A2 · Present Perfect (intro) — Lesson

What is the present perfect?

The present perfect connects the past with the present. It is used for life experiences and recent events with present results.

Life experience

I have visited Paris. (at some time in my life)

Recent event

She has just arrived.

Result still present

I have lost my keys. (I don't have them now)

Form: have/has + past participle

subject + have/has + past participle ✓

I / you / we / they

I have visited. They have eaten.

he / she / it

She has worked. It has finished.

Contractions

I've seen it. She's arrived.

Negative

I haven't visited. She hasn't arrived.

Question

Have you ever been to Italy?

Past participles — regular and irregular

Regular verbs → -ed

work → worked · visit → visited · live → lived

Common irregulars

go → gone · see → seen · eat → eaten · do → done

More irregulars

have → had · take → taken · break → broken · come → come

be → past simple was/were · past participle been. "I have been to Paris" (visited) vs "I have gone to Paris" (still there).

Common time words

ever / never

Have you ever tried sushi? · I have never been to China.

just

She has just left.

already

I have already eaten.

yet (negatives + questions)

Have you finished yet? · I haven't started yet.

for / since

I've lived here for two years. · since 2020.

Present perfect vs past simple

Present perfect

I have visited Paris.

no time given — life experience

She has just arrived.

Past simple

I visited Paris last year.

specific past time

She arrived at 8pm.

If you say when (yesterday, in 2020, last week) → past simple. If the time is general or recent → present perfect.

Common mistakes

I have seen him yesterday.

→

I saw him yesterday.

"yesterday" = finished time → past simple

She has went home.

→

She has gone home.

go → gone (past participle, not went)

I have eat sushi.

→

I have eaten sushi.

past participle: eaten (not eat)

Did you ever been to Italy?

→

Have you ever been to Italy?

life experience → have you ever + PP

Recap

Form

have/has + past participle

I have visited / she has eaten

Use

life experience · recent event · present result

I have lost my keys

Time words

ever · never · just · already · yet · for · since

Have you ever been to...?

vs past simple

specific time? → past simple · general? → PP

I saw him yesterday / I have seen him

Practice now →