Present Perfect
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The present perfect (have/has + past participle) connects the past to now. One key use is life experience — things that happened at some unspecified time before now: 'I have visited Paris three times.'
We often pair it with 'ever' (in questions) and 'never': 'Have you ever tried sushi?' 'I have never seen snow.' The exact time isn't stated — that's the point.
Ejemplos
I have visited Paris three times.
Experience in life, no specific time.
Have you ever tried sushi?
'ever' asks about any time up to now.
I have never seen snow before.
'never' = not at any time in life.
have visited
/həv ˈvɪzɪtɪd/
I have visited Paris three times.
have never seen
/həv ˈnevər siːn/
I have never seen snow before.
Have you ever
/həv juː ˈevər/
Have you ever tried sushi?
has tried
/həz traɪd/
She has tried bungee jumping once.
Choose the correct form: ___ you ever tried sushi?
Present perfect of 'see' (negative): I have ___ seen snow before. (never)
We use the present perfect for situations that started in the past and continue now. Mark the duration with 'for' (a length of time) or 'since' (a starting point): 'for 5 years', 'since 2020'.
For = how long (for ages, for two weeks). Since = when it began (since Monday, since I was a child).
Ejemplos
We have lived here for 5 years.
'for' + a length of time.
I have known her since 2020.
'since' + a starting point.
I haven't seen him for ages.
Negative + 'for ages' (a long time).
for 5 years
/fər faɪv jɪərz/
We have lived here for 5 years.
since 2020
/sɪns ˌtwenti ˈtwenti/
I have known her since 2020.
for ages
/fər ˈeɪdʒɪz/
I haven't seen him for ages.
since Monday
/sɪns ˈmʌndeɪ/
She has been ill since Monday.
Choose the right word: I have known her ___ 2020.
A length of time: We have lived here ___ 5 years.
The present perfect describes recent actions with a result now. 'Just' = a very short time ago; 'already' = sooner than expected; 'yet' = up to now (in questions and negatives).
Position: just and already go between have and the participle ('have just finished'); yet goes at the end ('haven't finished yet').
Ejemplos
I have just finished dinner.
'just' = a moment ago.
He has already left the office.
'already' = earlier than expected.
I haven't done my homework yet.
'yet' at the end of a negative.
have just finished
/həv dʒəst ˈfɪnɪʃt/
I have just finished dinner.
has already left
/həz ɔːlˈredi left/
He has already left the office.
haven't done yet
/ˈhævənt dʌn jet/
I haven't done my homework yet.
Have they arrived
/həv ðeɪ əˈraɪvd/
Have they arrived yet?
Choose the natural sentence: I ___ my homework yet.
Place 'just': I have ___ finished dinner.
Use the present perfect when the time is unspecified or the action connects to now: 'I have been to Italy.' Use the past simple when you state a finished time: 'I went to Italy last summer.'
The clue is the time marker: a definite past time (yesterday, last year, in 2010) forces the past simple, not the present perfect.
Ejemplos
I have been to Italy.
No time stated → present perfect.
I went to Italy last summer.
Definite time 'last summer' → past simple.
She has lost her keys.
Result matters now, time unknown → present perfect.
have been
/həv bɪn/
I have been to Italy. (sometime in life)
went
/went/
I went to Italy last summer. (specific time)
has lost
/həz lɒst/
She has lost her keys. (we don't know when)
lost
/lɒst/
She lost her keys yesterday.
Choose the correct form: I ___ to Italy last summer.
No time stated, present perfect of 'be': I ___ been to Italy.
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Past Continuous