What is the Present Perfect?
The Present Perfect connects the past to the present. It is used when:
- A past action or experience is relevant to the present moment
- The exact time the action happened is not important or not stated
- An action just happened and has a present result
It says: "something happened in the past, and it matters now."
This is an introduction covering the two most important A2-level uses. For more uses (since, for, yet, already, comparisons with Past Simple), see Present Perfect Extended (B1).
Form
Positive
| Subject | have / has | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| I / You / We / They | have ('ve) | worked / gone / seen |
| He / She / It | has ('s) | worked / gone / seen |
I've finished my homework.
She's left the office.
They've arrived.
How to form the Past Participle
Regular verbs: base form + -ed (same as Past Simple)
work → worked | play → played | finish → finished
Irregular verbs: must be memorised (different from the Past Simple)
| Base form | Past Simple | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| go | went | gone |
| come | came | come |
| see | saw | seen |
| do | did | done |
| eat | ate | eaten |
| write | wrote | written |
| give | gave | given |
| take | took | taken |
| make | made | made |
| have | had | had |
| know | knew | known |
| get | got | got / gotten (AmE) |
| be | was/were | been |
| buy | bought | bought |
| find | found | found |
Negative
| Subject | have / has + not | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| I / You / We / They | haven't | finished |
| He / She / It | hasn't | finished |
I haven't seen that film yet.
She hasn't called me back.
They haven't decided yet.
Questions and Short Answers
| Question | Positive answer | Negative answer |
|---|---|---|
| Have you finished? | Yes, I have. | No, I haven't. |
| Has she arrived? | Yes, she has. | No, she hasn't. |
| Have they seen it? | Yes, they have. | No, they haven't. |
"Have you ever been to Paris?" "Yes, I have."
"Has he called?" "No, he hasn't."
Core Uses
Use 1 — Life experience (ever / never)
The Present Perfect is used to talk about whether an experience has occurred at any point in your life. The exact time doesn't matter.
I've visited Japan twice.
Have* you ever eaten sushi?
She's never seen snow.
They've lived in three different countries.
He's won* many awards.
Ever = at any time in your life (used in questions)
Never = at no time (used in negative statements)
"Have you ever tried rock climbing?" "No, I've never done it."
Use 2 — A recent action with a present result
The action happened very recently and the result is visible or relevant right now.
I've lost my keys. (= I don't have them now)
She's broken her leg. (= her leg is broken now)
He's gone to lunch. (= he's not here now)
Oh no, I've spilt coffee on my shirt!
The match has started. (= it's on now)
Common signal words: just, already, yet
I've just finished. (= a moment ago)
She's already left. (= sooner than expected)
Have* you yet told her? / Have you told her yet? (= expecting it to happen)
Present Perfect vs. Past Simple
This contrast is essential and often difficult for learners.
| Present Perfect | Past Simple |
|---|---|
| No specific time stated | Specific time stated or implied |
| Past connected to present | Past finished, no connection to present |
| She's visited Paris. (life experience) | She visited Paris last year. (specific trip) |
| I've lost my phone. (I don't have it now) | I lost my phone on Monday. (telling the story) |
| Have* you seen* this film? (ever in your life?) | Did* you see the film last night*? (specific occasion) |
⚠️ Rule: If a finished past time expression appears (yesterday, last week, in 2020, ago, when I was young), use the Past Simple — not the Present Perfect.
✗ I have seen him yesterday. → ✓ I saw him yesterday.
Common Errors and How to Fix Them
| ✗ Incorrect | ✓ Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| I have went there. | I have gone there. | go → irregular: gone |
| She has saw the film. | She has seen the film. | see → irregular: seen |
| I have seen him yesterday. | I saw him yesterday. | Specific past time → Past Simple |
| Did you ever eat sushi? | Have* you ever eaten* sushi? | Life experience → Present Perfect |
| He has go to the shop. | He has gone to the shop. | Need past participle, not base form |
| Have you finished? Yes, I finished. | Have you finished? Yes, I have. | Use short answer form |
Real-World Examples
Asking about experience:
"Have you ever been to the UK?" "Yes, I have. I went there in 2019."
"Have you tried the new restaurant?" "No, not yet. Have you?"
Recent result:
I've just made some coffee. Would you like a cup?
The report's ready — I've finished it.
You look different! Have you cut your hair?
Introducing a story (then switching to Past Simple):
I've had a terrible day. I woke up late, missed the bus, and arrived at work an hour late.
Summary
| Use | Signal words | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Life experience | ever, never, once, twice, many times | Have you ever seen the Northern Lights? |
| Recent action with present result | just, already, yet | I've just arrived. She's already left. |
💡 The key question: Does the past action matter right now?
If yes — and there is no specific past time — use the Present Perfect.
If you know exactly when it happened, use the Past Simple.