Simple present

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Present Perfect

- Form

- We form the present perfect with the auxiliary has/have+ the past participle.

Affirmative

Negative

Question

I

You

He/she/it

We

They

I

You

He/she/it

We

They

- Regular verbs like work often have the same form at the past simple and past participle.

- Irregular verbs often have a different past simple and past participle form.

Ex: do: did---done go: went---gone

- The contractions are used for speech and ______________________.

- Uses

- We use the present perfect for a situation that started in the past and continues to the present.

- Ex: I’ve worked in Human Resources all my life.

I’ve known Valerie, since we were at the CFA Sup of the IGS group.

- We use the PP to talk about a series of actions up to the present.

- Ex: I’ve visited Spain several times.

- We use the PP for a past event that has a present result.

- Ex: I’ve lost their contract –I can’t find it anywhere!

Your taxi has arrived. See you again soon –have a safe journey!

- In general the PP connects the past with the present. The first two cases are life up to now ‘and the third is ‘present result of a past action’.

- Notice that with the PP the time period is not finished or not definite.

- I’ve worked in HR all my life (not finished, I continue to work in HR)

- I’ve visited Spain several times (not definite –no time given)

- I’ve lost their contract (not definite –no time given)

- Been and gone

There is a difference between has been and has gone (or have been and have gone)

- She’s been to New York means she went there and has now returned.

- She’s gone to New York means she went there but has not yet returned. She’s still there.

- Irregular verbs

- There are many irregular verbs. Here is a short list of irregular verbs in the Present Perfect tense only.

Verb

PP

Verb

PP

Verb

PP

Verb

PP

Verb

PP

Be

been

Come

come

Grow

grown

Meet

met

Spend

spent

Become

become

Fall

Fallen

Have

had

Pay

paid

Take

taken

Begin

begun

Feel

Felt

Know

known

Put

put

Tell

told

Bring

brought

Get

got or gotten

Leave

left

Rise

risen

think

thought

Build

built

Give

given

Lose

lost

See

seen

Win

won

Buy

bought

Go

gone

Make

made

Sell