Present Perfect Tense | Formula, Signs, Uses, Examples & Exercises 2024

The Present Perfect Tense is one of the most basic grammars in English. The present perfect is used quite a lot in communication and English tests.

Today, English tivi will share how to help you better understand the present perfect tense including structure, usage, and signs. At the same time, detailed analysis examples and practice exercises will help you better understand this tense. Let's explore the present perfect tense!

Definition of Present Perfect Tense

This is a tense used to describe an action that has been completed up to the present time without discussing the time when the action took place.

How do We use the Present Perfect Tense?

These are the five main uses of the present perfect tense:

Describe a recent action or event.

Example:

– I have just seen him in the park.

– She has finished her homework recently.

Describe an action that has been completed up to the present time without mentioning when the action happened.

Example:

– I have done my work.

– He has broken up with his girlfriend.

Describe an action that started in the past and is continuing in the present.

Example:

– I have worked at school for a long time.

Describe actions that have been done before and are still doing.

Example:

– She has gone to three countries and she is going to the next.

Describe an action or event that happened in the past but the result is still in the present.

Example:

– I have lost all my money so I can't buy clothes.

Forming the Present Perfect Tense

Affirmative Sentence

In which:

Example: Peter has lived in New York since 2010.

Negative Sentence

In which:

Interrogative Sentence

Question:

Answer:

Example:

Have they been married for 5 years?

-> Yes, They have.

-> No, They have not.

Notes:

+  The subject is I/ We/ They/ plural noun, we use have/haven't.

+ The subject is He/ She/ It/ singular noun, we use has/hasn't.

Present Perfect with Since and For

The present perfect with for and since describes an action that started in the past and continues in the present or may continue.

* Use “since” in the present perfect tense in English when we refer to a certain time in the past when the action happened.

Example:

– I have been here since last week.

* Using “for” in the present perfect, we are not referring to a specific date or year, but a period of time.

Example:

– He has studied Chinese for 7 years.

=> Just remember that:

+ Since – a specific time

+ For – a period of time

Present Perfect Simple with Just, Already, Yet

* Just is used to refer to recent action. Just comes after the auxiliary verb and before the 2 participles in the present perfect.

Example:

– I've just seen Linda coming out of the zoo.

– Nick's just called. Can you ring him back, please?

* The present perfect with already emphasizes that the action was completed earlier than the intended time.

Example:

– Don’t forget to pick up the book. I  have already taken it.

– When is Tom going to start his new job? – He has already started.

* The present perfect with yet to express that the speaker is expecting something to happen. Yet is only used in questions and affirmative sentences.

Example:

– Have you gone to school yet?

– She hasn't told you about her scandal yet.

Signal words for the Present Perfect Tense

• just, recently, lately
• already
• before
• ever
• never
• for + N – period time (for a year, for a long time, …)
• since + N – point/time point (since 2012, since May, …)
• yet (used in negative sentences and questions)
• so far = until now = up to now = up to the present

Present Perfect Tense Exercises with Answers

Exercise of Present Perfect Tense

Exercise 1: Give the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

1. He (not give) his decision yet.

2. She (write) his novel yet?

3. They (travel) to London lately.

4. He already (watch) this concert.

5. John (not see) his friend for 4 years.

6.  How long she ….(learn) English? She….( learn) it since 2018.

7. They (run) for more than 2 hours.

8. This is the first time I (meet) him.

9. It (rain) since I started my work.

10. He (get) married yet?

Exercise 2: Rewrite the sentences so that the meaning remains the same, using the suggested words in brackets.

1. She has never eaten fast food before. (This is)

->  …………………………………………

2. These are the best shoes I have ever bought. (before)

->  …………………………………………

3. He started to live in Tokyo 3 years ago. (for)

->  …………………………………………………

4. She has never seen such a handsome boy before. (He is)

->  …………………………………………

5. I began to study  English when I was young. (since)

->  …………………………………………………

Exercise 3: Complete the sentences with Since and For.

