Rule of present perfect simple tenses in English. Present Perfect - present perfect tense in English

Greetings, my dear readers.

How different do you think our Russian and English perceptions of time are? I'll tell you this: it's like two opposites. Just look at Present Perfect Tense. There is no analogue to such a phenomenon in our speech. But the British cope with this easier. So today I will teach you this magic trick.

Today we will look at all the rules of the Present Perfect. We will discuss the rules of formation and rules of use. We've got plenty of example sentences and tips ahead to help you tackle this topic more easily.

How is it formed

Let's look at the sentence structure:

Subject + auxiliary verb have\has + predicate in 3rd form + objects and circumstances.

I have finished the presentation already. - I have already finished the presentation.

She doesn’t go to school because she has fallen from the horse. - She doesn't go to school because she fell off her horse.

Just by looking at the examples, you can already notice an important aspect of this tense - the use of an auxiliary verb have.

1. For the first and second person (I, we, you, you, they) - we use an auxiliary verb have .
2. For the third person (he, it, it) - comes into play has .

And to understand how forms are formed in all types of English sentences, we have a wonderful table below.

The negative form is formed due to the particle not.

And to form a question, you need to send the auxiliary verb have to the beginning of the sentence.

Understanding the rules of education is only half the battle. Now we need to understand when to use it.

When to use: beginner level

• When we want to show the result of an action that has already happened.

They have sold their house. - They sold their house.

I don’t want to see him in person. I have talked to him on the phone recently. That's enough. - I don't want to see him in person. I talked to him on the phone recently. It's enough.

• Often this tense is used with the indicators already - already, recently - recently, just - just now, yet - yet, already.

I haven’t seen her recently. - I haven't seen her lately.

• The action took place during a period that has not yet ended. This is usually expressed as today\this week\month\year.

We have lived in 8 countries this year. - We lived in 8 countries this year.

I have spent four hours drawing princesses with my little sister today. - Today I spent four hours drawing princesses with my little sister.

• When talking about personal experience. The verbs commonly used are to go, to be, to read, to try, to visit, etc.

Have you ever been to Sweden? -Have you ever been to Sweden?

I have never tried Thai cuisine. - I have never tried Thai cuisine.

She has been to London twice this month. - She was in London twice this month.

• Situations and events that started earlier and are still relevant.

He has been a member of the team for 3 years already. - He has been a member of the team for 3 years.

• Actions that have just completed.

I have just received my exam results. - I just received the results of my exam.

When to use: Professional level

The English language can be difficult at times. We will now find out what difficulties the Present Perfect has in store for us.

• We cannot use some verbs in the present continuous tense. For example, know, want. But in the Present Perfect they can be used without problems.

We have known each other for 15 years. - We have known each other for 15 years.

He has dreamed of becoming a biker since he was 5. - He dreamed of becoming a biker since he was 5.

• When we say we are doing something for the first, second or third time. To do this, we use the construction it is the first\second\third time I have done something.

It is the sixth time Jane has called her parents for the evening. - Jane called her parents six times this evening.

It is the first time I have read the book so fast. That's because it is amazing. - This is the first time I read a book so quickly. It's because she's gorgeous.

Peculiarities

Very often, a terrible confusion between Present Perfect and Past Simple matures in the minds of students. This is understandable, because for us everything that happens in the past should be shaped by the past. And here is some kind of past in the present. Go figure it out.

But to avoid such confusion, I have for you, where exercises and theory will help you sort out the answers to your questions and then consolidate them.

In short, the most important difference is the meaning and time indicators. If you see the words ago, yesterday, last week...- this will be Past Simple. If you catch your eye already, never, just, yet, since - feel free to use the Present Perfect.

You didn’t text me yesterday. - You didn't write to me yesterday.

They haven't been texted recently. - They haven't written lately.

That's all for me, my dears. Remember that without practice you will not master the lesson 100%. So hurry up and go. Interesting tasks and tests with answers await you.

