2.1: Present Perfect Tense
- Page ID
- 273618
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Read the sentences below. What are the verbs? How is the present perfect tense formed?
- Scientists have determined that human activity contributes to climate change.
- One scientist has written several articles.
- Have you changed the light bulbs in your house?
- We have not found the solution to climate change.
Answers
- Have studied
- Has written
- Have you changed
- Have not found
To make the present perfect, use "have/has" with the past participle of the verb...
- EX: Scientists have determined that human activity contributes to climate change.
Affirmative Statements:
| I | Have | Past participle |
| You | Have | Past participle |
| He/She/It | Has | Past participle |
| We | Have | Past participle |
| They | Have | Past participle |
Negative Statements:
| I | Have not | Past participle |
| You | Have not | Past participle |
| He/She/It | Has not | Past participle |
| We | Have not | Past participle |
| They | Have not | Past participle |
Questions:
| Have | I | Past participle ? |
| Have | You | Past participle ? |
| Has | He/She/It | Past participle ? |
| Have | We | Past participle ? |
| Have | They | Past participle ? |
Forming the Past Participle
The regular form of the past participle is base form + -ed
- EX: Walk--walked
Irregular verb forms do not follow one rule
- EX: Eat--eaten
- EX: Wake--woken
Past participle spelling for regular verbs (adding -ed)
- Most regular verbs add -ed to the infinitive form
- EX: Walk--walked
- Regular verbs ending in -e just add -d
- EX: Like--liked
- EX: Receive--received
- CVC Rule: Regular verbs ending in one stressed vowel + one consonant (except w,x , or y) double the consonant and add -ed
- EX: Plan--planned
- EX: Stop--stopped
- EX: Refer--referred
- EX: Control--controlled
- Regular verbs ending in consonant + y change the y to i and add -ed
- EX: Carry--carried
- EX: Study--studied
- EX: Try--tried
- Regular verbs ending in -c add -ked
- EX: Picnic--picnicked
- EX: Traffic--trafficked
Present Perfect Usage
Present perfect tense is used in the following situations:
- The action is unfinished. It began in the past and continues into the present moment.
- EX: The climate has changed drastically.
- EX: She hasn't been to the gym yet.
- The action is finished but has an effect on or a result in the present.
- EX: I'm not hungry. I have already eaten.
- EX: We've walked five miles and we are tired. (Note: The 5 miles are finished.)
- The time of the action is indefinite (unknown or unimportant)
- EX: Have you ever studied geology?
- EX: He has never owned an electric car.
More on Present Perfect
Present perfect tense is used as a bridge between past and present. It connects past actions to the present moment.
- ..EX: She has studied English since she was a child
- She began in the past, but she is still studying now. The sentence is about both the past and the present.
- EX: Have you eaten yet?
- Did you eat in the past? If you say "no," I'll offer you some food now. The sentence is about both the past and the present.
- EX: I have already finished my homework.
- The homework was finished in the past, but it's not important when. The important thing is, I can rest now.
Videos and Other Resources
Watch this video to learn more about forming and using present perfect...
Watch this video to learn more about the difference between present perfect and simple past...
Try this website to practice forming and using present perfect...
Practice Present Perfect Tense
For each question below, answer with a complete sentence. Use present perfect tense and a different time expression in each sentence...
- What actions have you taken to prevent climate change?
- Have you tried using reusables in your kitchen? Which ones?
- How long have you owned your car?
- What articles have you read so far about climate change?
- How long has this class studied climate change?