1. She has been a doctor ………… 20 years.

2. Lisa has worked in a company ………… he was 25.

3. He has studied in Thailand ………… four years.

4. Linda has eaten three cakes ………… 9 pm.

5. I have been married ………… twenty years.

6. I have known my husband ………… I met him at university.

7. We have traveled in the UK ………… two months.

8. The girls have played volleyball …… one hour.

9. Kate has been in Greece ………… July.

10. I have drunk beer …… three hours.

Exercise 4: Rewrite the sentences so that the meaning stays the same.

1. This is the first time Jack went to China.

➔ Jack hasn’t ____________________________________.

2. Susan started working 2 weeks ago.

➔ Susan has _______________________________________.

3. My father began drinking when it started to rain.

➔ My father has _________________________________.

4. Max last had his motobike repaired when I left him.

➔ Max haven’t ____________________________________.

5. When did he have it?

➔ How long _______________________________________?

6. I haven’t seen my mother for 4 months.

➔ The last _________________________________________.

7. Elsa  hasn’t taken a bath since Monday.

➔ It is _____________________________________________.

Exercise 5: Choose the best answer.

1. Alex _______ France for 4 months.

A. have lived B. live C. lives D. has lived

2. He hasn’t _______us about that accident yet.

A. told B. tell C. said D. say

3. I saw my brother yesterday but I ________ them so far this morning.

A. saw B. hasn’t seen C. didn’t see D. haven’t seen

4. This is the first time that this car _______ down this month.

A. broke B. broken C. has broken D. have broken

5. Have you ______ book recently?

A. listened B. spoken C. watched D. read

6. I _______ a flight to the USA for 8 days.

A. book B. have booked C. has booked D. books

7. Tom has just ______ since his friend arrived.

A. leave B. has left C. left D. leaved

8. My teacher ________ us for 2 days.

A. hasn’t teach B. hasn’t taught C. have teach D. haven’t taught

9. ______ Lan seen any good novel lately?

A. Did B. Has C. Have D. Does

10. Lim __________ earlier, but he has worked a lot lately.

A. hasn’t written B. have written C. written D. wrote

Exercise 6: Find and correct the mistake in the following sentence.

1. Jin have lost his money. He can’t find it anywhere.

2. How much matches has this team won so far this year?

3. Lucy doesn’t know her husband. she never has met him.

4. She  live in Japan. She have lived there all their life.

5. Your house looks very clean and beautiful. Have you wash it?

Answers of Present Perfect Tense

Exercise 1:

1. hasn’t given

2. has she written

3. have traveled

4. has already watched

5. hasn’t seen

6. has she learnt/has learnt

7. have run

8. have met

9. has rained

10. Has he got

Exercise 2:

1. This is the first time She has eaten fast food.

2. I have never bought such good shoes before.

3. He has lived in Tokyo for 3 years.

4. He is the most handsome boy She has ever met.

5. I have studied English since I was young.

Exercise 3:

1. for

2. since

3. for

4. since

5. for

6. since

7. for

8. for

9. since

10. for

Exercise 4:

1. Jack hasn’t gone to China before.

2. Susan has worked for 2 weeks.

3.  My father has drunk since it started to rain.

4.  Max hasn’t had his motorbike repaired since I left him.

5.  How long has she had it?

6.  The last time I saw my mother was 4 months ago.

7.  It is Monday since Elsa took a bath.

Exercise 5:

1.D (sign: for 4 months)

2. A

3. D (sign: so far this morning)

4. C (sign: This the first time)

5. D (read is the most reasonable because reading book)

6. B (sign: for 8 days)

7. C (sign: since)

8. B (sign: for)

9. B (sign: lately)

10. A (according to the meaning of the sentence)

Exercise 6:

1.have ➔ has (Jin is the singular subject)

2. much ➔ many (matches is a countable noun)

3. never has met ➔ has never met (in the wrong order)

4. have ➔ has (She is singular subjects)

5. wash ➔ washed (unconjugated)

Present Perfect Tense Exercises Pdf, Doc

Present Perfect Tense Exercises Pdf, Doc is a great way for students to practice their Present Perfect Tense skills. These exercises are designed for students who have just started learning English or those who need more practice with this tense.

Conclusion

English tivi hopes the knowledge of the present perfect tense will system, supplement your knowledge of English grammar. Try the exercises below to make sure you have the present perfect tense. Wish you good learning!

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