And I say goodbye to you for today.

P.S. Ask your questions in the comments, and I will be happy to answer them and help you understand the topic. And if you don’t want to miss the latest materials that I share with my subscribers first of all, subscribe to the blog newsletter. I promise you won't regret it.

I am sure that many people who study a language on their own reach the Present Perfect and... this is where their study ends, because according to the explanations from the textbook, not everyone can understand How is it? and Why is this? In this article I will not rewrite the rules, I will try to clearly and clearly explain what Present Perfect is.

First of all, let me remind you of the formation of this time.

We form the statement using the auxiliary verb have or has and the main verb in the third form, which in grammar is called Past Participle. If the verb is regular (regular), then the ending is added to it -ed, if the verb is irregular (irregular), then we take the third form from the third column of the table of irregular verbs. In this article I will denote Past Participle as V3:

In negation, a negative particle is added to the auxiliary verb not:

To form the interrogative form, the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject ( Subject):

Not all special questions can be asked in the Present Perfect. For example, a question with a word is impossible, so in the Present Perfect interlocutors are only interested in the result. If we are interested in time, then we need to use another grammatical construction to express actions in the past.

Using the Present Perfect

Present Perfect - present perfect tense. From the name it is clear that this tense denotes an action that was performed in the past, but is connected with the present. How is it connected to the present? How do we understand that it is connected?

From theory, you probably remember that this tense should be used when talking about the result of an action; if the action began in the past, but is still ongoing; and also if we talk about our life experiences; when the action took place in a period of time that has not yet ended... Surely you have already read about this many times in books or heard from a teacher.

I will try to explain to you step by step and clearly in what cases the Present Perfect is used in English. I will try to give situations from life that you encounter every day, and in which it is appropriate and even necessary to use Present Perfect. In this article I will give you small tasks, by completing which you will be able to see the importance of using this time. I would like to note that my explanation will be significantly different from those you read in grammar books.

What makes the Present Perfect different from other tenses? These are his markers (they are also called qualifiers, time indicators). Let us highlight the main markers of this time:

I'm going to tell you about each of them because each marker reflects the main points of time use.

1. Just (just now)

The tense indicator just is often used with Present Perfect and indicates that an action has just occurred and there is a certain visible and significant result.

In the statement, the place of just is after the auxiliary verb:

Just is not used in negatives. In general matters it is extremely rare.

Just is used in special questions with question words ( , Why, etc.) You may encounter questions like this with just :

What has just happened? - What just happened?

What has he just done/ said? - What did he just do/say?

What just happened? Someone just broke a cup.

When did this action take place? In the recent past, we don't know exactly when.

What do we know? We only know the result of an action. And we can say this in Present Perfect:

What did they just do? They have just cleaned the room.

We don't know the exact time, but we have a visible result - the room is clean.

They have just cleaned the room.

What did he just do? He just woke up.

The time of his awakening is unknown to us (although there is a clock in the photo), but we see the result: he is no longer sleeping.

He has just woken up.

What did you just do? You just read the explanation. The action has been completed, there is a result: you learned about the word just.

You can say:

I have just read the explanation.

Exercise: Having performed some action and received a result, talk about its completion:

I have just had my breakfast.

You can look out the window and comment on what just happened there:

The tall man has just crossed the street. Two girls have just entered the shop.

2. Already/ yet (already; yet)

Present Perfect is used to describe an action that has already happened or has not yet happened. In these cases, we are invariably interested in the result, not in time. To make it clearer, let's look at an example from life.

Imagine that you come to a store with a shopping list.

Having already done some shopping, you stop to see what you have already purchased.

Let's consider different situations.

You read and translate complex text. You have only translated ten pages so far. You are still working with the text. You say:

I have translated ten pages so far. - I have translated ten pages so far.

Your friend is a writer. He writes novels. He has published one novel so far and continues to write. About him you will say:

He has published one novel so far. - He has published one novel so far.

