Present perfect Unit 7  Intermediate and advanced Form and use The present perfect used with just for a recently completed action The present perfect used for past actions whose time is not definite The present perfect used for actions occurring in an incomplete period The present perfect used for an action which lasts throughout an incomplete period The present perfect used with for and since it is + period + since + past or perfect tense Further examples of the use of the present perfect and simple past Form and use A Form The present perfect tense is formed with the present tense of have + the past participle: I have worked etc. The past participle in regular verbs has exactly the same form as the simple past, i.e. loved, walked etc. In irregular verbs, the past partiociples vary. The negative is formed by adding not to the auxiliary. The interrogative is formed by inverting the auxiliary and subject. Affirmative           Negative                        Interrogative I have worked        I have not worked              Have I worked? Negative interrogative: Has he not worked? etc. Contractions: have/has and have not / has not can be contracted thus: I've worked, you haven't worked, hasn't he worked? etc. The contracted forms are often almos inaudible in colloquial speech. Have and has may also be contracted: Where've you been? What's he done? B Use This tense may be said to be a sort of mixture of present and past. It always implies a strong connexion with the present and is chiefly used in conversations, letters, newspapers and television and radio reports. The present perfect used with just for a recentrly completed action     He has just gone out = He went out a few minutes ago. This is a special use of this tense. Just must be placed between the auxiliary and the main verb. This combination is used chiefly in the affirmative, though the interrogative form is possible:     Has he just gone out? It is not normally used in the negative. The present perfect used for past actions whose time is not definite A     The presente perfect is used for recent actions when the time is not mentioned:     I have read the instructions but I don't understand them.     Have you had breakfast? - No, I haven't had it yet. Compare with:     I read the instructions last night. (time given, so simple past)     Did you have breakfast at the hotel? (i.e. before you left the hotel: simple past) Note possible answers to questions in the present perfect:     Have you seen my stamps? - Yes, I have / No, I haven't or     Yes, I saw them on your desk a minute ago.     Have you had breakfast? - Yes, I have or     No, I haven't had it yet or     Yes, I had it at seven o'clock or     Yes, I had it with Mary. (time implied) B     Recent actions in the present perfect often have results in the present:     Tom has had a bad car crash. (He's probably still in hospital)     The lift has broken down. (We have to use the stairs)     I've washed the car. (It looks lovely) But actions expressed by the simple past without a time expression do not normally have results in the present:     Tom had a bad crash. (but he's probably out of hospital now)     The lift broke down. (but it's probably working again now)     I washed the car. (but it may be dirty again now) Actions expressed by the present perfect + yet usually have results in the present:     He hasn't come yet. (so we are still waiting for him) C     I can also be used for actions which occur further back in the past, provided the connexion with the present is still maintained, that is that the action could be repeated in the present:     I have seen wolves the that forest implies that it is still possible to see them, and     John Smith has written a number of short stories implies that John Smith is still alive and can write more. If however, the wolves have been killed off and John Smith is dead we would say:     I saw wolves in that forest once / several times or     I used to see wolves here and     John Smith wrote a number of short stories. Note also that when we use the present perfect in this way we are not necessarily thinking of any one particular action (the action may have occurred several times) or of the exact time when the action was performed. If we are thinking of one particular action performed at a particular time we are more likely to use the simple past. The present perfect used for actions occurring in an incomplete period A     This may be expressed by the following diagram:      | ...........................X.............................X...............................TS      Each X represents an action.      TS stands for 'time of speaking' in the present. B     An incomplete period may be indicated by today or this morning / afternoon / evening / week / month / year / century etc. Note that the present perfect can be used with this morning only up to about one o'clock, because after that this morning becomes a completed period and actions occurring in it must be put into the simple past:     (at 11 am) Tom has rung up three times this morning already.     (at 2 pm) Tom rang up three times this morning. Similarly, this afternoon will end at about five o'clock:     (at 4 pm) I haven't seen Tom this afternoon.     (at 6 pm) I didn't see Tom this afternoon. The present perfect used with an incomplete period of time implies that the action happened or didn't happen at some undefined time during this period:     Have you seen him today? (at any time today) - Yes, I have /     Yes, I've seen him today. (at some time during the day) But if we know that an action usually happens at a certain time or in a certain part of our incomplete period we use the simple past tense. If my alarm clock normally goes off at six, I might say at breakfast:     My alarm clock didn't go off this morning. Imagine that the postman normally comes between nine and ten. From nine till ten we will say:     Has the postman come yet / this morning? But after this nine to ten period we will say:     Did the postman come this morning? We use the past tense here because we are thinking about a complete period of time even though we do not mention it. C     lately, recently used with the present perfect also indicate an incomplete period of time. In the sentences     Has he been here lately / recently? and He hasn't been here lately / recently, lately / recently means 'at any time during the last week / month etc.'; and in     He has been here recently, recently means 'at some undefined time during the last week / month etc.' lately is less usual with the affirmative, except for actions covering periods of time:     There have been some changes lately / recently.     He's had a lot of bad luck lately / recently. recently, used with a simple past tense, means 'a short time ago':     He left recently = He left a shor time ago. D     The present perfect can be used similarly with ever, never, always, occasionally, often, several times etc. and since + a point in time, since + clause, or since, adverb: 1   ANN: Have you ever fallen off a horse?      TOM: Yes, I've fallen off quite often / occasionally. But if Tom's riding days are over, we would have:       ANN: Did you ever fall off a horse? (past tense)       TOM: Yes, I did occasionally / frequently. 2    I haven't seen him since November.       Has he written since he left home?       We had a letter last week. We haven't heard since.       I've since changed my mind = I've changed my mind since then. 3 The present perfect can be used here for habitual actions:       They've always answered my letters.       I've never been late for work.     Sometimes these appear to be continual rather than repeated actions:       Since my accident I have written with my left hand.        I've worn glasses since my childhood.     We can then use for + a period of time as an alternative to since + a point in     time:        I've used my left hand for a month now.        I've worn glasses for ten years. 4 Note also sentences of this type:       This is the best wine I have ever drunk.       This is the worst book I have ever read.       This isthe easiest job  I have ever had.     We can use this construction, without ever, with the first, the second etc. and     the only:       It / This is the first time I have seen a mounted band.       It is only the second time he has been in a canoe.       This is the only book he has written. The present perfect used for an action which lasts throughout an incomplete period Time expressions include for, since, all day / night / week, all my etc life, all the time, always, lately, never, recently. A     The action usually begins in the past and continues past the time of speaking in the present:     He has been in the army for two years. (He is still in the army)        I have smoked since I left school. (I still smoke)     We have waited all day. (We are still waiting)     He has lived here all his life. (He still lives here)     He has always worked for us. (He still works for us) This type of action might be expressed by a diagram thus: |________________________TS------------- (TS = time of speaking) Compare the above sentences with:     He was in the army for two years. (He is not in the army now)     I smoked for six months. (and then stopped smoking)     He lived here all his life. (Presumably he is now dead) In each of the last three examples we are dealing with a completed period of time: |_________________________|......................TS so the simple past is used. B     Sometimes, however, the action finishes at the time of speaking:     ANN (on meeting someone): I haven't seen you for ages. (but I see you now)     This room hasn't been cleaned for months. (but we are cleaning it now)     It has been very cold lately but it's just beginning to get warmer. This type of action could be expressed by a diagram thus: |_________________________TS C     Verbs of knowing, believing and understanding cannot be used in the present perfect except as shown in A above:     I have know him for a long time.     I have never believed their theories. So recent actions, even when the time is not mentioned, must be expressed by the simple past:     Did you know that he was going to be married? (Have you known would not be possible) and     Hello!! didn't know you were in London. How long have you been here? think and wonder however can be used thus:     I have sometimes thought that I should have emigrated.     