Present Perfect

Form

The present perfect is formed with the auxiliary verb have or has plus the past participle of the main verb.

Use “have” with I, you, we, and they, and “has” with he, she, and it (I have finished, she has gone). Regular past participles end in -ed, but many common verbs are irregular (eaten, seen, written). Negatives use have not / has not, and questions invert the auxiliary (Have you eaten?).

When to Use It

1. 1

   For past actions with a result in the present

   I have lost my keys, so I can't get in.

2. 2

   For life experiences without a specific time

   She has visited Japan twice.

3. 3

   For actions that started in the past and continue now

   We have known each other for years.

4. 4

   For recent actions with “just”

   He has just arrived.

5. 5

   For actions in an unfinished time period

   I have read three books this month.

Common Mistakes

• Using the present perfect with a finished past time: write I saw it yesterday, not I have seen it yesterday.
• Confusing “since” and “for”: use “since” for a point in time (since 2010) and “for” for a length of time (for ten years).
• Using the past simple instead of the past participle: write I have gone, not I have went.