The company you work for is expanding rapidly. At the moment, you have opened twenty new offices throughout the country and the company continues to grow:

Our company has opened twenty new offices so far. - Our company has opened twenty new offices at the moment.

All the actions described above took place in the past, but we evaluate their results at the moment while the action continues.

Question: How many paragraphs of this article have you read so far?

5. Never / ever (never / ever)

If you decide to indulge in memories and talk about your life experience, then without time Present Perfect you can't get by.

Do you love to travel? What countries have you visited?

I have been to France. - I was in France.

I have been to Italy. - I was in Italy.

I have been to Spain. - I was in Spain.

It doesn’t matter at all when you went to these countries, the main thing is that you visited there, got impressions, and can talk about it.

Which countries have you never been to? You can use negation or the word never to talk about it. The place of never in a sentence is after the auxiliary verb have/has:

I haven't been to India. - I have never been to India. - I've never been to India.

I haven’t been to China. - I have never been to China. - I have never been to China.

I haven't been to Japan. - I have never been to Japan. - I've never been to Japan.

If the word never is used, then the negative particle not is not needed because never itself has a negative meaning.

You want to ask questions to your interlocutor. Use the word ever:

Have you ever been to London? - Have you ever been in London?

I really hope that my explanation helped you understand the essence of the Present Perfect tense. Send your feedback

And if you find it difficult to learn English on your own and need professional help, our teachers will be happy to help you. Submit your request for a free introductory lesson today.

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Perfect – here means “completed, complete.”

The present perfect tense in English connects the past with the present and is one of the most frequently used. You can use this tense to emphasize the result of a past action, especially when the exact timing of the action is not important. The present perfect tense is formed with the help of the Auxiliary verb (auxiliary verb) to have and Past Participle of the main verb (past participle of the semantic verb). And also in this article you will learn about conjugating regular and irregular verbs in the Present Perfect and master the use of this tricky English tense.

Having considered the rules and examples with the Present Perfect tense (Present Perfect Simple), you can easily do the exercises, thereby testing your grammatical skills.
In Russian it is pronounced [Present Perfect], in English it will be Present Perfect -.

A short text that will introduce you to Present Perfect Tense will show you how verbs are used in this tense.

Recently, it has rained. In the last week, it has rained four times.
I have always loved the rain. I have walked in the rain many times.
My friend has just called me. He asked me to help him with the project. And for that, he will invite me to dinner. It's a good idea because I have never tasted Chinese food.
I' ve just taken a shower and ready for bed.

Now let's look at the cases of using the Present Perfect

Cases of using the Present Perfect may seem difficult to you, because in Russian there is no such thing as the present perfect tense, since the action cannot end in the present. By looking at example sentences with the Present Perfect, you will understand when this tense is used.

1. Recently completed actions, without mentioning the exact time

Example:

- No has tidied the kitchen - He cleaned up the kitchen (He finished washing the kitchen - And you see the result, it’s clean).
- No has just cleared out the garage – He just cleaned out the garage (And when this happened is not important, we do not say the exact time).
-I' ve just taken a shower - I just took a shower.

2. Actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past and are related to the present

Example:

— They have sold their house and gone on a tour of the world - They sold their house and went on a trip around the world (They are still traveling).
— Lilly is sad because she has missed the train - Lily is sad because she was late for the train (The action is connected to the present, she is sad now).
-I' ve eaten too much and now I feel sick - I overate and now I feel bad (the action is related to the present).

3. Actions that began in the past and continue to the present

Example:

— Clare and James have known each other since they were in kindergarten – Clara and James have known each other since kindergarten (They still know each other).
—We have lived here for twenty years - We have been living here for 20 years (we still live here).

• What if we put the sentence in Past Simple?

— They knew each other when they were in kindergarten - They knew each other when they went to kindergarten (Now they don’t know each other anymore).

