Past Now

1. EXPERIENCEWe use the present perfect to talk about our experiences without speci!c time.

I have been sur!ng many times.I have played basketball.I have visited the UK.I have never seen that movie.

2. CHANGE OVER TIMEWe use the present perfect to talk about changes over time.

She has grown.She’s gotten a lot bigger.Tokyo has become more crowded.Your English has improved a lot.

3. ACCOMPLISHMENTSWe use the present perfect to talk about the accomplishments of people or society without speci!c time.

Man has walked on the moon.Doctors have cured many diseases.She has !nished all the reports.

4. UNCOMPLETED ACTIONS We often use the Present Perfect to say that an action which we expected has not happened. Using the Present Perfect suggests that we are still waiting for the action to happen.

He hasn’t !nished his work yet.She hasn’t done all the ironing.

The Present Perfecthas / have + past participle

We use the Present Perfect to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now.

He has played football since he was 5.She has worked for his company since 1980.She has had her phone for 2 weeks.

Past Now

Past Now

Past Now

5 1980 Now

2 weeks

UNSPECIFIED TIME

UNSPECIFIED TIME

FROM THE PAST UNTIL NOW

TIME EXPRESSIONS

1985 Now 5 years old 8:00 a.m.

SINCE+

point a in time

I have worked for my company since 1985.I have lived in Japan since I was 5 years old.I have been here since 8 a.m.

Now

I have worked for my company for 20 years.I have lived in Japan for a long time.I have been here for the ;ast 3 weeks.

2 weeksa long time

FOR+

a period of time

UNSPECIFIED TIME

FROM THE PAST UNTIL NOW

RECENTLY / LATELY/

JUSTNow

I have been abroad recently.I haven’t had sushi lately.I’ve just spoken to my boss.

Now

THIS...I have received 10 emails this week.I haven’t had lunch today.I haven’t been abroad this year.

Now

IN THE LAST ... X X X

I have written 3 reports in the last 2 weeks.I haven’t spoken to my sister in the last 3 months.I have been to Osaka twice in the last week.

Rece

ntly

Late

ly

Just

PRESENT PERFECT VS. SIMPLE PASTQ1 - He ..... there when he was a child

has lived

lived

Q2 - I ........ her since last year

haven't seen

didn't see

Q3 - They ......... a few minutes ago

left

have left

Q4 - She .......... unemployed since she left school

has not been

was not

Q5 - They ....... the contract last week

!nalised

have !nalised

Q6 - The !lm .......... yet

hasn't started

didn't start

Q7 - She ........ ill since Thursday

was

has been

Q8 - I ........ the project last night

have !nished

!nished

Q9 - Look- someone ....... their handbag in the room

left

has left

Q10 - ............ to Rome?

Did you ever go

Have you ever been

Q11 - I can't get into my house because I ........ my keys

lost

have lost

Q12 - Nobody ....... the phone when it rang

answered

has answered

Q13 - I ......... up smoking last year

gave

have given

Q14 - You can't see her because she ......... home

has gone

went

Q15 - ............... to the United States?

Did you ever go

Have you ever been

Q16 - I never ......... my grandmother as she died before I was born

knew

have known

Q17 - It's the !rst time I ........ caviar

ate

have eaten

Q18 - The !rst time we ......... was just the other day

spoke

have spoken

Q19 - It stinks in here; someone ........... smoking

was

has been

Q20 - He's in hospital because he ............. leg

has broken

broke

Q21 - I've known her since we ......... at school together

were

have been

Q22 - It's ages since we ........

spoke

have spoken

Q23 - It's been ages since we ........ from Dave

have heard

heard

Q24 - The last time I saw Fran ........ ages ago

was

has been

Q25 - I ........ from her lately

haven't heard

didn't hear

Q26 - I just ........ the time to go to the cinema recently

didn't have

haven't had

Q27 - I ........ just Meg and Brian at the party

have seen

saw

Q28 - I ........ busy for the past fortnight

was

have been

Q29 - She ......... away for the last two weeks

has been

was

Q30 - ......... to the concert on Friday?

Did you go

Have you been

Q31 - This is the !rst time I ........ here

have been

was

Q32 - I ....... them since my schooldays

have known

knew

Q33 - He ......... yet

hasn't arrived

didn't arrive

Q34 - They ........... the contract yet

didn't sign

haven't signed

Q35 - The newspaper ......... very successful lately

hasn't been

wasn't

Q36 - He ...... during the war

died

has died

Q37 - I ......... breakfast before leaving home this morning

haven't had

didn't have

Q38 - I ....... a taxi so I came on the bus

haven't found

didn't !nd

Q39 - John's nervous because he .......... such a difficult test before

has never taken

never took

Q40 - My stereo ....... working last night

stopped

has stopped

Q41 - Two people ....... at the game on Saturday

were arrested

have been arrested

Q42 - I .......... a holiday for ages

didn't have

haven't had

Q43 - We ....... out on Saturday night

haven't gone

didn't go

Q44 - I ....... it last week

bought

have bought

Q45 - She hasn't ........ here for ages

been

gone

Q46 - I .......... to water-ski in 1993

learnt

have learnt

Q47 - She ....... an absolute fortune last year

has earned

earned

Q48 - The weather ....... dreadful for the whole two weeks we were there

was

has been

Q49 - No one ...... to do it yet

has managed

managed

Q50 - I ...... the dog for a walk because it was raining

haven't taken

didn't take