[Update] English ESL worksheets, activities for distance learning and physical classrooms (x95614) | present perfect simple tense – 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.