4. Use the Present Perfect tense when talking about a period of time that has not yet ended

Words indicating time that are used (the same day, month, week etc.):

Example:

-I' ve eaten six tomatoes today - Today I ate six tomatoes (Think, is today already over? No, today is still today. If today ended, it would have been yesterday).
— I have had several tests this week – I had several tests this week (The week is not over yet).

5. Personal experiences or changes that have happened

Example:

— You won’t believe! I' ve lost five kilos – You won’t believe it! I lost five kilograms.
-I' ve learned a lot in this class – I learned a lot in this lesson.
- No has gained a lot of weight recently - He recently gained excess weight.

6. Emphasis on numbers

Example:

— I have written ten projects since this afternoon – Since today I have written ten projects.
- No has telephoned her three times this morning – He called her three times this morning.
—We' we've been to Saint Petersburg four times this month – We were in St. Petersburg four times this month.

7. When we talk about our past experiences

We do not specify the exact time, WHEN it happened, it is important to us that this event happened. And the words are often used ever and never.

Example:

— Have you ever played cricket? – Have you ever played cricket?

8. The present perfect tense is also used in the news.

In the media, the present perfect is often used at the beginning of a report to give a brief overview or new information. The past simple tense is used to give specific information about when something happened.

Example:

— The Prime Minister has promised to create more jobs for people – The Prime Minister promised to create more jobs for people.
— During yesterday’s conference in Paris, the Prime Minister promised to create new jobs for people - During yesterday's conference in Paris, the Prime Minister promised to create new jobs for people.

Companion words in the Present Perfect (signal words)

Time marker words, also called helper words or time indicators, will help you recognize time in a sentence. And it doesn’t matter what they are called, the main thing is that you will begin to navigate and use these words in English speech on your own.

Signal words in the Present Perfect:

All day long, all my life, how long, for ages, ever, never, just, this week/month/year, for, already, yet, recently, lately, before, since, always, so far, at last, till now, up to now, today etc.

Present Perfect Tense Rules of Education

The Present Perfect is formed using the following structure:

Subject+ Auxiliary verb (auxiliary verb) to have/has + V.3 (past participle) those. verb in 3rd form.

For - I/We/They/You – verb to have.
For – He/She/It – verb to has.

Remember, if the verb is correct, then the ending is added to it -ed
If the verb is irregular, then (Regular and irregular verbs) will show how the verb changes in the Past Participle.

Let's look at some irregular verbs:

Come – came – come
Be-was-been
Go – went – ​​gone
See – saw – seen
Bite-bit-bitten

Such verbs require attention. They don't follow rules, they need to be learned.

Regular verbs do not change:

Look – looked
Want – wanted
Ask – asked

Present Perfect sentence forms

In this section, you will become familiar with the three sentence forms and learn how to differentiate between them.

Affirmative sentences Present Perfect (Positive sentences)

The formula for an affirmative sentence in the present perfect tense is very simple. Consider the table of affirmative sentences below:

Short affirmative form:

In the negative form, particle not comes after the Auxiliary verb. Let's look at the table:

Short form of negative sentences:

- I have not - I haven’t lived here.
— He has not — He hasn’t taken the money.

Interrogative sentences Present Perfect (Interrogative sentences)

In the interrogative form, the Auxiliary verb is placed before the subject. Consider the table below:

Shortened negative-interrogative sentences:

— Have you not — Haven’t you washed the dishes?
— Has he not — Hasn’t he left the office yet?

Comparison of Present Perfect and Past Simple

In the table below we will look at the difference between Present Perfect and. After studying this information, you will learn to distinguish between these two times and understand that the difference is obvious.

Description of words that are used in the Present perfect tense

• We often use never, ever, not...ever when talking about experience:

— Have you ever tried to sing a song backwards? – Have you ever tried to sing a song backwards?

• We often use the Present Perfect Simple when we talk about a unique experience and use superlatives:

- It was the best performance I have ever seen– It was the best performance I have ever seen.
- It was the worst decision he has ever made“It was the worst decision he ever made.”

