The Present Perfect Simple
We use the Present Perfect Simple to talk about actions that happened and finished in the past, but we don’t say when. If we mention the time, or our reader / listener already knows the time, we should use the Simple Past instead.
Examples:
She has visited Paris many times.
I’ve seen this movie before.
We often use "ever" in questions when we're talking about life experiences. "Ever" comes before the past participle.
Examples:
Have you ever tried surfing?
Have you ever eaten sushi?
We can also use "never" before the past participle to say that the verb has not happened at any time in a person’s life. "Never" comes before the past participle.
Examples:
I've never ridden a horse.
He has never traveled to Europe.
"Never" makes the sentence negative, so we don’t put "not" after the auxiliary verb when we use "never". (I haven't never ridden a horse.)
We also use the Present Perfect Simple to talk about recent events when we don’t mention a specific time.
Examples:
Your father has arrived. He’s waiting for you downstairs.
I've done my homework, so I'm going out to play with my friends.
There are two types of verbs in English:
Let's take a look at the different forms of the Present Perfect Simple for the regular verb "work".
Positive
I have / I've worked ... .
You have / You've worked ... .
He has / He's worked ... .
She has / She's worked ... .
It has / It's worked ... .
We have / We've worked ... .
You have / You've worked ... .
They have / They've worked ... .
Negative
I have not worked ... . / I haven't worked ... .
You have not worked ... . / You haven't worked ... .
He has not worked ... . / He hasn't worked ... .
She has not worked ... . / She hasn't worked ... .
It has not worked ... . / It hasn't worked ... .
We have not worked ... . / We haven't worked ... .
You have not worked ... . / You haven't worked ... .
They have not worked ... . / They haven't worked ... .
Positive Questions
Have I worked ... ?
Have you worked ... ?
Has he worked ... ?
Has she worked ... ?
Has it worked ... ?
Have we worked ... ?
Have you worked... ?
Have they worked ... ?
Negative Questions
Have I not worked ...? / Haven't I worked ... ?
Have you not worked ... ? / Haven't you worked... ?
Has he not worked ... ? / Hasn't he worked... ?
Has she not worked ... ? / Hasn't she worked... ?
Has it not worked ... ? / Hasn't it worked... ?
Have we not worked ... ? / Haven't we worked... ?
Have you not worked ... ? / Haven't you worked... ?
Have they not worked ... ? / Haven't they worked... ?
Short Answers
Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.
Yes, you have. / No, you haven't.
Yes, he has. / No, he hasn't.
Yes, she has. / No, she hasn't.
Yes, it has. / No, it hasn't.
Yes, we have. / No, we haven't.
Yes, you have. / No, you haven't.
Yes, they have. / No, they haven't.
Now, let's take a look at the different forms of the Present Perfect Simple for the irregular verb "eat".
Positive
I have / I've eaten ... .
You have / You've eaten ... .
He has / He's eaten ... .
She has / She's eaten ... .
It has / It's eaten ... .
We have / We've eaten ... .
You have / You've eaten ... .
They have / They've eaten ... .
Negative
I have not eaten ... . / I haven't eaten ... .
You have not eaten ... . / You haven't eaten ... .
He has not eaten ... . / He hasn't eaten ... .
She has not eaten ... . / She hasn't eaten ... .
It has not eaten ... . / It hasn't eaten ... .
We have not eaten ... . / We haven't eaten ... .
You have not eaten ... . / You haven't eaten ... .
They have not eaten ... . / They haven't eaten ... .
Positive Questions
Have I eaten ... ?
Have you eaten ... ?
Has he eaten ... ?
Has she eaten ... ?
Has it eaten ... ?
Have we eaten ... ?
Have you eaten... ?
Have they eaten ... ?
Negative Questions
Have I not eaten ...? / Haven't I eaten ... ?
Have you not eaten ... ? / Haven't you eaten... ?
Has he not eaten ... ? / Hasn't he eaten... ?
Has she not eaten ... ? / Hasn't she eaten... ?
Has it not eaten ... ? / Hasn't it eaten... ?
Have we not eaten ... ? / Haven't we eaten... ?
Have you not eaten ... ? / Haven't you eaten... ?
Have they not eaten ... ? / Haven't they eaten... ?
Short Answers
Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.
Yes, you have. / No, you haven't.
Yes, he has. / No, he hasn't.
Yes, she has. / No, she hasn't.
Yes, it has. / No, it hasn't.
Yes, we have. / No, we haven't.
Yes, you have. / No, you haven't.
Yes, they have. / No, they haven't.
In the Present Perfect Simple tense, we use the auxiliary verb "have" or "has" to form negative sentences and questions.
Examples:
+I've seen this movie before.
-I haven't seen this movie before.
+?Have you seen this movie before?
-?Haven't you seen this movie before? / Have you not seen this movie before?
Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.
+She's changed her hairstyle.
-She hasn't changed her hairstyle.
+?Has she changed her hairstyle?
-?Hasn't she changed her hairstyle? / Has she not changed her hairstyle?
Yes, she has. / No, she hasn't.
We need to memorize the past and past participle forms of irregular verbs. A good dictionary is the best place to check them. Below is a list of the most common irregular verbs in English.
| Base Form | Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| become | became | become |
| begin | began | begun |
| break | broke | broken |
| bring | brought | brought |
| build | built | built |
| buy | bought | bought |
| catch | caught | caught |
| come | came | come |
| cost | cost | cost |
| do | did | done |
| drink | drank | drunk |
| drive | drove | driven |
| eat | ate | eaten |
| fall | fell | fallen |
| feel | felt | felt |
| find | found | found |
| fly | flew | flown |
| forget | forgot | forgotten |
| get | got | gotten |
| give | gave | given |
| go | went | gone |
| have | had | had |
| hear | heard | heard |
| know | knew | known |
| leave | left | left |
| lose | lost | lost |
| make | made | made |
| meet | met | met |
| pay | paid | paid |
| put | put | put |
| read | read | read |
| run | ran | run |
| say | said | said |
| see | saw | seen |
| send | sent | sent |
| sing | sang | sung |
| sit | sat | sat |
| sleep | slept | slept |
| speak | spoke | spoken |
| spend | spent | spent |
| stand | stood | stood |
| swim | swam | swum |
| teach | taught | taught |
| take | took | taken |
| tell | told | told |
| think | thought | thought |
| understand | understood | understood |
| wake | woke | woken |
| wear | wore | worn |
| win | won | won |
| write | wrote | written |
Exercises
Write sentences in the Present Perfect Simple.
1He ____ his keys. (lose)
He's / He has lost his keys.
2____ she ____ her homework yet? (do)
Has she done her homework yet?
3____ you ever ____ sushi? (try)
Have you ever tried sushi?
4They ____ the windows. (clean)
They've / They have cleaned the windows.
5I ____ my best friend for a long time. (not / see)
I have not / haven't seen my best friend for a long time.
6____ he ____ the report? (finish)
Has he finished the report?
7She ____ her driving test. (pass)
She's / She has passed her driving test.
8My parents ____ never ____ to Italy. (travel)
My parents have never traveled to Italy.