The Present Perfect Simple Verb Tense

The opinion of many native and non-native English speakers is that the perfect tenses are far from being ‘perfect’. They cause headaches for most people. On these pages, we will break the perfect tenses down into short sections that will make them easier to understand.

Useful Tip

• Use since with a specific year or a period in the past >since 2002 / since I was a child
• Use for with a number of years >for twenty years
• Use ever and yet in questions and negatives >Have you ever / hasn't been yet
• Use already and never, just between have/has and the verb >has already finished / have just been
• Use before, since, for, already, many times, so far, yet at the end of a sentence or questions > Have you been there before?

1. Rani has broken her arm. (She broke it in the past and can’t use her arm now.)

1. The girls have played tennis at the club since 2005. (They started to play tennis there in 2005 and still play there today. This does not mean they are playing tennis at the moment.)

1. I've already made several calls. (Up until now)

The Typical Present Perfect Sentence

In order to form a typical sentence in the present perfect simple, choose a subject ((the person or thing that has done the action), add an auxiliary (or helping) verb: has or have + the V3 (past participle) form of the verb and then add the rest of the sentence.

1. walk > walked / study > studied / stop > stopped / create > created

Contractions in the Present Perfect Simple

1. I have >I've - I've used those images before.
2. He has >He's / She has >She's / It has >It's - He's already had the surgery.
3. We have >We've / You have >You've / They are >They've – We've just gotten home.

1. He has sung that song. I know he has.

Negative Sentences in the Present Perfect Simple Tense

Spelling Tip

When shortening the auxiliary verb have/has and the negative, just remove the o in not and add an apostrophe (') has not > hasn't have not > haven't

When creating negative sentences, we usually use hasn’t or haven’t together + the V3 (past participle) form of the verb. Save the long forms (has not, and have not) for when you want to create emphasis. When speaking, put the stress on 'not'.

1. I haven't eaten at that restaurant in a long time.
2. Jim hasn't worked on Fridays since he joined the company.
3. My friends haven't ever gone to France.
4. I have not forgiven you!

Yes/No Questions in the Present Perfect Simple

To create a question that will be answered with a yes or no, start the question with Have or Has, (Haven’t or Hasn’t for a negative question) then add a subject (the person or thing that has done the action) followed by the V3 (Past Participle) form of the verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.

Wh-Questions in the Present Perfect Simple

Wh- questions are questions that require more information in their answers. Typical wh- words are what, where, when, why, who, how, how many, how much. To create a wh-question, start with the wh-word, then add have or has, then the subject (a person or thing that has done the action), followed by the V3 (Past Participle) form of the verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.

Tag Questions in the Present Perfect Simple

Tag questions are those short questions that are tagged onto the end of a sentence. They are used just to make sure that the person you’re talking to understood what you meant or to emphasize what you said. They're formed by using a regular sentence in the present perfect simple, then adding haven’t or hasn’t and a pronoun (I, you, we, they, he, she, it) and a question mark.

Examples of the Present Perfect Simple – Tag Questions:

1. John has known her for a couple of years, hasn't he?
2. They have been in business since 1980, haven't they?

1. Keisha hasn't spoken to you yet, has she?
2. Those kids have never played rugby, have they?

Exercises - Present Perfect Simple

1. Dan has worked in that company for 12 years. (work)
2. Have you heard the news? (hear)
3. The boys have never eaten sushi. (eat)

1. Daniel ____ that video clip at least twenty times. (see)
2. The workers _______ a break in 4 hours. (not have)
3. We ___________ them regularly over the last few years. (visit)
4. _______ Ella _______ her driving test yet? (pass)
5. Roger _______ to Mexico several times since 2002.(be)
6. They______ to each other in ages, _______ they? (not speak)
7. Why _______ Mathew _______his job? (quit)
8. ______the nurses ______ on strike again? (go)
9. ________ they ______ the post yet? (not deliver)
10. I _____ already_______ you the answer. (tell)

1. has seen
2. haven't had
3. have visited
4. Has/passed
5. has been
6. haven't spoken/have
7. has/quit
8. Have/gone
9. Haven't/delivered
10. have/ told

Examples - Present Perfect Simple

Positive

1. Rani has broken her arm.
2. The girls have played tennis at the club since 2005.
3. I've already made several calls.

Contractions

1. I have > I've - I've used those images before.
2. He has > He's / She has > She's / It has > It's - He's already had the surgery.
3. We have > We've / You have > You've /They have > They've – We've just gotten home.

Negative

1. I haven't eaten at that restaurant yet.
2. Jim hasn't worked on Fridays since he joined the company.
3. My friends haven't ever gone to France.
4. I have not forgiven you!

Yes/No Questions

1. Have you ever gone ice skating?
2. Has Jerry presented his ideas to the CEO yet?

Wh-Questions

1. When have I ever lied to you?
2. Why has Tanya left the country?
3. How much money have you spent so far?

Tag Questions

1. John has known her for a couple of years, hasn't he?
2. They have been in business since 1980, haven't they?
3. Keisha hasn't spoken to you yet, has she?
4. Those kids have never played rugby, have they?