• Phrase the first time used with the Simple Present Perfect when we talk about an immediate, ongoing or recent event:

—That's the first time they have seen the city – This is the first time they saw the city.

Prepositions Since and For

We use the Present Perfect Simple with since and for when we talk about a present situation that began at a certain moment in the past and continues in the present:

• For– refers to a period of time three years, five hours, ages, months, years etc.
• I have been a doctor for 20 years – I have been working as a doctor for 20 years.
• Since– refers to the previous point in time Last Tuesday, last year, yesterday, 1889.
• I have been a doctor since 1995 – I have been working as a doctor since 1995.

The phrase How long..?

Expressions with since/for are often used to answer the question How long... + present perfect.

• How long have you lived there? – How long have you lived there?
• Since 4 December. So for three months – From the fourth of December. During three months.

The adverbs ALREADY, JUST, YET are used with the Present Perfect Simple

Yet is mainly used in interrogative and negative statements (Things that we intend to do in the future, but have not yet been done).

• Haven't you done your assignments yet? -Have you completed your assignments yet? (You intend to do this).

Used when we want to emphasize that something has been done or achieved, often within the expected time:

• I've already cooked dinner – I have already prepared dinner.

Short time ago:

• I’ve just taken a shower - I just took a shower.

Emphasizes duration. Used with real forms ().

• I've already told you, He still hasn't said sorry to me – I already told you, she still hasn’t apologized.

+Bonus

American English or British English (American vs. British English)?

Already can be placed at the end of an affirmative sentence. If you prefer American English, feel free to place already at the end of the sentence:

• The lesson has finished already.
• The lesson has already finished. (British English)

Another point when in the American version it is used instead of the Present Perfect, often with the words already and yet:

Compare:

American English – Did you sleep(yet)? British English – Have you slept(yet)?

++Bonus rule

Difference between Have gone to/have been to/have been in

• She has gone to China. (She’s there or on her way to China/She is in China or on the way to China).
• She has been in China for six months. (She’s in China now/She’s in China now).
• She has been to China once. (She’s visited China and she’s back now/She visited China and she returned).

Take note: Present simple and Present continuous

For Example:

-WRONG:I know her for eight years.
— CORRECT: I' we know her for eight years.
- WRONG: I' m living here since 2003.
— CORRECT: I' we lived here since 2003.

Take note: Present Perfect/Past Simple

If the situation is completed, Past S. + for is used, not Present P.

Example:

— My half-sister worked as a sales manager for 3 years and then she got the sack – My stepsister worked as a sales manager for 3 years and then she was fired.

* When you listen to someone using a sentence with for = period of time, listen carefully to the verb. Sometimes it's hard to hear the difference between I’ve lived in Hawaii for several years And I lived in Hawaii for several years, but there is a big difference between these proposals. This tells us whether the speaker still lives there or no longer lives there.

General table of formation of the Present Perfect Tense - Present Perfect Tense

Present Perfect Tense - Present perfect tense: exercises and answers

To consolidate the material you have covered, we recommend that you take tests on the Present Perfect.

Exercise 1. Open the brackets and put the verb in the Present Perfect.

1. They (clean) the house.

2. I (print) the document.

3. He (ask) a question.

4. You (dial) the wrong number.

5. She (not speak) to me yet.

6. How long did you (know) him?

7. You (hear) from Sam recently?

8. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse! I (not eat) anything since this morning.

9. It’s the most amazing city I ever (see).

10. She (drink) too much coffee.

Answers. Answers to the exercise:

1. Have cleaned
2.Have printed
3.Has asked
4.Have dialed
5. Has not been spoken
6.Have you known
7. Have you heard
8. Haven't eaten
9. Have ever seen
10. Has drunk.

Exercise 2. Put 5 sentences into interrogative form using the Present Perfect.

1. (you/be/to Dublin/yet).

2. (How often/he/call/you).

3. (the children/clean/their room).

4. (you/be/on holiday/this year).

