[NEW] Present Perfect Tense | perfect simple – NATAVIGUIDES

What Is the Present Perfect Tense? (with Examples)

The present perfect tense describes an action that began in the past (despite being a present tense). For example:

• John

  has taken

  Sarah’s advice.

• They

  have fixed

  the fence.

Often, the action being described is still continuing into the present (e.g., John continues to take Sarah’s advice). This is how the present perfect tense differs from the

A Video Summary

Here is a short video summarizing the present perfect tense:

Thedescribes an action that began in the past (despite being a present tense). For example:Often, the action being described is still continuing into the present (e.g., John continues to take Sarah’s advice). This is how the present perfect tense differs from the simple past tense Here is a short video summarizing the present perfect tense:

Infographic for the Present Perfect Tense

Here is an infographic explaining the present perfect tense:

More Examples of the Present Perfect Tense

Here are some more examples of the present perfect tense:

• The board

  has decided

  to uphold the appeal.

(This sentence carries the connotation that the board continues to uphold the appeal.)

• I

  have taken

  the wrong path.

(Connotation: I am still on the wrong path.)

Comparing the Present Perfect Tense and the Simple Past Tense

Here is another example of the present perfect tense (highlighted). For comparison, the example is given alongside similar-looking example featuring the simple past tense.

• Janet

  has run

  two miles.

(This is the present perfect tense. In this example, Janet is still running when the words were said.)

• Janet ran two miles.

(This is the simple past tense. In this example, Janet has stopped running when the words were said.)

Here is another example:

• David

  has worked

  alongside two of the world’s finest scientists in the field of entomology.

(This is the present perfect tense. In this example, David might have finished working with those scientists, but the sentence carries the connotation that he is still working as an entomologist.)

• David worked alongside two of the world’s finest scientists in the field of entomology.

(This is the simple past tense. This example carries the connotation that David no longer works as an entomologist.)

Forming the Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense is formed:

Here is an infographic explaining the present perfect tense:Here are some more examples of the present perfect tense:Here is another example of the present perfect tense (highlighted). For comparison, the example is given alongside similar-looking example featuring the simple past tense.Here is another example:Theis formed:

[subject]

+

“has” or “have”

+

[past participle]

• I have worked.
• She has painted.

Forming the Past Participle (Regular Verbs)

If it’s a past participle is the same as the

Add “ed” to most verbs:

• jump > jumped
• paint > painted

If a verb of one syllable ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], double the final consonant and add “ed”:

• chat > chatted
• stop > stopped

If the final consonant is “w,” “x,” or “y,” don’t double it:

• sew > sewed
• play > played
• fix > fixed

If last syllable of a longer verb is stressed and ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], double the last consonant and add “ed”:

• incur > incurred
• prefer > preferred

If the first syllable of a longer verb is stressed and the verb ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], just add “ed”:

• open > opened
• enter > entered
• swallow > swallowed

If the verb ends “e,” just add “d”:

• thrive > thrived
• guzzle > guzzled

If the verb ends [consonant + “y”], change the “y” to an “i” and add “ed”:

• cry > cried
• fry > fried

Forming the Past Participle (Irregular Verbs)

If it’s an past participle is formed in all sorts of different ways. Here are some examples:

• arise > arisen
• catch > caught
• choose > chosen
• know > known

You just have to learn them.

Read more about irregular verbs (includes a list of the most common irregular verbs).

The Negative Version

If you need the negative version, you can use the following construction:

If it’s a regular verb , theis the same as the simple past tense . In other words, it is formed like this:Add “ed” to most verbs:If a verb of one syllable ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], double the final consonant and add “ed”:If the final consonant is “w,” “x,” or “y,” don’t double it:If last syllable of a longer verb is stressed and ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], double the last consonant and add “ed”:If the first syllable of a longer verb is stressed and the verb ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], just add “ed”:If the verb ends “e,” just add “d”:If the verb ends [consonant + “y”], change the “y” to an “i” and add “ed”:If it’s an irregular verb , theis formed in all sorts of different ways. Here are some examples:You just have to learn them.If you need the negative version, you can use the following construction:

[subject]

+

“has not” or “have not”

+

[past participle]

• The board

  has not decided

  to uphold the appeal.

