Difference between Present Perfect and Present Simple. Present Perfect Tense - Present Perfect Tense in English

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How do you like this phrase: "No one is perfect, that's why pencils have erasers." "Nobody's perfect, that's why pencils have erasers"? However, the “Perfect” still exists, and it is “Present”. What is Present Perfect?

To begin with, it is worth noting that there is simply no equivalent to this time or the Real Completed in the Russian language - this is the whole difficulty of understanding. But hold on! We're here to sort things out. Let "s go!

Present Perfect Education Rules

Let's take an example:

I have seen this film before.

In the first place with us subject(subjects or subject), then auxiliary verb(auxiliary) - have or has + Past Participle = seen.

Using the Present Perfect

  • When we talk about experience and achievements ( experience & achievements):
I have jumped with a parachute!- I jumped with a parachute!
I’ve just graduated from University and got a diploma!- I just graduated from university and received my diploma!
She has started to walk!- She started walking!
  • To show some changes:
You’ve lost weight!- You've lost weight!
  • When the action took place in the past, but we do not know exactly when, or the time does not matter. The main thing is not when the action took place, but its result in the present:
Have you read this book?- Did you read this book? (Ever?)
Nick has traveled a lot... - Nick traveled a lot.
  • In offers with Stative/State verbs when the action started in the past, continues in the present and can continue in the future. The following words can be used in these sentences: since(since) and for(during):
I've known him for ten years.- I have known him for 10 years (I knew in the past, I know now, and maybe I will know in the future).
I haven’t felt well since Monday.- I haven't been feeling well since Monday.
  • When the time for the action is determined by words just(just), already(already), yet(more). Exact connection with the present:
I’ve just seen an interesting movie.- I just watched an interesting film.
She has already left.- She's already gone.
The show has not begun yet.- The show hasn't started yet.
  • When the action took place in a period that has not yet ended. These periods include: today(today), this morning(this morning), this week(this week), this month(this month), this year(this year) etc .:
She has called her best friend this morning.- She called her to the best friend in the morning (the morning is not over yet).
I have never been to China.- I've never been to China. (I have never been to China throughout my life.)
  • Description of events of the recent past. Usually the words are used in such cases recently(recently), lately(recently, recently):
We have come back recently.- We recently returned.
You’ve worked hard lately.- You've worked a lot lately.
  • When the action occurs the first (second, third, etc.) time:
It's the first time I have done it.- I did it for the first time.
It's the second time I have driven a car.- I drove the car for the second time.
It’s the third time she has called him this morning.“This is the third time she called him this morning.

Usage features of been and gone in Present Perfect: examples

« Been" and " gone»Are past participles (third form of the verb), gone Is the past participle form of the verb go, and been- the past participle form of the verb be. Everything seems to be clear, but when translating into Russian or from Russian, students have many problems. Let's take a look at examples:

Is Ann in the office? No, she has just been to Great Britain. And she is at home today relaxing. She’ll be here tomorrow.
Is Ann in the office? No, she has just gone to China. She is spending there one month supervising the work of our subsidiary and is coming back on the 25th.

As you can see from the context in the first case, Anna was in the UK but has already returned. Her journey has just ended.

In the second case, on the contrary, her journey has just begun, she left and will stay in China for another month.

It follows that Present Perfect with “ been"Means back and forth action, and Present Perfect with" gone"Means action only there.

Conclusion

After all of the above, the question arises: “Why then Rast Simple if there is a Present Perfect? ​​"

There is a huge difference between Past Simple and Present Perfect. Past simple happened in the past ... We know when and the time is over. It means that the present is not included in it. Yesterday, last year, two minutes ago. All this already finished time.

And if time unfinished? Today, this week, over these ten years (all these time intervals include the moment "now"), then we use Present perfect... Let's compare:

I’ve fed a tiger today. I fed ten tigers yesterday.
She went to Europe last summer. I've never been to Europe in my life.
We’ve had many customers this week. We didn’t have so many customers last week.
I lived here for ten years. I've lived here for ten years.