5. (he/write/to the Prime Minister).

Answers. Answers to the exercise:

1. Have you been to Dublin yet?
2. How often has he called you?
3. Have the children cleaned their room?
4. Have you been on holiday this year?
5. Has he written to the Prime Minister?

Exercise 3. Insert yet or already.

A: Haven’t you cooked the dinner...?

B: You have…asked me that!

A: You know I’m busy with the project. And I have… told you that our friends are coming to stay with us.

B: Keep calm. They haven’t come…. And why are you always asking me to cook?

A: Always? You have been living here for 3 years and I haven’t tasted your dinner…

Answers. Answers to the exercise:

1.Yet
2.Already
3.Already
4. Yet
5. Yet

Exercise 4. Insert For or Since.

1. He has been in Chile… 10 years.

2. My grandparents have lived in Los Angeles... 1993.

3. I haven’t seen her … ages.

4. They haven’t been to Manchester… their last birthday.

5. We haven’t met… you left for Washington.

Answers. Answers to the exercise:

1.for
2.since
3.for
4.since
5.since

Exercise 5. A task to compare Past Simple and Present Perfect. Decide what time to set.

1. Ever (be) to Liverpool?

2. How long have you (learn) Italian?

3. I (start) learning Italian when I (be) eleven.

4. I(give) you the money last week.

5. We (just/get) home.

6. You (see) the Jackie Chan film on TV last night?

Answers. Answers to the exercise:

1.Have ever been
2. Have learned
3. Have started, was
4. Gave
5. have just got
6. Have seen

When we learn something new, some topics are difficult for us at first. For some people learning English is like a walk in the park but for others, it’s really hard. Some people find learning English quite easy. Others need to put in a lot of effort.
At the same time, let's learn a new expression - A walk in the park- means that something is very easy to do.

Make up a few sentences using the Present Perfect and share them in the comments.

Video on Present Perfect. In it you will see how actors from films use the present perfect tense. Enjoy watching.

A perfect presentation is not difficult to understand, but it is difficult to start using it in your communication.
This material was prepared by native English speakers themselves in a very accessible and understandable form.

What is Present Perfect

1. Present Perfect is a mix of the present tense and the past.
2. Present Perfect - makes your English richer.
3. In American English, the Present Perfect is often replaced by the Past Simple.

When is the Present Perfect used?

1. The action happened and we see the result now.
2. When it comes to our life experiences.
3. When various kinds of changes have occurred in life, in the world, in oneself, etc.
4. When general achievements are mentioned.
5. When you need to emphasize the duration of accomplished facts.

Let's look at the above points in more detail.

1. The action happened and we see the result now

The main marker is the word “just”, which is not translated into Russian, but it is implied. Or when it is important for us to focus on what has been done or happened.

I (just) had breakfast. I have breakfast.
I (just) did my homework. I have done my homework.

I (just) washed my car. I have washed my car.
We (just) arrived. We have arrived.

She (just) forgot her car keys. She has lost her car keys.
The plane (just) landed. The plane has landed.

2. When it comes to our experience

For example: he never ate frogs, she never went to America, they flew on a plane, we never got chickenpox, etc.

The main marker is the word “once, before” or “never”, which are also not translated, but are implied by the context.

I've seen this movie (before). I have seen this movie.
Have you ever been in love? Have you ever fallen in love?

She had never seen snow. She has never seen snow.
Have you ever driven a Ferrari? Have you ever driven on a Ferrari?

I was (once, before) in Paris. I have visited Paris.
I've never been sick (before). I've never been sick before.
I've seen this world. I've seen the world.

3. When various kinds of changes occurred in life

What could it be: gasoline prices have risen, a new house has been built nearby, a child has grown up, you have learned more words in English, a new president has been elected, etc.

She has lost weight. She has lost some weight.
Our son learned to read. Our son has learned how to read.

Gasoline prices have increased significantly. Gas prices have increased a lot.

