Look at these examples to see how the present perfect is used.
He's been to ten different countries.
I haven't seen her today.
My phone's run out of battery. Can I use yours?
Have you ever dyed your hair a different colour?
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
We use the present perfect simple (have or has + past participle) to talk about past actions or states which are still connected to the present.
Unfinished time and states
We often use the present perfect to say what we've done in an unfinished time period, such as today, this week, this year, etc., and with expressions such as so far, until now, before, etc.
They've been on holiday twice this year.
We haven't had a lot of positive feedback so far.
I'm sure I've seen that film before.
We also use it to talk about life experiences, as our life is also an unfinished time period. We often use never in negative sentences and ever in questions.
I've worked for six different companies.
He's never won a gold medal.
Have you ever been to Australia?
We also use the present perfect to talk about unfinished states, especially with for, since and how long.
She's wanted to be a police officer since she was a child.
I haven't known him for very long.
How long have you had that phone?
Finished time and states
If we say when something happened, or we feel that that part of our life is finished, we use the past simple.
We visited Russia for the first time in 1992.
I went to three different primary schools.
Before she retired, she worked in several different countries.
We also use the past simple for finished states.
We knew all our neighbours when we were children.
I didn't like bananas for a really long time. Now I love them!
Past actions with a result in the present
We can use the present perfect to talk about a past action that has a result in the present.
He's broken his leg so he can't go on holiday.
There's been an accident on the main road, so let's take a different route.
They haven't called me, so I don't think they need me today.
Again, if we say when it happened, we use the past simple.
He broke his leg last week so he can't go on holiday.
However, we often use the present perfect with words like just, recently, already, yet and still.
We've recently started going to the gym.
She's already finished season one and now she's watching season two.
Have you checked your emails yet?
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
In my daughters notes from school, it says we should use present perfect tense when an action happened at an unspecified time in the past. But I can’t see this point in above lesson. Why is that?
Hello nicoleme,
The same point is expressed in the 'Finished time and states' section:
'Unspecified time' really means 'at some time in your life up to the present', which is another way to say 'unfinished time'. If we know, for example, that a time frame is finished (such as a person's life once they are dead) then we use past simple whether or not we specify a time. For example, if I describe something from Julius Caesar's life then I use past tense (not present perfect) even if I do not specify a time because I am referring to a finished time period (Caesar's lifetime).
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello ravindersolanki1,
In many situations there are multiple possible forms and which one a speaker chooses depends on how they see the action rather than some objective aspect of the action. For example, let's say I moved to London twenty years ago. I could say either of these:
The difference is not found in the facts of the situation but rather how I see it. The simple form (live) suggests that I see London as my home; the continuous form (am living) suggests that I see it as a temporary situation rather than a permanent one and that I anticipate moving away from London at some point.
This is very common with aspects, including perfect forms. In your example, both have been working and was working are possible. The first suggests that the work continued up to the present and may continue on. The second suggests that my work has finished for the time being. The other examples are all similar.
It's true that in US English the past tense is used for very recent events, while in the UK the present perfect is more common, but the present perfect is used in both for actions with a present result, which is the use in your examples.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi The LearnEnglish Team
The hunter who shot the elephant had been taken to custody.
There is no relation between the simple past shot and past perfect had been taken. They occur in different time frames. The sentence could have been :
The hunter who shot the elephant had been taken to custody before he could flee.
Am I correct? Is this sentence correct?
Thank you in advance
Best Wishes
Andi
Hello Andi,
Your suggested sentence is correct other than needing 'into custody' rather than 'to custody' - well done. However, note that the past perfect in the original sentence is not used because of a connection with the action of shooting the elephant, as the shooting is earlier in time than the being taken into custody. Another later time point is needed which may be in another sentence or implied in the context. You have, in fact, recognised this in your sentence as you have introduced a later action (not fleeing) to provide this connection so the past perfect makes sense.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Could you please tell me how "I haven't been playing tennis for years" differs from "I haven't played tennis for years"?
Thank you.
Hello Sefika,
The difference between the present perfect continuous (have/has been + ing) and the present perfect simple (have/has + verb3) depends on the context in which it is used. Sometimes there is little difference, sometimes there is a clear difference in meaning and sometimes only the simple is possible. Your example describes a person's experience in their life and in this context the continuous form is highly unusual. Thus, I would say that the simple form ('haven't played') is the correct option:
The continuous form could be used if the speaker wanted to refer to the experience of doing something regularly. For example:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Dear teachers,
To talk about someone’s causes of blindness. Can I say she has gone blind because of an acid attack?
Hello Khangvo2812,
You could say this but usually 'go blind' describes a natural process - blindness caused by disease, natural deterioration or similar. When the blindness is the result of an attack I think these constructions are more likely:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team