The Present Perfect

The present perfect tense is used to describe actions or situations that have happened at some time in the past but are relevant to the present. 

To form the present perfect we use the auxiliary verb “have” (or “has” for third-person singular subjects) followed by the past participle (3rd form) of the main verb.

How to form the Present Perfect:

• Affirmative: Subject + have/has + past participle

Example: I have finished painting my room.

• Negative: Subject + have/has + not + past participle

Example: I have not eaten breakfast yet.

• Interrogative: Have/has + subject + past participle?

Example: Have you been to London?

Explanation of the Present Perfect with examples

Continued Actions: For actions that started in the past and continue to the present.

• I have lived in London for 25 years – we use for when we want to mention the exact time – ie, years, days, hours, minutes
• Simon has been married since 2010 –  we use since when we want to mention a specific time in the past that the event started.

Experience: To talk about life experiences.

• I have been to Paris. This sentence means that at some time in the past you were in Paris. The exact time does not matter and it is not relevant how many times you visited.

Recent Past: To indicate actions that have recently taken place.

• They have just spoken to my mother. We use just to express the fact that the event happened in the very near past.

Completed Actions with Present Relevance: When the result of a past action affects the present.

• I have lost my keys (and still can’t find them).

The present perfect tense in English is very important as it helps convey time relationships between past actions and the present.