My dream has come true. My dream has come true.

Since I moved to Canada, my English has really improved.
My English has really improved since I moved to Canada.

Vanechka has grown since the last time I saw him.
Ivan has grown since the last time I saw him.

4. When talking about overall achievements

Apple released a new iPhone, a man flew to Mars, a new cure for cancer was invented, and the ideal car was finally created in Russia.

Doctors have discovered drugs for many diseases.
Doctors have discovered cures for many diseases.

Man has been to the moon. Man has been to the moon.

The computer made it possible to study online.
The computer has made it possible to learn online.

5. When to emphasize the duration of accomplished facts

Everything is simple here: we have been in a relationship for 5 years, I have lived in Australia since 1990, I have not seen him for 2 years, she has been working in this company for 10 years, etc..

I haven't been on vacation this year. I haven’t had a holiday this year.
I have known Anya for 5 years. I have known Anna for 5 years.

Sam has been working here for 7 years. Sam has worked here for 7 years.
I haven't seen my brother since last year. I haven’t seen my brother since last year.
We've been dating for 3 months. We have been in a relationship for 3 months.

Important nuance!
If you are taking an exam or focusing on American English, remember:
In American English, present perfect is often replaced by past simple.

I have just seen him. Bre
I saw him.

I just saw him. Amer
I saw him.

She has never seen snow. Bre
She had never seen snow.

She never saw snow. Amer
She had never seen snow.

Formation of the Present Perfect

have/has + verb ending - ed - or irregular verb from the third column -V3-

Simple sentence

Negation in Present Perfect

Questions in the Present Perfect

Not everything in a foreign language can be mastered the first time. This is especially true for grammar rules, of which there are many in English. More than once, students, in their quest to master a foreign language, have to return to the same topic and analyze it again and again. Today we propose to consider the aspect of the perfect present tense, and to do this not only from the theoretical side, but also in close tandem with practice. We will give examples for each present perfect rule that will act as a visual example. Thanks to the methodical development of structures, knowledge of the rules will be absorbed subconsciously; all that remains is to consolidate it with training exercises.

In order to understand the significance of this aspect, it is necessary to rethink the Russian approach to the tense system. In our speech, completed actions automatically refer to the past. In English, it is not the fact of completion that is important, but the relevance of the action. Therefore, the perfect can be in the past, in the present and in the future.

The present perfect tense includes those actions whose results are relevant at the moment. Accordingly, the events of this aspect:

• were completed quite recently;
• happened once, but the result appeared only now;
• express everyday experience;
• are long-term (started in the past, are happening now and will continue in the future).*

*The last paragraph uses verbs that cannot be used in meaning with the Perfect Continuous, or can be used equally in both tenses.

Let's move on to mastering meanings in practice, which the next section will help us with.

Present perfect example sentences

Predicates in this form are grammatical constructions consisting of two elements. Let us examine in detail each type of sentence in the present perfect.

Statement

Affirmative phrases that carry a positive result of an action are formed using the auxiliary have and the past participle. Moreover, the auxiliary verb has different forms: for the 3rd person singular. (he, she, it) – has, for everyone else – have. Let us derive a generalized diagram.

Nick(1)has(2) bought(3)anewdressforme(4) - Nick bought me a new dress.

This is the basic form from which other types of utterances are derived. To practice it, we will give examples of 10 affirmative sentences with translation in the present perfect.

• They have finished theprojectA-20 thisweek– They completed the A-20 project this week.
• I have used thiscomputersince2010 – I have been using this computer since 2010.
• She has lived in England for three months –ShelivedVEngland 3month.
• We have just cooked potatoes with vegetables –We just cooked potatoes and vegetables.
• You have already been in Prague –YoualreadywereVPrague.
• I have seen a koala in the local zoo three times. It has always slept – I saw a koala at the local zoo three times. SheAlwayssleeping.
• They have owned this building since they bought it in 1999 –TheyownthisbuildingWiththosesince thenHowboughthisin 1999year.
• He has always liked such films –To himAlwayslikedsuchmovies.
• We have never flown byamilitaryplane– We have never flown on a military plane.
• It is the first time she has painted someone's portrait –Shefirstdrewwhose-Thatportrait.