In which case am I still here I live? Of course, I've lived here for ten years because it means that the action started in the past and still continues... I lived here for ten years means I lived a long time ago, but I already moved. Here you walk past a house in which you once lived a long time ago, and say: I lived here for ten years a long time ago.

We hope that now you have no doubts! Have a great English and evolve!

We invite you to familiarize yourself with other tenses of the English language

Big and friendly family EnglishDom

When working with tenses that have a direct connection with the past tense, very often two kinds of temporal forms bring difficulties - these are Past Simple and Present Perfect Simple.

The fact is that sometimes it becomes problematic to distinguish between these two times. And the reason for this is the relationship of both of these forms to the past. The only difference is that it also has a pronounced result in the present tense, while the simple past tense has no connection with the present moment at all. Therefore, it is necessary to give a clear definition of what is still the difference between Present Perfect and, give examples of situations using these two tenses and, in general, describe how they differ.

Using the Present Perfect

The present perfect tense is necessary in order to show that an action performed a little earlier did not just remain in the past, but has an inextricable connection with the present, that is, now there is a result of what happened some time ago. Often in the time of Present Perfect there are special clue words - these are adverbs that are used in order to reflect the completeness of the action to the present point. These are markers such as ever, never, already, yet, before, just, so far, etc. As a rule, the use of these clue words makes it clear that the time in the sentence will most likely be perfect, that is, perfect:

Most of the children here have had measles already. (Most of the kids here have had measles already)
Has Eric ever told you that you are a terrible man to make deals with? (Erik ever told you that it is simply impossible to do business with you?)
I'm sorry, but Doctor Philips has just left for Swansea. (I'm sorry, but Dr. Phillips just left for Swansea)

Note: the use of the adverb just is not always a clear indicator of the presence of Present Perfect. If the just now construction is used in the sentence (despite the identical translation, it is less common), then the grammar rules prohibit the use of perfect, the whole situation will be in Past Simple. A comparison can be made:

I have just heard a new pianist from Liverpool - I just heard a new pianist from Liverpool
I saw you come in just now - I saw you come in just now

Eating Past Simple

The simple past tense is used just for those cases when you need to show the fact of an action in the past and make it clear that this situation has no connection with the present, it ended somewhere earlier. Typical pointers to Past Simple are yesterday, ago, last, previous, etc., and exact dates and years in the past:

I met Tom at the station last Sunday - I met Tom at the station last Sunday
Did you watch that wonderful match yesterday? - Did you watch that wonderful match yesterday?
Last time I tried to call him a week ago, but he didn’t answer - The last time I tried to call him a week ago, but he didn’t answer

There is one use case where we only use Past Simple and not Present Perfect. This is a special question starting with when. Such sentences in the past tense look more logical than in the present perfect, because when asking a question with when, the speaker asks about the time or date in the past, and such a situation cannot be reflected in the perfect:

When did you buy this nice carpet? - When did you buy this beautiful carpet?
When did he visit her granny last time? - When did he visit his grandmother for the last time?

Present Perfect and Past Simple in one sentence

Despite the fact that the difference between Past Simple and Present Perfect is quite significant, these two tenses can meet in one sentence. This is true when, in a situation, the speaker uses the since conjunction, which introduces the so-called starting point:

· I have loved you since I saw you walk into that classroom. (I love you since I saw you walk into this class)
Twelve years have passed since he left this sad place. (Twelve years have passed since he left this bleak place)

As you can see from the examples, the differences in the use of these two tenses are that Past introduces the starting point, the moment from which the action began, and Present demonstrates the result to the present (sometimes - the period during which the action lasts, starting from the starting point).

