Present Perfect
has/have + participial verb
(a must learn grammar)
- This tense is not frequently used in some languages, which makes it difficult for International learners of English to understand and use it correctly.
- The action began in the past.
- The situation or feeling continues.
- It has not stopped.
- If it has stopped then it is Past Tense.
TIME:
- Begins in the past, comes to the present and is expected to continue.
- Unfinished Time = Present Perfect.
- Finished Time = Past Tense
EXAMPLES:
- I have been in Rio since last Monday.
- Roger has lived in New York City since 2001.
- The stock market has been doing well recently.
- Bill has visited Paris many times.
- Roger has been in his new job for a year.
- How long have you worked for Ford?
COMMON QUESTIONS USING PRESENT PERFECT:
- How long have you been waiting? It's been over an hour!
- How long have you been a professor at the university?
- How many times have you been to Las Vegas?
- Have you ever been to Paris?
- Has the meeting started yet?
- Have you finished your homework yet?
- What books have you read this year?
- Why have you missed so many classes this month?
- Why haven't you bought your new car yet?
- I have performed three back-pain surgeries this week. <- present perfect
- I performed three back-pain surgeries last week. <- past tense
- I had performed three back-pain surgeries last week before the hospital staff went on strike.
NOTE: Other tenses
- PAST TENSE: I conducted interviews all day yesterday.
- PRESENT TENSE: I conduct interviews every day.
- FUTURE TENSE: I will conduct interviews all day tomorrow.
- PRESENT PERFECT: I have conducted interviews since Monday.
- PRESENT PERFECT: Have you ever + verb?
- PAST PERFECT: I had conducted interviews all day when I began to feel bad.