Present Perfect Tense

Present Perfect Tense is a verb tense used to express actions that are completed and have connection to the present moment.

Level: Beginner

Present perfect tense is "have/ has" + past participle form of the main verb.

    Examples:

    1. We have done our homework. 
    2. He has arrived home. 

    Form

    Affirmative: Subject + have/has + past participle 

    Examples:

    1. I have read that book.
    2. She has eaten lunch.
    3. They have visited Paris.
    Negative: Subject + haven't/hasn't + past participle

    Examples:

    1. I haven't read that book.
    2. She hasn't eaten lunch.
    3. They haven't visited Paris.

    Question: Have/Has + subject + past participle?

    Examples:

    1. Have I read that book?
    2. Has she eaten lunch?
    3. Have they visited Paris?

    Use

    We use present perfect describe a past finished action that has present consequences. Here are some examples that illustrate the use of the present perfect tense in different contexts:

    1. Finished Action with Present Result

    We use present perfect for a finished action that has present consequences. Note that the emphasis is more on the result than the action itself.
    1. She has finished her homework. (The focus is on the completion of homework.)
    2. They have cleaned the house. (The house is now clean.)
    3. I have bought a home in London.
    4. He has passed MBBS. 

    Level: Intermediate

    2. Unfinished Time Period

    Present perfect is used to describe actions that have occurred within an unfinished time period that includes the present.
    1. I have been to the gym this week. (This week is not over yet.)

    3. Experiences in Life

    Present perfect is used to talk about life experiences that have happened in someone's life up to the present moment.
    1. I have traveled to Japan. (At some point in my life, I visited Japan.)
    2. I have gone to New York.
    3. She has lived in London.
    4. They have visited Florida three times.

    4. Multiple Occurrences

    Present perfect can also be used to talk about actions that have happened multiple times up to the present.
    1. We have watched that movie three times. (We watched it on three different occasions.)

    5. Signal Words

    Some common signal words that often accompany the present perfect tense include: "just," "already," "yet," "since," "for," "recently," "lately."
    Example sentences with signal words:
    1. She has just left for work.
    2. Have you already eaten dinner?
    3. I haven't seen him since yesterday.
    4. We have known each other for years.

    6. Present Perfect or Past Simple?

    If we mention the past time, we must use past simple, not the present perfect. 
    1. I went to New York last year.
    2. She lived in London then.
    3. They visited Florida two months ago.

    Level: Advanced

    7. 'Been' and 'Gone'

    We use been and gone as the past participle of go. But there is a great difference between them. 

    Been

    We use been when someone has gone to a place and returned.
    1. I have been to Dhaka.
    2. She has been to school today. 

    Gone

    We use gone when someone has gone to a place and has not returned.
    1. I have gone to Dhaka.
    2. They have gone to Japan.  (now they're in Japan)

    8. Unfinished Actions

    You know unfinished actions are used in the continuous tense. But state verbs [mental state verbs] are not used in continuous. So, in place of present perfect continuous, we use present perfect with for and since to describe an unfinished action.
    'Since' or 'For'? 
    We use since + a point of time/fixed time (2014, May 1st, last year, 2pm) 
    1. I have liked him since 2019. 
    2. We have known each other since 1992.
    3. She has been there since last night.
    We use for + a period of time (2 hours, three years, six months)
    1. I have liked him for all my life. 
    2. We have known each other for ten years.
    3. She has been there for five months.

    Remember that the choice between using present perfect, simple past, or other tenses depends on the context and the specific meaning you want to convey.

    Verb Tense Worksheet 1

    Instructions: Rewrite the following sentences, changing the verbs in brackets to the present perfect tense. Use the auxiliary verb "have" (or "has") followed by the past participle form of the verb.

    Example: She (eat) dinner. → She has eaten dinner.

    1. I ---------- (finish) my homework.
    2. They ---------- (visit) the museum.
    3. He ---------- (read) the book.
    4. We ---------- (watch) the movie.
    5. She ---------- (write) a letter.
    6. The team ---------- (win) the game.
    7. Maria ---------- (meet) her friend.
    8. The company ---------- (develop) a new product.
    9. Tom ---------- (travel) to Europe.
    10. Sarah ---------- (complete) the project.

    Verb Tense Worksheet 2

    Instructions: Rewrite the following passage, changing the verbs in brackets to the present perfect tense. Use the auxiliary verb "have" (or "has") followed by the past participle form of the verb.

    Original Passage:

    Last summer, my family and I (1. ---------- go) on a fantastic vacation to the beach. We (2. ---------- swim) in the ocean, (3. ---------- build) sandcastles, and (4. ---------- take) long walks along the shoreline. In the evenings, we (5. ---------- sit) around the campfire and (6. ---------- roast) marshmallows. My parents (7. ---------- enjoy) the peaceful atmosphere, and my siblings (8. ---------- collect) seashells.