Identical markers for Present Perfect and Past Simple

The difference between Present Perfect and Past Simple is that it does not show the fact of the event in the past, but speaks of the result to the present moment. But, comparing Present Perfect vs Past Simple, it is worth noting that these two tenses have the same markers that are suitable for one and the other kind of temporary form. These are words and phrases like today, this week, this year, etc. Answering the question, what is the difference in the use of one form or another, one can give all the same arguments. Unlike Present, Perfect Past Simple shows the fact of the event, and the perfect result. As a rule, the use of these expressions with Perfect indicates that the morning / day / week / year is not over yet, and Past makes it clear that the situation has already occurred:

You know, I have already met him this morning - You know, I already met him this morning (the morning is not over yet and it is important for the speaker to get the message across now)
I met him this morning, he was upset - I met him this morning, he was upset (the morning is over, the speaker is talking about a fact in the past)

When we compare these two tenses, it is important to pay attention to the marker words, which often help in determining a specific shape. It's not hard to understand how Present Perfect differs from Past Simple, especially when there are clear clues in the sentence. And in case of problems with the formation of the verb form, you can always pay attention to the table of irregular verbs, where the second form (Past) is needed for the past simple tense, and the third (Past Participle) is needed for the perfect.

To answer the question of what is the difference between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous and how you can build statements in these tenses, you just need to carefully study the cases of using the grammatical tenses in question.

Difference between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous

Time shows the process and highlights the incompleteness of the action, and Present Perfect Simple focuses on the final result, that is, on the result of an already completed action. However, here it is necessary to take into account some subtleties.

Firstly, sentences where the action has just ended and its result is visible, it is permissible to build both in the present perfect time and in the completed-long one.

Second, for Present Perfect Continuous great importance have a duration, the specified time interval for the performance of the action and the absence of the circumstance of the place, and for the Present Perfect - the accomplishment of something, a visible result in the present.

Thirdly, the proposals of the Continuous group indicate that the action took place in the past and will continue for some time in the future. However, it should be remembered that, for example, the present for a long time, in contrast to the present, completed-long, has no connection with the past.

Fourth, not all Present Perfect Continuous verbs will be used. The verbs of feeling and perception cannot be put in a long form, they should be used only in the present perfect tense.

Let's analyze all the subtleties of using the tenses in question in the active voice and give examples.

Features of Present Perfect Simple

The verb in (present completed) is used to express an activity that began in the past, but the result of this activity is associated with the present moment. In other words, Present Perfect is used in cases where an action has already taken place, but the result of this action is still important at the moment.

There is no analogue of this time in Russian, therefore, when translated from English, the present completed tense changes to the past.

When constructing sentences or statements in Present Perfect, auxiliary and semantic verbs are needed. To have acts as a helper verb in Present Perfect. The helper verb can be abbreviated to simplify writing and colloquial speech... The abbreviated form of the helper verb will be: ’s for has,’ ve for have. In the present tense, two forms of to have are distinguished, the use of which depends on the person and number. So, have is used in sentences with 1 and 2 persons, singular and all forms plural(I, we, you, they), and has is only for the 3rd person singular (he, she, it).

Note that in the abbreviated form it looks identical to the abbreviated has in Present Perfect.

In a negative sentence, only the negative particle not (n't) can be abbreviated, while the auxiliary verb will stand in its full form.

The third form of the verb acts as a semantic verb. In order to use this form in perfect tense, it is necessary to determine to which category the used verb belongs: correct / incorrect. Regular verbs are formed by adding. Irregular verbs can be found in the table of irregular verbs in English.

Present Perfect: sentence building schemes, examples

The formula for constructing an affirmative sentence will be as follows:

Have / has + V3 / Ved

Let's use this formula and give examples with comments:

1) I have repaired my clock. - I got my watch fixed.

I have repaired the watch in the past and now I can wear it, look at it (the result is in the present).

2) He has washed all dishes. - He washed all the dishes.

He washed dishes in the past and now (in the present) has clean dishes.

In a negative sentence, after the helper verb, the particle not is used:

Have / has + not + V3 / Ved

1) Ann has not read that book yet. - Anna has not read that book yet.

2) She hasn’t composed that amazing song. “She didn't write that amazing song.

In a general interrogative sentence, have / has is put at the beginning:

Have / has + V3 / Ved?

1) Have they told you? - Did they tell you?

The special question in the present completed tense is structured as follows:

Question word + have / has + V3 / Ved?

1) How have they proved it? - How did they prove it?

The short answer to the general question will contain Yes / No, the subject (! In the short answer, the subject is always replaced by a pronoun), has / have for a positive answer, hasn’t / haven’t for a negative answer:

Has John and Avril read those stories? - Did John and Avril read those stories?

