The present perfect

The present perfect

The present perfect simple expresses an action that is still going on or that stopped recently, but has an influence on the present.  It puts emphasis on the result.

Form of Present Perfect

	Positive	Negative	Question
I / you / we / they	I have spoken.	I have not spoken.	Have I spoken?
he / she / it	He has spoken.	He has not spoken.	Has he spoken?

 

For irregular verbs, use the participle form (see   list of irregular verbs  , 3rd column). For regular verbs, just add   “  ed  ”  .

Exceptions in Spelling when Adding  ‘ ed ’

Exceptions in spelling when adding ed	Example
after a final e only add d	love – loved
final consonant after a short, stressed vowel or l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled	admit – admitted travel – travelled
final y after a consonant becomes i	hurry – hurried

 

Use of Present Perfect

§    puts emphasis on the result

Example: She has written five letters.

§    action that is still going on

Example: School has not started yet.

§    action that stopped recently

Example: She has cooked dinner.

§    finished action that has an influence on the present

Example: I have lost my key.

§    action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking

Example: I have never been to Australia.

Signal Words of Present Perfect

§    already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

have or has

Fill the gaps with 'have' or 'has'.

1.     I                                                          have                                            has                       answered the question.

2.     She                                                          have                                            has                       opened the window.

3.     They                                                          have                                            has                       called us.

4.     You                                                          have                                            has                       carried a box.

5.     It                                                          have                                            has                       rained a lot.

6.     We                                                          have                                            has                       washed the car.

7.     He                                                          have                                            has                       closed the window.

8.     Jenny                                                          have                                            has                       locked the door.

9.     The girls                                                                have                                            has                          visited the museum.

10. John and Sophie                                                                have                                            has                          helped in the garden.

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Positive Sentences in Present Perfect Simple

Write positive sentences in present perfect simple

The following people have just completed an action.

1.     Bob / visit / his grandma     

2.     Jimmy / play / on the computer     

3.     Sue and Walter / wash / their car    

4.     Andrew / repair / his bike    

5.     Phil / help / Anne with maths    

6.     Brad and Louise / watch / a film    

7.     Tamara / talk to / her best friend    

8.     Bridgette / draw / a picture     

9.     Carol / read / a computer magazine    

10. Tom and Alice / be / to a restaurant    

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple
Negative Sentences in Present Perfect Simple

Write negative sentences in present perfect simple.

The weather was wonderful today. So the children were in the park all afternoon and have not done their household chores:

1.     Sarah / not / wash the dishes    

2.     Anita / not / clean the kitchen    

3.     Maureen and Gavin / not / water the plants    

4.     Joey / not / make his bed     

5.     David / not / buy milk     

6.     Lisa / not / be to the baker's    

7.     Aran and Jack / not / do their homework    

8.     Jane and Ben / not / tidy up their rooms    

9.     Alex / not / feed the hamster    

10. Hazel / not / empty the bin    

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Sentences with 'never' in Present Perfect Simple

Write sentences in present perfect simple. Place 'never' before the main verb.

In a contest, people get the chance to do something they've never done before. This is what the participants told the jury:

1.     Fergal / never / sail / on the Pacific.    

2.     Rebecca / never / stay / at a five-star hotel    

3.     Jason / never / watch / a world-cup final    

4.     Rachel and Gareth / never / climb / Mount Kilimanjaro    

5.     Elaine / never / see / a whale    

6.     Ruth / never / spend / her holiday in Mexico    

7.     Connor / never / be / to Canada    

8.     Lisa and Holly / never / cycle / around England    

9.     Barry / never / drive / a Ferrari    

10. Clare / never / meet / Mickey Mouse

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple
Questions in Present Perfect Simple

Write questions in present perfect simple.

1.     you / answer / the question    

2.     Jenny / lock / the door    

3.     Walter / call / us     

4.     you / see / the picture    

5.     your parents / get / the letter    

6.     it / rain / a lot     

7.     how often / we / sing / the song    

8.     Maureen / watch / the film    

9.     how many books / Bob / read    

10. ever / you / be / to London    

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Put the verbs into the correct form (present perfect simple).

1.     I   (not / work)      today.

2.     We   (buy)        a new lamp.

3.     We   (not / plan)         our holiday yet.

4.     Where   (be / you)     ?

5.     He   (write)      five letters.

6.     She   (not / see)         him for a long time.

7.     (be / you)       at school?

8.     School   (not / start)       yet.

9.     (speak / he)         to his boss?

10. No, he   (have / not)         the time yet

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Questions with Interrogative Particles in Present Perfect Simple

Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence.

1.     I have been  in the garden. -   

2.     My sister     has cooked dinner.    

3.     Sue has read the book   twice. -    

4.     My computer     has crashed. -  

5.     Jeane has been on holiday  for eight days.    

6.     Fred has done  his homework.    

7.     Gavin has stopped   at the corner.    

8.     Sarah has bought   five  books. -    

9.     Jason has talked to   his teacher.    

10. Catherine has cleaned the house  because she is having a party tonight.  

Loch Ness

Loch Ness is a lake between the Scottish towns of Inverness and Fort Augustus. The word   loch    is Scottish for    lake  . Loch Ness is about 37 km long and extremely deep, the deepest part is 226 m.

