THE PRESENT PERFECT Make the present perfect using

THE PRESENT PERFECT Make the present perfect using: HAVE/HAS + PAST PARTICIPLE

The present perfect forms (Add –ed to form the past participle of the regular verbs and use third form for irregular verbs) positive negative I / You / We / They have (‘ve) visited have (‘ve) stolen have not (haven’t visited have not (haven’t) stolen He / She / It has (‘s) visited has (‘s) stolen has not (hasn’t) visited has not (hasn’t) stolen question? short answers Have I / you / we / they visited. . ? Yes, I / you / we / they have. No, I / you / we / they haven’t. Has he / she / it visited …. ? Yes, he / she / it has. No, he / she / it hasn’t.

We use the present perfect: 1 to talk about a past event which the speaker feels is connected with the present. The taxi’s arrived. (The taxi is here now) He has lost his keys. (They are gone now) Look outside! It has snowed. (Everything is white now) 2 when it is not important when the past event took place. He has been on many TV shows. They have become famous. I have worked in a restaurant.

3 to talk about a recent event. Signal words: just, recently. (place just after has/have and recently at the end of the sentence) We have just done our homework. They haven’t seen him recently. 4 with signal words already (positive sentences) and yet (negations and questions). (already comes after has/have and yet comes at the end of the sentence) They ’ve already invented it. I haven’t left yet. Have the boys arrived yet? 5 often with still (in negative present perfect sentences) to stress that the situation is continuing now. (put still before has/have) I still haven’t left home. He still hasn’t phoned me.

6 often with ever, never, before. (put ever/never after has/have and before at the end of the sentence) Have you ever tried mustard icecream? I have never eaten it. He hasn’t been to this restaurant before. 7 often with always, to indicate that it is for all the time the speaker can remember. (always comes after have/has) I have always wanted to live in the city. They have always lived in Canterbury.

8 To talk about a situation which started in the past and continues now. present perfect past present 1960 20 years ago last Friday two months ago She has been a teacher since 1960. They have lived in France for 20 years now. I haven’t seen him since last Friday. Peter has played football for 2 months now. fffuture

FOR and SINCE We can use for, since with the present perfect for a situation that started in the past and continues to the present. FOR + a period of time: for an hour, for 10 years, for a long time, for ages, for a few months The rich and famous have lived in Malibu for centuries. I have been here for 20 minutes. SINCE + a point in time: since 12 o’clock, since Monday, since yesterday, since when I was 18, since 1987, since last week I haven’t heard from her since she was a child. They have lived here since May.

HOW LONG…. ? Use How long…. ? to ask for how much time a situation has continued. How long has she lived in London? She has lived in London for a few years now. How long have they been together? They have been together for ages.