I have often wondered why he didn't marry her. D     Note that questions / answers such as:     How long have you been here? - I've been here six months will normally be followed by general inquiries in the present perfect about actions occurring within the period mentioned, which is regarded as an incomplete period of time: |-------------------------------------------TS because the action of staying, being etc is not yet finished:     Have you been to the zoo / the theatre / the museus / the casino?     Have you enrolled in a school / found a job / met many people? The answers will be in the same tense if no time is mentioned, otherwise they will be in the simple past tense:     Yes, I have (been to the zoo etc) or     Yes, I went there last week.     No, I haven't enrolled yet or     Yes, I enrolled on Monday / this morning. The present perfect used with for and since A For is used with a period of time: for six days, for along time. For used with the simple past tense denotes a terminated period of time:     We lived there for ten years. (but we don't live there now) For used with the present perfect denotes a period of time extending into the present:     We have lived in London for ten years. (and still live there) For can sometimes be omitted, especially after be, live and wait:     We've been here an hour / two days. For (of time) is not used before expressions beginning with alll:     They've worked all night. B Since is used with a point in time and means 'from that point to thetime of speaking'. It is always used with a perfect (there is one exception further bellow).     She has been here since six o'clock. (and is still here)     We've been friends since our schooldays. C Note that there is a diffence between last and the last. Compare:     a) I have been here since last week (month, year etc.) and     b) I have been here for the last week. Last week, in (a), means a point in time about seven days ago. the last week, in (b), means the period of seven days just completed. D since + clause is also possible:     I've worked here since I left school. and ever since (adverb):     He had a bad fall last year and has been off work ever since. it is + period + since + past or perfect tense We can say:     It is three years since I (last) saw Bill or     It is three years since I have seen Bill.     I last saw Bill three years ago or     I haven't seen Bill for three years.     It is two months since Tom (last) smoked a cigarette or     It is two months since Tom has smoked a cigarette.     He last smoked a cigarette two months ago or     He hasn't smoked a cigarette for two months. We can use the it is ... since construction without the adverb last:     It is two years since he left the country. This, however, is replaceable only by:     He left the country two years ago. We could not use a negative present perfect here as in the sentence about Bill above. He hasn't been (living) in the country for the last two years is possibe but isn't an exact equivalent of He left two years ago. This construction can be used in the past:     He invited me to go riding with him. But it was two years since I had ridden a horse. (I hadn't ridden a horse for two years previous to the invitation so I wasn't sure that I would enjoy it.) Further examples of the use of the present perfect and simple past A TOM (visiting Philip for the first time): I didn't know you lived in a houseboat. PHILIP: I've always lived in a houseboat. I was born in one. I thought you were still on holiday. When did you get back? - I came back last week. Has your term started yet? _ Yes, it started on Monday. B Note that a conversatiopn about a past action often begins with a question and answer in the present perfect, but normally continues in the simple past, even when no time is give. This is because the action first mentioned has now become definite in the minds of the speakers:     Where have you been? - I've been to the cinema. - What did you see? / What was the filme?     (I saw) 'Amadeus". - Did you like it? HUSBAND: Where have you been? WIFE: I've been at the sales. HUSBAND: What have you bought? / What did you buy? WIFE: I have bought / I bought you some yellow pyjamas. HUSBAND: Why did you buy yellow? I hate yellow. C The present perfect is often used in newspapers and broadcasts to introduce an action which will then be described in the simple past tense. The time of the action is very often given in the second sentence:     Thirty thousand pounds' worth of jewellery has been stolen from Jonathan Wild and Company, the jewellers. The thieves broke into the flat above some time during Sunday night and entered the shop by cutting a hole in the ceiling. But even if the time of the action is not given the past tense will normally be used in the second sentence:     Two prisoners have escaped from Darmoor. They used a ladder which had been left behind     by some workmen, climbed a twenty-foot wall and got away in a stolen car. D The present perfect is often used in letters:     I am sorry I haven't written before but I've been very busy lately as Tom has been away.     We have carefully considered the report which you sent us on 26 April, and have decided to     take the following action. exercises home                                                               from the book 'A practical English Grammar' by A J Tomson and A V Martinet