Loch Ness is famous for its friendly monster, Nessie. Most people think that this is only a legend, but every year tourists from all over the world come to Loch Ness and hope that they will see the monster.

Grammar Exercise on the Text
Present Perfect Simple

We use the present perfect to express what has (not) happened so far. (Note that no time in the past must be given – otherwise you have to use simple past.)

Write the verbs in present perfect simple.

1.      Tourists from all over the world   (be)          to Loch Ness.

2.      Most of them    (see / not)          Nessie, however.

3.      Only very few people say that the Loch Ness Monster   (appear)         in front of them.

4.      Even scientists    (come)          to Loch Ness to find the monster.

5.      And the boss of the Guinness brewery    (promise)         to pay 500,000 Pounds to the person who catches Nessie.

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

have or has

Fill the gaps with 'have' or 'has'.

1.      I    have     answered the question.

2.      She    has     opened the window.

3.      They    have     called us.

4.      You    have     carried a box.

5.      It    has     rained a lot.

6.      We    have     washed the car.

7.      He    has     closed the window.

8.      Jenny    has     locked the door.

9.      The girls    have     visited the museum.

10. John and Sophie    have     helped in the garden.

Great, all answers are correct!

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Positive Sentences in Present Perfect Simple

Write positive sentences in present perfect simple

The following people have just completed an action.

1.      Bob / visit / his grandma       

2.      Jimmy / play / on the computer        

3.      Sue and Walter / wash / their car        

4.      Andrew / repair / his bike       

5.      Phil / help / Anne with maths        

6.      Brad and Louise / watch / a film        

7.      Tamara / talk to / her best friend        

8.      Bridgette / draw / a picture       

9.      Carol / read / a computer magazine       

10. Tom and Alice / be / to a restaurant     

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Negative Sentences in Present Perfect Simple

Write negative sentences in present perfect simple.

The weather was wonderful today. So the children were in the park all afternoon and have not done their household chores:

1.      Sarah has not washed the dishes.  

2.      Anita has not cleaned the kitchen.  

3.      Maureen and Gavin have not watered the plants.  

4.      Joey has not made his bed.  

5.      David has not bought milk.  

6.      Lisa has not been to the baker's.  

7.      Aran and Jack have not done their homework.  

8.      Jane and Ben have not tidied up their rooms.  

9.      Alex has not fed the hamster.  

10. Hazel has not emptied the bin.  

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Sentences with 'never' in Present Perfect Simple

Write sentences in present perfect simple. Place 'never' before the main verb.

In a contest, people get the chance to do something they've never done before. This is what the participants told the jury:

1.      Fergal has never sailed on the Pacific.

2.      Rebecca has never stayed at a five-star hotel.

3.      Jason has never watched a world-cup final.

4.      Rachel and Gareth have never climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.

5.      Elaine has never seen a whale.

6.      Ruth has never spent her holiday in Mexico.

7.      Connor has never been to Canada.

8.      Lisa and Holly have never cycled around England.

9.      Barry has never driven a Ferrari.

10. Clare has never met Mickey Mouse.  

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Questions in Present Perfect Simple

Write questions in present perfect simple.

1.      Have you answered the question?

2.      Has Jenny locked the door?

3.      Has Walter called us?

4.      Have you seen the picture?

5.      Have your parents got the letter?

6.      Has it rained a lot?

7.      How often have we sung the song?

8.      Has Maureen watched the film?

9.      How many books has Bob read?  

10. Have you ever been to London?

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Put the verbs into the correct form (present perfect simple).

1.      I    have not worked     today.

2.      We    have bought     a new lamp.

3.      We   have not planned   our holiday yet.

4.      Where    have you been     ?

5.      He    has written     five letters.

6.      She    hasn't seen     him for a long time.

7.      Have you been    at school?

8.      School    hasn't started     yet.

9.      Has he spoken    to his boss?

10. No, he    hasn't had     the time yet.

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple
Questions with Interrogative Particles in Present Perfect Simple

Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence.

1.      I have been   in the garden. -    Where have you been?

2.      My sister    has cooked dinner.    Who has cooked dinner?

3.      Sue has read the book    twice. -   How often has Sue read the book?

4.      My computer    has crashed. -   What has crashed?

5.      Jeane has been on holiday   for eight days.    How long has Jeane been on holiday?

6.      Fred has done   his homework.    What has Fred done?

7.      Gavin has stopped   at the corner.    Where has Gavin stopped?

8.      Sarah has bought   five  books. -    How many books has Sarah bought?

9.      Jason has talked to   his teacher.    To whom has Jason talked?

10. Catherine has cleaned the house   because she is having a party tonight.    Why has Catherine cleaned the house?

Grammar Exercise on the Text

Present Perfect Simple

Write the verbs in present perfect simple.

1.      Tourists from all over the world   have been  to Loch Ness.

2.      Most of them   haven't seen   Nessie, however.

3.      Only very few people say that the Loch Ness Monster   has appeared   in front of them.

4.      Even scientists   have come   to Loch Ness to find the monster.

5.      And the boss of the Guinness brewery   has promised   to