• I

  have not taken

  the wrong path.

Remember that “has not” is sometimes written as the

The Question Version

If you need to ask a question, you can use the following word order for a yes/no question:

Remember that “has not” is sometimes written as the contraction “hasn’t.”If you need to ask a question, you can use the following word order for a yes/no question:

“has” or “have”

+

[subject]

+

[past participle]

• Has the board decided

  to uphold the appeal?

• Have I taken

  the wrong path?

You can use the following word order for a

You can use the following word order for a question-word question

[question word]

+

“has” or “have”

+

[subject]

+

[past participle]

• Why has the board decided

  to uphold the appeal?

• How have I taken

  the wrong path?

Verb Tense Widget

Use this widget to learn about the different tenses. How do you use this widget? Well, if there’s a button, a drop-down menu, or a , then you can click it!

to

base form

(

verb)

verb)

Select the tenses.

Present Tenses

Simple Present Tense
The simple present tense is mostly used to describe facts and habits. More…(opens new tab)
I base form
you base form
he/she/it 3rd pers sing present
we base form
you base form
they base form

Present Progressive Tense
The present progressive tense is used for an ongoing action in the present.
More…(opens new tab)
I am present participle
you are present participle
he/she/it is present participle
we are present participle
you are present participle
they are present participle

Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect tense is used for actions that began in the past. (Often, the actions continue into the present.)
More…(opens new tab)
I have past participle
you have past participle
he/she/it has past participle
we have past participle
you have past participle
they have past participle

Present Perfect Progressive Tense
The present perfect progressive tense is used for a continuous activity that began in the past and continues into the present, or a continuous activity that began in past but has now finished (usually very recently).
More…(opens new tab)
I have been present participle
you have been present participle
he/she/it has been present participle
we have been present participle
you have been present participle
they have been present participle

Past Tenses

Simple Past
The simple past tense is used to describe a completed activity that happened in the past.
More…(opens new tab)
I past tense
you past tense
he/she/it past tense
we past tense
you past tense
they past tense

Past Progressive Tense
The past progressive tense is used to describe an ongoing activity in the past. Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.
More…(opens new tab)
I was present participle
you were present participle
he/she/it was present participle
we were present participle
you were present participle
they were present participle

Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense is used to emphasize that an action was completed before another took place.
More…(opens new tab)
I had past participle
you had past participle
he/she/it had past participle
we had past participle
you had past participle
they had past participle

Past Perfect Progressive Tense
The past perfect progressive tense is used to show that an ongoing action in the past has ended.
More…(opens new tab)
I had been present participle
you had been present participle
he/she/it had been present participle
we had been present participle
you had been present participle
they had been present participle

Future Tenses

Simple Future
The simple future tense is used for an action that will occur in the future.
More…(opens new tab)
I will base form
you will base form
he/she/it will base form
we will base form
you will base form
they will base form

Future Progressive Tense
The future progressive tense is used for an ongoing action that will occur in the future.
More…(opens new tab)
I will be present participle
you will be present participle
he/she/it will be present participle
we will be present participle
you will be present participle
they will be present participle

Future Perfect Tense
The future perfect tense is used to describe an action that will have been completed at some point in the future.
More…(opens new tab)
I will have past participle
you will have past participle
he/she/it will have past participle
we will have past participle
you will have past participle
they will have past participle

Future Perfect Progressive Tense
The future perfect progressive tense is used for an ongoing action that will be completed at some specified time in the future.
More…(opens new tab)
I will have been present participle
you will have been present participle
he/she/it will have been present participle
we will have been present participle
you will have been present participle
they will have been present participle

The Other Present Tenses

The present perfect tense is one of four present

Slider Showing All the Tenses

The following slider shows all 12

Use this widget to learn about the different tenses. How do you use this widget? Well, if there’s a button, a drop-down menu, or a, then you can click it!Theis one of four present tenses . This table shows all four of the present tenses:The following slider shows all 12 tenses . The present perfect tense is highlighted with a yellow background.

10They have travelled have been travelling for months, and they have visited have been visiting three countries so far.

9I think I ‘ve been liking ‘ve liked chocolate since I was born.

7She must be tired. She has been writing has written all afternoon.

