PRESENT PERFECT TENSE – Form and Use

FORM

Basic Form: Subject + Helping (Auxiliary)  verb ‘to have’ + Past Participle

Question Form: Helping verb (Auxiliary) + Subject + Past Participle

Negative Form: Subject + helping verb + not + Past Participle

USE THE PRESENT PERFECT TO DESCRIBE:

• an action that began in past continues in present – I have been in Malta for 3 months.

• a past / finished action that has present importance – I have just broken a glass.

• to describe past life experiences- I have been to Mexico.

• an action happened at an indefinite or unspecified time in the past – I have never had an operation.

 

PRESENT PERFECT FORM
Person	Regular Verb	Irregular Verb	Negative Long Form	Negative Short Form
	have or has & Past Participle (base of verb +ed)	have or has + Past participle	have/has not + Past Participle	haven’t/hasn’t + Past Participle
I	have played	have eaten	have not eaten	haven’t played
You	have played	have eaten	have not eaten	haven’t played
He/She/It	has played	has eaten	has not eaten	hasn’t played
We	have played	have eaten	have not eaten	haven’t played
You	have played	have eaten	have not eaten	haven’t played
They	have played	have eaten	have not eaten	haven’t played

Check your knowledge with this quiz exercise:

PRESENT PERFECT QUESTION FORM
Question Word	Helping Verb	Subject	Past Participle
What	have	I	done	today?
Where	have	you	written	your homework?
Why	has	she/he/it	worked	today?
Who	have	we	visited	this week?
When	have	you	tried	to find the answer?
How long	have	they	known	about the plan?

 

Click here for exercises to practise the difference between the Past Simple and Present Perfect Tenses.

 

For teaching tips and more about the present perfect click here.