Yes, they have./No, they haven’t. - Yes, they did. / No, they didn’t.

The present completed tense can also be used with adverbs that indicate completeness / lack of action: by now (by now), so far (until), just (just), up to now (to this day), never, yet, before, ever, already. The adverbs yet and before are always used only at the end of interrogative and negative sentences. In sentences with the adverb never, the negative particle not is not used, since never itself implies the negation of "never". The adverb ever is used only in interrogative sentences.

Examples of sentences with some perfect adverbs:

1) He's already done his homework. - He already did his homework.

2) Have they chosen the title’s book yet? - Have they already chosen a title for the book?

3) Dad hasn’t come home yet. - Dad hasn't come home yet.

4) We haven’t seen that man before. - We have not seen this person before.

5) She's never eaten anything like this. “She has never eaten anything like it.

6) Has he ever driven the car? - Has he ever driven a car?

We studied the features of the use of statements in To get the most complete picture, consider the rules and examples in Present Perfect Continuous.

How is Present Perfect Continuous formed?

Present Perfect Continuous (present completed long time) is used when the sentence speaks of an activity that originated at a specified moment in the past, continues in the present and will occur for some time in the future, as well as an action that began in the past and ended by the moment of the statement; about constantly recurring past events that are likely to be repeated in the future.

With the english time the following adverbs are often used: since (s), for (during), all week (all week), lately (the other day), recently (recently).

Let's move on to considering examples in Present Perfect Continuous.

Building utterances in Present Perfect Continuous

Sentences with an affirmative statement are formed according to the following formula: has been / have been + Ving.

1) They have been living there from 2001 until now. - They have been living here from 2001 to the present.

In a negative sentence, add the particle not after have / has before the verb with an -ing ending:

1) We haven’t been singing songs all night. - We didn't sing songs all night.

We sang songs in the past (sang more than once). Maybe we'll start singing songs again soon.

The general question is structured like this:

1) Has Alice been swimming here for two hours? - Has Alice been swimming here for 2 hours already?

She started swimming some time ago, she is still swimming and, possibly, will still swim.

In the special question, you need to add a question word before has / have, otherwise the structure of the special question is identical to the structure of the general question:

1) Why have you not been taking your medicine for the last two days? - Why haven't you taken your medicine for two days?

Indicated exact time(2 days). In the past, he constantly took medications, in the future, he may also take.

A short answer to a general question in Present Perfect Continuous is built on the type of a short answer in Present Perfect.

Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous in one sentence

Below are examples of using both tenses in one sentence:

1) Tom and Jim have been sitting here for twenty minutes, but the bus still hasn’t arrived. “Tom and Jim have been sitting here for 20 minutes and the bus still hasn’t arrived.

2) He’s been drinking 3 bottles of bear, but he has still wanted more. - He drank 3 bottles of beer, but still wants more.

We invite you to consider the English-language table below with the differences between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous.

We examined some of the differences between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous. To consolidate the material considered, watch the short video below and try to translate the following sentences into English:

1. Have you ever tried oysters? I heard they are delicious.

2. Have you already completed the project?

3. They haven't finished the test yet.

4. I have been living in Khabarovsk since 2012.

5. She has been playing computer games since 5 o'clock.

For native speakers of the Russian language, three times are quite enough for communication, oral and written expression of their thoughts - present, past and future. The British, on the other hand, need more variety, therefore, in English, not 10 or 11, but as many as 12 temporary forms. It is no coincidence that confusion often arises between similar forms in the study of times. In this article, we will consider the use of Present Perfect and Past perfect, find out what is their difference and similarity.

What are the similarities between the times of the group Perfect?

The tense forms of Present Perfect / Past Perfect have some similarities in formation: Present Perfect tense is formed using the auxiliary verb have / has (for 3rd person singular) in the present tense and the main verb in the third form (3rd column in the table of irregular verbs ) or a verb with the ending -ed (for regular verbs).

  • I have done this work in two hours - I did this work in two hours.
  • I have waited for you for an hour - I waited for you for an hour.