6How many books has she been writing has she written ?

5Somebody has been eating has eaten my cookies. There are very few left.

4Somebody has eaten has been eating my cookies. There are none left.

3How long have you been knowing have you known Peter?

2I’m sorry I’m late, have you waited have you been waiting for a long time?

1I ‘ve been cycling ‘ve cycled and my legs are really tired now.

 

Present perfect simple – use

 

Summary chart

 

 
We use the present perfect simple with past finished actions or experiences when we don’t mention or we don’t know when they happened. And we also use the present perfect simple to ask or talk about situations that started in the past and have not finished.
 

Present perfect continuous – form

 

 
We form the present perfect continuous with the present perfect simple of be + the -ing form of the main verb.
 

Present perfect continuous – use

 

Summary chart

 

 

Actions from the past till now – duration

 
We use the present perfect continuous with action verbs (dynamic verbs) to talk about situations that started in the past and have not finished or have just finished.

• Have

   you 

  been crying

  ?

• Sorry I am so dirty, but I

  ‘ve been painting

  .

There is often a present result from doing these actions.

• You

  ‘ve been crying

  . (Your eyes are red.)

• I am dirty because I

  ‘ve been painting

  . 

We can use the present perfect continuous to talk about continuous or repeated actions or situations from the past till now.

• She

  ‘s been calling

   you for days. (=She has repeated this action for several days.)

• I

  ‘ve been studying

  since you left. (=I have done this action continuously without stopping.)

 

for, since, how long, lately, all day/week/month/etc.

 
We can use for, since, how long, lately, all day/week/month/etc. to ask or say how long a situation has been happening.

• I haven’t been feeling well 

  lately

  .

• He’s been annoying us 

  all evening

  .

• She’s been studying very hard 

  for weeks

  .

• How long

  have you been playing golf?

 

Present perfect simple or continuous?

 

Situations that started in the past and still continue

 
We can use the present perfect simple and the present perfect continuous to talk about situations that started in the past and still continue. But we must use the present perfect simple with non-action verbs (stative verbs), and we normally use the present perfect continuous with dynamic verbs (although the present perfect simple is also possible.)

•  We

  ‘ve had

   this car for years.

• I 

  haven’t been sleeping

   well lately.

We use the present perfect continuous (and NOT simple) with dynamic verbs for situations that started in the past and still continue when we want to emphasise how long the situation has lasted.

• I have been waiting 

  for hours

  ! (=I want to emphasise that I’ve been waiting for a long time).

• I couldn’t do the dishes. I’ve been working 

  all day

  .

 

Finished and unfinished situations

 
We use the present perfect simple for finished actions in the past when we don’t say when. We use the present perfect continuous for actions or situations that maybe have not finished or that maybe have finished (very recently)

• Who 

  has eaten

   my cookies? (=We would say this if there are no cookies left. The action is finished.

• Who 

  has been eating

   my cookies?  (=We would say this if there are some cookies left)

• I

  ‘ve been watching

   the series you recommended. I’ll tell you about it when I finish watching it.

• I

  ‘ve watched 

  the series you recommended. I watched the last episode yesterday.

 

Actions with present results

 
We can use present perfect simple and present perfect continuous for actions with present results. We use the present perfect simple if the present results come from completing the action.

• Look how nice my car looks. I

  ‘ve washed

   it. (=The car looks nice because I have finished washing it.)

• Something is different in this house. 

  Have

   you 

  painted

   it? (=The house looks different because you have completed the action of painting it.)

We use the present perfect continuous if the present results come from the process of doing the action.

• Sorry I’m so sweaty. I

  ‘ve been washing

   my car. (=I am sweaty because of the physical activity that washing the car involves.)

• How come you are so dirty? 

  Have

   you 

  been painting

  ? (=You are dirty because of the process of painting.)

 

how long vs how many/much

 
We use the present perfect continuous to talk about the duration of an action, i.e. about how long we have been doing something. And we use the present perfect simple to talk about how many things or how much of something we have done.

• I’ve written

  twenty

  e-mails. (I’m talking about how many emails I’ve written.)

• I’ve been writing emails

  for hours

  . (=I’m talking about how long I have spend writing emails)