10She’s worked in this bank since for it first opened.

9She’s worked in this bank since for 25 years.

7I haven’t seen John for since last July.

6We’ve been together since for over ten years.

5I have wanted to be a writer since for I was a child.

3I haven’t eaten anything since for this morning.

2We’ve known each other for since we were in school.

1I’ve had this car for since years.

 

Present perfect form

 
We form the present perfect tense with the verb have and the past participle of the verb. The past participle is the same as the past simple (-ed) for regular verbs. For irregular verbs, it’s the form in the 3rd column.
 

 

Present perfect use

 
We normally use the present perfect to talk about past events that have a connection with the present; for example, news or past experiences. We can also use the present perfect to talk about situations that started in the past, but which are still true in the present. Check the grammar chart below:
 

 

Recent events and news

 
We use the present perfect to talk about recent events or news. We don’t say when these events happened.

• I’

  ve passed

  the test!

• She’

  s broken

  her arm.

• The president

  has travelled

  to Cuba. 

 

⇒ Just, yet, already

 
We often use the present perfect with the words just, yet, already.

We use just in (+) sentences to say that something happened very recently (like minutes ago).

• I’

  ve just seen

  Peter in the street. 

• He looks happy because he’

  s just got married

  . 

We use yet in (-) and (?) sentences. We put it at the end of the sentence.

• Have

  you

  washed

  the dishes

  yet

  ?

• I

  haven’t

  called

  him

  yet

  .

• She

  hasn’t arrived yet

  . 

We use already in (+) sentences to say that something happened before now (usually, earlier than we expected).

• I

  have already finished

  .

• We

  have already arrived

  . 

 

Life experiences

 
We often use the present perfect to talk about past experiences in our lives. We don’t say when these experiences happened.

• I’

  ve run

  the Boston Marathon twice.

• She’

  s

  never

  been

  on a cruise. 

• I’

  ve been

  here before. 

 

⇒ Never, ever, before

 
When we ask about someone’s life experiences we often use the word ever.

• Have

  you

  ever read

  this book?

• Have

  you

  ever

  been

  to India?

When we talk about life experiences, we often use the words never or before.

• She

  has never been

  late. 

• I think I

  have seen

  this film

  before

  . 

 

Unfinished actions

 

⇒ How long, for, since

 
We use the present perfect with the words how long, for, since to talk about actions or situations that started in the past and still continue or are still true now.

• I’

  ve lived

  in Oslo

  since

  I was born. (=I was born in Oslo and I still live in Oslo)

• They

  have been

  married

  for

  25 years. (=They got married 25 years ago and they are still married)

We use how long in questions to ask about the duration of an action or situation.

• How long has

  she

  been

  a teacher?

• How long has

  she

  had

  her car?

We use for + a period of time, e.g. for two weeks, for ten years, for ten days, for a few hours, etc.

• We’

  ve been

  here

  for

  a few hours. 

• They’

  ve been

  married

  for

  10 years. 

We use since + a moment in the past (the beginning of a period of time), e.g. since I was born, since 10 o’clock, since last Wednesday, etc.

• We’

  ve been

  here

  since

  4 o’clock. 

• They’

  ve been

  married

  since

  2010. 

 

Be careful with these common mistakes!

 
We use present perfect, and not present simple for actions or situations that started in the past and are still true now.

• We’

  ve been

  friends since first grade. (NOT We are friends since first grade.)

We don’t use the word ago with the present perfect.

• They’

  ve been

  married for 10 years. (NOT They are married since 10 years ago.)

 

Present Perfect Tense

Present perfect tense is used to express an action that has been completed or has occurred recently. This tense expresses the sense of completion of an action in recent time.

the recent past (not a very long time ago). For instance, someone asks you where is your brother? Suppose your brother is in his school. You may reply, ‘He has gone to school’. This is because the action of going to school has been done by your brother on the same day.

Since the action has already been done, it can be said that it has occurred at some point in the past, but these actions have generally occurred in). For instance, someone asks you where is your brother? Suppose your brother is in his school. You may reply, ‘He has gone to school’. This is because the action of going to school has been done by your brother on the same day.

This tense may express any action which has occurred in the same day, weak, month or sometimes even a year but when it is intended to give a sense that something has been done in the recent past or that its description is still related to recent time. For instance, a person says, ‘I have passed the exam’. This person may have passed the exam a month ago but if he wants to express about it in a way that its description is still somewhat applicable to the recent time, he may use the present perfect tense.

Structure of Sentence:

Main verb: 3rd form of verb (Past participle)
Helping verbs: Has / Have

3rd form of verb (Past participle)Has / Have

If the subject of the sentence is ‘he, she, it, or a singular noun’, then ‘has’ is used.
If the subject is ‘I, we, you, they or a plural noun’, then ‘have’ is used.

  POSITIVE SENTENCES:

 Subject + helping verb + main verb + object.
 Subject + has/have + 3rd form of verb + object.

Examples:
He has finished the work.
She has written a letter.
They have spent all the money.
He has succeeded in his mission.
She has broken the cup.
They have gone to school.
He has recovered from his illness.
She has won a prize.
They have bought a camera.
We have kept our books in the cupboard.
He has received my letter.
I have given him a gift.
He has started a business.
We have made a beautiful painting.
The guests have arrived.
I have helped him.
The have participated in the competition.
You have done a nice job.
The witness has spoken the truth.

  NEGATIVE SENTENCES:

In negative sentence, the word ‘not’ is added after ‘has’ or ‘have’.

 Subject + helping verb + not + main verb + object.
 Subject + has/have + not + 3rd form of verb + object.

Examples:
He has not completed his work.
She has not eaten the meal.
He has not stolen my money.
I have not broken the cup.
He has not passed the exam.
She has not bought a new car.
They have not finished their task.
I have not seen him.
She has not gone to America.
He has not reached his home.
They have not spent all the money.
You have not answered correctly.

  INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES:

The question sentence starts with ‘has’ or ‘have’.

 Helping verb + subject + main verb + object.
 Has/have + subject + 3rd form of verb + object.

Examples:
Has he finished his work?
Has he succeeded in his mission?
Has she brought her camera with her?
Have they earned a lot of money?
Have they celebrated your birthday?
Have the kids eaten their food?
Have we won a prize?

Has he helped you?
Has she gone to school?
Has he sent you an email?
Have they bought a new computer?
Have you prepared yourself for the exam?
Have they started a new business?
Have you ever thought about it?
Has this ever happened to you?
Has he gone to school?