    The weather (9. ---------- be) mostly sunny, but we also (10. ---------- experience) a few rain showers. Despite the rain, we (11. ---------- have) an incredible time. Each day (12. ---------- bring) new adventures and beautiful views. By the end of the trip, we (13. ---------- create) unforgettable memories that (14. ---------- stay) with us forever.

      Verb Tense Worksheet 3

      Instructions: Rewrite the following passage, changing the verbs in brackets to either present simple, present continuous, or present perfect tense. Choose the appropriate tense based on the context of the sentence.

      Original Passage:

      Every morning, Sarah (1. ---------- wake) up early and (2. ---------- prepare) breakfast for her family. Right now, she (3. ---------- make) scrambled eggs while her brother (4. ---------- set) the table. Their cat, Whiskers, (5. ---------- sit) on the windowsill and (6. ---------- watch) the birds outside.

      Last week, Sarah (7. ---------- receive) a new cookbook as a gift. She (8. ---------- try) out different recipes from it and it (9. ---------- improve) her cooking skills. Lately, she (10. ---------- experiment) with baking and (11. ---------- bake) delicious cakes and cookies.

      During the weekends, the family usually (12. ---------- go) for hikes in the nearby forest. They (13. ---------- enjoy) the fresh air and (14. ---------- explore) new trails. This Sunday, they (15. ---------- find) a beautiful waterfall hidden deep within the woods.

      Verb Tense Worksheet 4

      Instructions: Rewrite the following passage, changing the verbs in brackets to either present simple, present continuous, or present perfect tense. Choose the appropriate tense based on the context of the sentence.

      Original Passage:

      Emma (1. ---------- work) at a technology company. She (2. ---------- start) her job there three years ago. Currently, she (3. ---------- work) on a project to develop a new software application. Her team (4. ---------- collaborate) with designers and engineers to create innovative features.

      Usually, Emma (5. ---------- spend) her mornings analyzing data and (6. ---------- attend) meetings with her colleagues. At the moment, she (7. ---------- review) the latest project updates. Her hard work (8. ---------- pay off), as the company (9. ---------- achieve) significant growth in the past year.

      Over the years, Emma (10. ---------- complete) various training programs to enhance her skills. She (11. ---------- visit) different countries for conferences related to her field. Recently, she (12. ---------- travel) to a conference in Singapore.

        Answers to Worksheet 1

        1. I have finished my homework.
        2. They have visited the museum.
        3. He has read the book.
        4. We have watched the movie.
        5. She has written a letter.
        6. The team has won the game.
        7. Maria has met her friend.
        8. The company has developed a new product.
        9. Tom has traveled to Europe.
        10. Sarah has completed the project.

        Answers to Worksheet 2

        Rewritten Passage:

        This summer, my family and I have gone on a fantastic vacation to the beach. We have swum in the ocean, have built sandcastles, and have taken long walks along the shoreline. In the evenings, we have sat around the campfire and have roasted marshmallows. My parents have enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere, and my siblings have collected seashells.

        The weather has been mostly sunny, but we also have experienced a few rain showers. Despite the rain, we have had an incredible time. Each day has brought new adventures and beautiful views. By the end of the trip, we have created unforgettable memories that will stay with us forever.

        Note: The tense of the verbs in the passage has been changed to present perfect tense according to the instructions.

        Answers to Worksheet 3

          Rewritten Passage:

          Every morning, Sarah wakes up early and prepares breakfast for her family. Right now, she is making scrambled eggs while her brother is setting the table. Their cat, Whiskers, is sitting on the windowsill and is watching the birds outside.

          This week, Sarah received a new cookbook as a gift. She has been trying out different recipes from it and has improved her cooking skills. Lately, she has been experimenting with baking and has baked delicious cakes and cookies.

          During the weekends, the family usually goes for hikes in the nearby forest. They enjoy the fresh air and explore new trails. This Sunday, they found a beautiful waterfall hidden deep within the woods.

          Note: The tense of the verbs in the passage has been changed to present simple, present continuous, or present perfect tense based on the instructions and context.

          Answers to Worksheet 4

          Rewritten Passage:

          Emma works at a technology company. She started her job there three years ago. Currently, she is working on a project to develop a new software application. Her team is collaborating with designers and engineers to create innovative features.

          Usually, Emma spends her mornings analyzing data and attending meetings with her colleagues. At the moment, she is reviewing the latest project updates. Her hard work has paid off, as the company has achieved significant growth in the past year.

          Over the years, Emma has completed various training programs to enhance her skills. She has visited different countries for conferences related to her field. Recently, she traveled to a conference in Singapore.

          Note: The tense of the verbs in the passage has been changed to present simple, present continuous, or present perfect tense based on the instructions and context.