Present Perfect Tense

How?
Thestructureofthepresentperfecttenseis:
Verb
(Past Participle)

Subject

Has/Have

have

eaten

breakfast

You

have

played

well

She

has

not

drunk

thejuice

We

have

not

played

football.

Have

you

finished?

Has

she

eaten

yet?

Use 1: Unspecified Time

Theexacttimeisnotimportant
CANNOT :
specifictimeexpressionssuchas:yesterday, one
year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I
lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day,
etc

Example:
Ihave met himoncebefore
Ihave seen thatmovietwentytimes
Nobodyhas survived inthestorm.

Use 2: Effect on the present

moment
whenanactivityhasaneffectonthepresent
moment.
Example:
Hehas finished hishomework(so he can now sleep)
Ihave had acaraccident(Thats why Im in the hospital)
Shehas eaten thelunch(so, shes not hungry)

Use 3: Continuation in the present

talkaboutunfinished
actionsthatstarted in
the past andcontinue
to the present.
Using since and for

=>The fixed time can be

another action, indicated with
the past simple (since I was at
school, since I arrived)
Example:
Ihaveknownhimsince 1991
Since
Ihavebeenwaitingsince1
=> fixed time in the past
oclock
(2004,April23rd,lastyear, Shehasbeenquietsinceher
twohoursago).
parentspassedaway

Use 3: Continuation in the present

For
=>withaperiodoftime(2hours,threeyears,
sixmonths)
Example:
IhaveknownAlifor 2 years
Shehasbeenmarriedfor 2 weeks
Shehashadfeverfor a week