’t have his key now.

TEN MINUTES later…Now Tom has found his key. He has it now. He lost his key (past simple)but now he has found it.

The present perfect is a present tense. It always tells us about the situation now.

‘Tom has lost his key’ = he doesn’t have his key now.

The past simple tells us only about the past.

‘Tom lost his key’, this doesn’t tell us whether he has the key now or not. It tells us only that he lost his key at some point in the past.

Use the past simple for things that are not recent or new.

Mozart was a composer. He wrote more than 600 pieces of music.

Who invented the telephone?

Present Perfect x Simple Past

It hasn’t rained this week. It didn't rain last week.

I have never played golf. I didn’t play golf last summer.

Ian lives in London. He Ian lived in Scotland for 10has lived there for 7 years. years.Now he lives in London.

We have been waiting We waited for an hour.for an hour.

We use the present perfect to give new information. BUT if we continue to talk about it, we normally use the past simple. A: Look! Someone has spilt

coffee on the computer. B: Well, it wasn’t me. I didn’t

do it.

A: Ow! I’ve burnt myself. B: How did you do that? A: I picked up a hot dish.

Images from Google images.Adapted from: MURPHY, Raymond. English Grammar in Use. Third Edition. United Kingdom: Cambridge, 2004. Pages 14,16,18, 26 and 28.Source: MURPHY, Raymond. English Grammar in Use. Fourth Edition. United Kingdom: Cambridge, 2012. Page 300.