Please note that present perfect phrases are translated into Russian using both perfect verbs and imperfect constructions.

Negation

The particle not is responsible for the negative result of an action, as in all English aspects. Once it is added to the corresponding form of have, the affirmative statement turns into a negation.

Children(1) have not (2) done (3) their homework yet (4) – ChildrenmoreNotdonemyhomework.

Much more often, both in colloquial speech and in writing, the abbreviations haven’t/haven’t are used.

• He hasn't been in Africa for five months –HeNotwasVAfrica 5months.
• I haven 't feed mydogyet– I haven’t fed my dog ​​yet.
• We haven't packed our suitcases –WeNotpackedoursuitcases.
• She hasn't been seen her best girlfriend for many years –SheNotsawmythe bestgirlfrienda lot ofyears.
• You haven 't passed thisexam– You failed this exam.

Being derived from statements, negative sentences are not fraught with complexity. The only thing worth mentioning is that if the expression contains negative adverbs, then the second negation (not) is no longer placed, because There cannot be two negatives in a sentence in English!

• She has never played football– She never played football.
• She hasn't 't played footballthisweekShe didn't play football this week.

Keep this rule in mind when using negative adverbs.

Questions

To create a general question, you need to perform a syntactic rearrangement of the verb have, moving it to the beginning of the phrase.

Has(1) she (2) answered(3) all your questions already (4)? – ShealreadyansweredonAllyoursquestions?

• Have you ever cooked a Caesar salad? –YouWhen-somedaypreparedsaladCaesar?
• Have they gone to the city’s museum two times? –Did they go to the city museum twice?

Such questions can be answered using brief constructions Yes, shehas/wehave or No, shehasn't't/wehaven't. In place of she/we, any pronoun corresponding to the statement is inserted.

Alternative questions that provide a choice of two indicated options require a more precise answer. Outwardly, they are similar to general questions, but have an additional (alternative) part, attached by the conjunction or.

• Have you been friends since 2004 or since 2005? –Yoube friendssince 2004of the yearorsince 2005?
• Has she studied Japanese or Chinese for 7 years? –ShesevenyearsteachesJapaneselanguageorChineselanguage?

When using special question words, general sentences change their construction for the present perfect tense, skipping significant words forward.

• Where has he bought such a dictionary? –WhereHeboughtsuchdictionary?
• How long have we known each other? –How long have we known each other?
• A separate type of special combinations is a question for the subject.
• Who has written is it on the blackboard? –WhowroteThisonblackboard?
• Who has just used mysmartphone? – Who just used my smartphone?

By the way, short phrases can be used to answer this question: Ihave, shehas and so on.

Interrogative sentences with a negative construction have a special emotional connotation. They are used only in colloquial speech.

• Hasn 't he called hismotheryet? “Hasn’t he called his mom yet?”
• Haven 't I told themaboutthatsituation? “Didn’t I tell them about that situation?”

And the last type is dividing questions. At first glance, they look like statements, but if you look closely, you can identify a question tail with a pronoun and the verb have. It is noteworthy that the additive will always be opposite in meaning to the main phrase.

• You have played basketball this week, haven't you? – YouplayedVbasketballonthisweek,isn't itNo?
• She has ridden an elephant, hasn't she? – She rode an elephant, didn't she?
• They haven 't been inthejungle, have they ? “They weren’t in the jungle, were they?”
• Jack hasn't 't visited you, has he ? “Jack hasn’t visited you yet, has he?”

So, we have considered all possible types of the perfect present in statements of various types. Before moving on to the exercises, let’s summarize the information received and remember once again what grammatical constructions of the present perfect and example sentences can be found in the speech of native Englishmen.