2. Do you know how to talk about…
your experiences in English?
Make true sentences about you.
Experience Yes? / No?
visit Berlin
ride a camel
eat insects
CONTINUE
3. Do you know how to talk about…
news in English?
Tell your partner about the news on these headlines.
Obama proposes $4tn spending
cuts
CONTINUE
4. Do you know how to talk about…
the duration of an event in English?
the repetition of an action in English?
Make true sentences about you.
event / action duration / times
live in Santiago / how long?
know your best friend /
how long?
check your e-mail / how
many times today?
CONTINUE
5. Do you know how to continue…
the sentence “This is the first time…”
in English?
Make sentences using these expressions:
(an actress) win an award
(ac actress) work with my mother
(a writer) see one of my own books on the screen
CONTINUE
6. Have you noticed…
that we use the same verb tense in all
these situations?
Yes, it’s Present Perfect.
CONTINUE
7. Uses of Present Perfect
The use of the Present Perfect tense in English may
be a bit complex for foreign students of English,
because it is not always used as its equivalent forms
in other languages like French, Spanish or Italian.
In the following slides you will find a few simplified,
general grammar rules.
8. 4 main uses of Present Perfect
Experiences
News / time not mentioned
Repetition and continuation
This is the first time…
9. 1. Experiences
We use Present Perfect when we talk about
personal experiences or completed actions, usually
with time adverbs that mean ‘at some / any time up
to now’.
e.g. Have you ever been to Paris?
I’ve never seen a film like this. It’s terrifying!
She has already finished her homework.
BACK
10. 2. News / time not mentioned
Present Perfect is the most frequent tense for giving
news of recent events or when we talk about a past
event and we do not mention exactly when it
happened. We change to past simple when we give
the details.
e.g. Anna has bought a new laptop.
There has been an plane crash near London.
BACK
11. 3. Repetition and continuation
We often use Present Perfect to say that something
has happened several times up to the present, or
to talk about how long present situations have
lasted in a time period that the speaker considers
unfinished. Present tenses are not used in this way.
e.g. I have read three books this month vs.
I read three books last month.
We’ve been friends since 1985.
(NOT We are friends since 1985).
BACK
12. 4. This is the first time…
We use Present Perfect in sentences constructed
with ‘This / It / That is the first / second / third /
only / best / worst time...’
e.g. This is the first time I have skied.
That is the third time you have asked me
the same question.
BACK
13. Time expressions
Time expressions used with Present Perfect include:
for / since / how long
already / still / yet / just
lately / recently
always / ever / never
14. Time expressions
e.g. I’ve known him for five years.
She’s been ill since Monday.
How long have you lived in Liverpool?
I’ve already finished my homework.
I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.
I haven’t seen it yet.
Have you told her yet?
I’ve just received a phone call.
Have you read any good books lately?
She has recently published a book.
She has always loved you.
They have never worked abroad.
15. Present Perfect or Past Simple?
Compare:
He has baked three cakes this morning vs.
(it is still morning period of time not finished)
He baked three cakes this morning.
(now it is evening period of time finished)
16. Present Perfect or Past Simple?
Compare:
I have lived in London for two years vs.
(I still live there period of time not finished)
I lived in London for two years.
(I no longer live there period of time finished)
17. Been or gone?
Compare:
He has gone to London vs.
(He’s still there. He hasn’t come back yet)
He has been to London.
(He’s visited London, but he is not there now. He’s
come back)