The auxiliary verb have also participates in the formation of the Past Perfect Tense, BUT in the past tense - had - and the main verb in the third form (3rd column in the table of irregular verbs) or a verb with the ending -ed (for regular verbs).

  • When I woke up this morning, my son had already eaten all breakfast - When I woke up in the morning, my son had already eaten all breakfast.

The similarity between the perfect times or the times of the Perfect group lies in the fact that they unsubscribe:

  • actions that have already completed by a certain period of time;
  • actions, expressed in perfect tenses, lead to certain results, which remain until the moment of speech.

Perfect times have common "time markers" that indicate the completion of an action: never, ever, already, just, since, yet, by ( to a certain period of time), for (during) and some others.

And yet there is a difference ...


To understand the difference between Present Perfect and Past Perfect, let's look at a few examples.

The library has just opened. - The library has just opened

(action completed by the present moment or in the present time period).

We came to the post-office, but the postman had already gone away - We came to the post office, and the postman had already left

(the action happened before another action or a certain moment in the past).

He has written this article for nine days. - He has been writing an article for nine days (He started writing nine days ago and is now continuing to work on it)

(the action started in the past, but continues in the present, is still relevant in the present)

Her article was exciting. She had written it since Monday. - Her article was fascinating. She has been writing it since Monday.

(the action started in the past and continued until a certain point in the past).

Jim knows her name. They have already met. - Jim knows her name. They have already met.

(the action took place in the past, it is not known and it does not matter exactly when, but its result is visible in the present).

Comparing these examples reveals that the differences are mainly in timing and usage.

So what have we found out? The temporal forms discussed above are quite similar, since they denote an action completed at a certain point in time. The main difference between Present Perfect and Past Perfect is the time of action.

Now consolidate the material and test your knowledge in practice using the grammar exercises below.

Reinforcement exercises


Task number 1. Put the verb in the correct form (Present Perfect / Past Perfect).

  1. a) Look at this concert hall! They ... it recently.
  2. b) They ... most of the cathedrals before others came to their land.
  1. a) By the time their first baby was born, my friends ... for 5 years already.
  2. b) I… never….
  1. a) Last week I was introduced to George. I ... him before.
  2. b) Michael is a cool guy. I ... him for ages.
  1. a) When my father was promoted to a senior position, he… at the factory for 20 years.
  2. b) I… with her since my first day in this company.
  1. a) Mary ... just ... the office.
  2. b) By the time the bell rang, everyone ... already ....

Task number 2. Open the brackets and put the verb in the correct tense (Present Perfect or Past Perfect).

  1. Ann and Sam are such a lovely couple. I… always… them. (like)
  2. My granny is in poor health. She… in hospital since Tuesday. (be)
  3. Parents ... to their children before the party, so they behaved quite well. (talk)
  4. I didn’t introduce Marry and Kim to each other, they ... already ... before. (meet)
  5. I am going to the library to return this book. I ... it already. (read)

Task number 3. Translate into English using Present Perfect or Past Perfect tenses.

  1. Her face was very familiar. I've definitely seen her somewhere before.
  2. They haven't seen Joe since their last conversation.
  3. We were already on vacation this year.
  4. Yesterday, when I called him, he had already booked tickets.
  5. She has never been to this restaurant before. Let's invite her to this place!

One of the most difficult English times to understand is Present Perfect Tense (present perfect tense). For almost every person who learns English, it causes difficulties.

Very often this tense is confused with the past simple. After all, sentences in these times are translated similarly, and sometimes even completely the same.

In this article, I will talk in detail about the Present Perfect: when it is used, how it is formed and how it differs from the past simple.

From the article you will learn:

  • Rules for using Present Perfect time in English
  • Formation of denial in time Present Perfect in English
  • Formation of Questions in Time Present Perfect in English

Difference between Present Perfect and Past Simple times

To make it easier for you to understand when to use the Present Perfect time, we will compare it with the Past Simple time, with which it is often confused.

Past Simple Tense

Past Simple is translated as "past simple" tense.
When we use:We use it when we talk about events that happened in the past.
What we show: The very fact of an action that once happened.

For instance:

I lost my keys.
I AM was losing your keys.

