The present perfect - what it is, why it's difficult for learners (and teachers) and some ideas on how to teach it. A unit from the 'Grammar for language teachers' course at www.elt-training.com

1. The Present Perfect
YouTube video available at
http://youtu.be/eL2yk2Esjpg

2. Contents
The
meaning(s)
What is the
present perfect?
Associated
adverbs
The form
Ideas for
teaching it

3. Remember it is formed with…
have
Past
participle
(in present tense-
have, has)

4. Present perfect
simple

5. Have you seen my
keys?

6. Present perfect
continuous

7. I haven’t been living here long.
have + been + -ing

8. Problems with the form?
Irregular past participles
seen
flew
gone
thought
cut

9. Problems with the pronunciation?
Contractions
Have you been
there? =/həvjəbɪn/
I have=I’ve
Weak auxiliaries

10. But the main problem is …………

11. The Monster Tense!

12. Why is this so difficult?

13. Many languages simply don’t look at time
in this way…..

14. English – She went….She has gone

15. Chinese – She go yesterday….

16. Some languages
use the same
form, but the
meaning is
different…..

17. Ich haben ihn gesehen
(I) (have) (him) (p.p. of ‘see’)
means…
‘I saw him’

18. Some languages have the same meaning but
use different forms to express it

19. English – He’s lived there for two years

20. Spanish – He lives there for two years

21. Meaning
What is the time reference?
• I’ve been to China
• He’s lived there for two years.
• I’ve had a cup of coffee, thanks.
• I’ve written three letters this
morning.

22. I’ve been to China
Experience in the non-specified past
Now
? ? ? ? ? ?

23. He’s lived there for two years.
Unfinished action continuing to the present

24. He’s lived here for two years.
Unfinished action continuing to the present
Now
2 years
ago

25. I’ve had a cup of coffee, thanks.
Finished action in the recent past
Now

26. How recent is ‘recent’?

27. ‘You’ve changed
your hair style!’
When?

28. Often used in the news…
The next leader of Britain’s top public schools
has warned parents to stop hothousing children
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/u
k_news/Education/article1224538.ece

29. I’ve written three letters this morning.
Finished action in unfinished time
Now
Specified time

30. Meaning – continuous form
What is the time reference?
• She’s been playing the recorder for a
while now.
• She’s been running- she’s tired.

31. She’s been playing the recorder for a while now.
Unfinished action continuing
to the present
Now
Continuous or regular action

32. She’s been running- she’s tired.
Recently finished action
With a current result
Now

33. So we have…..
Present Perfect Simple
• Experience (at a non-specified past time)
• Action started in the past continuing to now
• Recent action (news)
• Action in an unfinished time
Present Perfect Continuous
• Action started in the past continuing to now
• Longer actions that have recently ended (with a present result)
Task: Think of an example for each (not the same as mine!)

34. Michael Swan
‘Basically speaking, the present perfect deals with
finished events that are connected to the present.’
Practical English Usage. Swan; 2005

35. But…..
….learners find this ‘connection with
the present’ idea very difficult.

36. Simple past
OR
Present perfect simple?

37. ‘Teacher, what’s the difference between..’
I saw him this morning.
I have seen him this morning.
(What time is it?)

38. ‘Teacher, what’s the difference between..’
I cooked the meat for three hours.
I’ve cooked the meat for three
hours.
(When did I start cooking?)

39. ‘Teacher, what’s the difference between..’
Granny baked many cakes over the
years.
Granny has baked many cakes over
the years.
(Is Granny alive)

40. ‘Teacher, what’s the difference between..’
I bought a new Ferrari.
I’ve bought a new Ferrari!
(When did I buy it? How do I feel?)

41. ‘Teacher, what’s the difference between..’
Have you eaten sushi?
Did you eat sushi?
(Which refers to a specific time?)

42. Present perfect simple
OR
Present perfect continuous?

43. ‘Teacher, what’s the difference between..’
I’ve been living here for a month.
I’ve lived here for a month.

44. ‘Teacher, what’s the difference between..’
I’ve been doing the washing up.
I’ve done the washing up.

45. ‘Teacher, what’s the difference between..’
I’ve been reading ‘War and Peace’
I’ve read ‘War and Peace’.

46. Adverbs can help

47. Adverbs commonly associated…
With the present perfect
Yet, already, this (morning/ year/ decade), since,
for, ever, never, before, recently.
With the simple past
Yesterday, ago, last ___, then, in 2007 (any specific
time reference)

49. Which do we teach first?
Obviously there’s no set-in-stone order, but
generally……….

50. Present perfect with unfinished time
Late elementary
How many e-mails have you received this
week?
What other personalised questions could you ask them
using the same form and meaning?

51. What have you done this year?

52. Present perfect for experience: Pre-Int
I’ve ridden a camel.
vs
I was very sore afterwards!!

53. (ride) a horse (eat) snake (see) the Pyramids
(go) to London (oversleep) (fall) in love
(learn) another
foreign language
(swim) in the sea
at night
(play) chess
Have you ever……

54. Present perfect simple and continuous with
‘for’, ‘since’ and other time expressions.
I’ve lived here since 2001
I’ve been playing in a band since January.
How long have you …….?
Now

55. What have you been doing?!
Now

56. He has already cut the grass.
He hasn’t mended the garage door yet.
C.Granger and J.Plumb 1995 Heinemann

57. Intermediate
Present perfect cf simple past
Read this brief biography of Barack Obama. Which is the correct tense?
Barack Obama ____ (have) an interesting life. He _____ (be born) on
August 4th 1961 in Honalulu. His father _____ (be) from Kenya, but
Barack __________ (never live) there. He _____ (go) to Harvard Law
School) and he _______ (be) a university lecturer as well as a lawyer.
He ______ (be involved) in many elections since 1996, and he ______
(be elected) as the 44th President of the USA in January 2009.
Do this exercise – which tense and why?

58. What’s the pattern?
Three climbers, missing for thirty hours, have been found safe and well by rescue
teams in Scotland. The three, two men and a woman, who are all from Glasgow, had
been climbing in the Highlands, when they were forced to take shelter, by the bad
weather. They were found early this morning.
Intermediate
News: Present perfect cf simple past

59. Upper levels
Review/ contrast of all uses and differences
between simple and continuous forms;
Guided discovery approach works well

60. I’ve lost some money/ I’ve been losing money.
She’s studied/ been studying a lot lately.
She’s forgotten/ been forgetting so much
recently.
_____ is used to talk about things that happened more than
once.
____is used to emphasise the process.
____is used to emphasise the finished action.