You lost your keys sometime in the past and now talk about it as a fact that once happened to you. For example, at lunch you told a friend that you lost your keys last week.

Present perfect tense

Present Perfect translates as "present perfect (completed)" time.
When we use: We use Present Perfect when we talk about an action that happened in the past, but it matters now.
What we show: The result of an action taken in the past.

Let's take an example:

I have lost my keys.
I AM lost your keys.

For example, you call your wife and ask her when she will come home from work so that she can open the apartment. She asks you why you don't do it yourself. And then you answer that you have lost the keys (this has already happened) and therefore you cannot enter the apartment (the result of the fact that you have lost the keys).

We see the result of this action right now. : I am now without keys and cannot get into the apartment.

How to distinguish the present perfect from the past simple

Take a look at the following pictures:

For example, suppose you cooked dinner yesterday. And now you say it as a fact. This action has nothing to do with the present moment.

For example, you invite your family to dinner. You say that you have prepared dinner (action in the past). But you are focusing on the result - now you have dinner ready.

Take a look at the comparison table between Past Simple and Present Perfect:

Past Simple Tense Present perfect tense

We use:
When we talk about events
that happened in the past.

We show:
The fact of action,
which once happened.

We use:
When we talk about events
that happened in the past.
However, this action
matters now.

We show:
The result of the action,
which we got

Example:

I bought a bag.
I was buying a bag.

For example, I say
that I bought the bag in response to the question:
"What did you do yesterday?"
I say this as a fact of action - I
Yesterday I was buying a bag.

Example:

I have bought the bag.
I bought a bag.

For example meshowing
bag to my friend, showing off to her
exactly
at present.
That is to me
the result is important
actions
- purchased bag.

Let's take another example.

Past Simple:

I ate.
I ate.

For example, to the question: “Did you eat yesterday?” I say yes, I did. This is just a fact of the very action in the past: I ate yesterday, but during this time I already managed to get hungry and now I can still eat.

Present Perfect:

I have eaten.
I ate.

I want to say with this sentence that I have eaten and, as a result, now I am full. This is important to me at the moment, because now I don't want to eat anymore.

Now let's take a closer look at the use cases for Present Perfect Tense.

Rules for using Present Perfect time in English


Let's see in which cases we use the ended time:

1. The end / result of the action is visible right now

This means that the action you are talking about has just ended. And the result of this action is visible right now.

For instance:

I cleaned the room (just finished cleaning, still clean).

She cooked dinner (right now, you see a ready-made dinner).

2. The result is important to us, not the time when something was done

We only care about the result - what we have done. The time it was done is irrelevant.

For instance:

She did her homework (she has a notebook with homework ready at the moment (result), we don't care when she did it).

He prepared a presentation (right now, the presentation is ready, when he prepared it, it doesn't matter to us).

3. Talk about your life experiences

That is, you are talking about what has happened or has not happened to you so far. At the same time, the words are often used: ever, never, several (one, two, three, etc.) times.

For instance:

He has never jumped with a parachute (to date, he has not jumped).

She has been to New York twice (so far, this is her life experience).

4. Talking about an unfinished period of time

That is, the time period you are talking about (week, month, year) has not ended, and you have the opportunity to do the action a certain number of times.

For instance:

I fed the cat twice today (the day is not over yet and you can feed her again).

He skated three times this winter (winter is not over yet and he can skate more).

Present Perfect Tense Time Education Rules

The present perfect tense is formed with have / has and the past verb.

There are regular and irregular verbs in English. Depending on the verb, this form is formed like this:

  • if the verb is correct, then we add the ending -ed to it: cook - cooked, finish - finished.
  • if the verb is irregular, then we put it in the 3rd form: do - done, eat - eaten.

There is no rule by which to determine the correct or irregular verb in front of us. You can only find out by looking at it in a dictionary or memorizing it. The same is with the irregular verb forms. They must be memorized or looked up in a dictionary.

Now let's look at the diagram of such a proposal:

Actor + has / have + regular ed or 3rd form of irregular verb

When we talk about someone in the singular (he is he, she is she, it is it), we use has. In all other cases - have.

I
You
We have done
They cooked
She bought
He has
It

They have bought a new flat.
They bought a new apartment.

She has broken her arm.
She broke her arm.

Abbreviations

We can abbreviate has and have in sentences. It will look like this:

has = ’s
have = 've

Rule of adding the ending -ed

There are some nuances to keep in mind when we add the -ed ending to a verb.

1. If the verb ends in -e, then the verb is added only -d

chang e- chang ed- change
clos e- clos ed- close

2. If the verb ends consonant, in front of which is stressed vowel, then the consonant is doubled

sto p- sto pped- stop
ba n- ba nned- forbid

Exceptions: verbs ending in -x and -w:

fi x- fi xed- fix
flo w- flo wed- flow

Note: v British English, when the verb ends in -l, then it doubles, regardless of where the stress falls

trave l- trave lled- travel

American version:

trave l- trave led- travel

3. If the verb ends in -y and there is a consonant letter in front of it, then y changes to i + ed

cr y- cr ied- cry
tr y- tr ied- sample

Important: if there is a vowel before -y then the ending -ed is added without change letters

sta y- sta yed- stay
pla y- pla yed- play

Time Indicators Present Perfect Tense


There are words in the English language that are used very often in the present perfect tense. Here are the main ones:

  • never - never
  • just - just
  • yet - not yet / already
  • already - already
  • lately / of late - recently
  • recently - recently
  • ever - ever
  • this week / month / year - this week / this month / this year

They have moved recently.
They have recently moved.

She has just finished.
She just finished.

But we never use the following words in Present Perfect:

  • yesterday - yesterday
  • last week / year / month - on (in) last week / year / month

Why are they not being used?

After all, these words emphasize when we took the action, and not on the news itself / the result of the action. We use them in Past Simple.

Formation of denial in time Present Perfect

A negative sentence is constructed in the same way as an affirmative one. Only after the auxiliary verb have / has we put the negative particle not.

The scheme of such a proposal will be as follows:

Actor + has / have + not + regular ed or 3rd form of irregular verb

I
You
We have done
They not cooked
She bought
He has
It

We have not done my homework.
We haven't done our homework.

She has not cooked dinner yet.
She hasn't cooked dinner yet.

Reduction

We can shorten the have / has and the not particle as follows:

have + not = haven't
has + not = hasn't

Formation of Questions in Time Present Perfect

To ask a question at this time, we need to put have / has first in the sentence. Let's take a look at the diagram:

Have / has + character + regular ed or 3rd form of an irregular verb?

I
you
Have we done?
they cooked?
she bought?
Has he
it

Have they finished?
Are they done?

Has he met his friend?
Did he meet his friend?

The answer to the question can be positive or negative.

We can also give:

  • short answer
  • full answer

Short positive answer contains the word yes, a character and an auxiliary verb:

Have they done it? Yes, they have.
They did it? Yes.

Has he read it? Yes, he has.
Did he read it? Yes.

Short negative answer starts with no, and we add the particle not to the auxiliary verb.

Have they done it? No, they have not.
They did it? No.

Has he read it? No, he has not.
Did she read it? No.

Complete affirmative answer looks like an affirmative sentence, only at the very beginning we put yes.

Have they written a letter? Yes, they have written a letter.
Did they write the letter? Yes, they wrote a letter.

Has she bought the dress? Yes, she has bought the dress.
Did she buy this dress? Yes, she bought this dress.

Complete negative answer looks like a negative sentence, only at the very beginning we put no.

Have they written a letter? No, they haven’t written a letter.
Did they write the letter? No, they didn't write the letter.

Has she bought the dress? No, she hasn’t bought the dress.
Did she buy this dress? No, she didn't buy this dress.

So, we got acquainted with the Present Perfect time. If you still have any questions, ask them in the comments below the article. Now, in order to consolidate the theoretical part, let's move on to the practical task.

Assignment task

Translate the following sentences into English. Leave your answers in the comments.

1. He bought a car.
2. She finished her work.
3. They haven't cleaned up the room yet.
4. Have you read these books?
5. He hasn't started yet.
6. We fixed the car.
7. They went to the cinema yesterday.

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