Welcome to today’s English grammar lesson! We’re going to explore the Present Perfect tense. Don’t worry, it might sound a bit complicated, but we’ll break it down step by step. This lesson is perfect for English speaking learners at an A2 level who want to improve their spoken English and understand English grammar A2.

Learning the Present Perfect tense is really useful because it helps you talk about experiences, recent events, and situations that started in the past and continue to the present. Let’s dive in and see how it works!

What is the Present Perfect Tense?

The Present Perfect tense is a verb tense in English that connects the past and the present. It talks about actions that happened at an unspecified time before now, or actions that started in the past and are still continuing now. It’s not about when something happened, but that it happened and it has a connection to the present.

Think of it like this: the Present Perfect is like saying “up to now”. We are looking back from now to talk about something that happened at some point before this moment.

Let’s look at some simple examples:

• I have eaten breakfast. (This means, sometime before now, I ate breakfast. It’s finished now, but it’s relevant to now – maybe I’m not hungry anymore.)
• She has lived in London for five years. (She started living in London in the past, and she still lives there now. It’s continuing up to now.)

How to Form the Present Perfect

Forming the Present Perfect tense is quite easy. We need two parts:

1. Have / Has: This is the auxiliary verb. We use “have” with I, you, we, and they. We use “has” with he, she, and it.
2. Past Participle: This is the third form of the verb. For regular verbs, we usually add “-ed” (like “played”, “walked”, “watched”). For irregular verbs, it’s different and you need to learn them (like “eaten”, “gone”, “seen”).

Here’s a table to help you remember:

Subject	Auxiliary Verb	Past Participle	Example
I	have	eaten	I have eaten lunch.
You	have	played	You have played football.
He	has	gone	He has gone to the shop.
She	has	seen	She has seen that movie.
It	has	rained	It has rained a lot this week.
We	have	visited	We have visited Paris.
They	have	learned	They have learned English.

Short Forms (Contractions): In spoken English and informal writing, we often use short forms:

• I have = I’ve
• You have = You’ve
• He has = He’s
• She has = She’s
• It has = It’s
• We have = We’ve
• They have = They’ve

For example: “I’ve been to Italy.” “She’s finished her work.”

When Do We Use the Present Perfect?

Now, let’s look at the most common situations where we use the Present Perfect tense. This is important for practical usage and spoken English practice.

1. Experiences (Life Experiences)

We use the Present Perfect to talk about experiences in our lives, without saying exactly when they happened. The focus is on the experience itself, not the specific time. This is great for starting conversations and telling stories! This is a key part of English for beginners and intermediate learners alike.

• Have you ever been to Japan? (It’s asking about your experience, not a specific trip in the past.)
• I have travelled to many countries. (Again, general life experience.)
• She has never tried sushi. (Her experience up to now is that she hasn’t tried sushi.)

2. Recent Events (With a Result Now)

We use the Present Perfect to talk about actions that happened recently, and they have a result that is important now. Often, we use words like “just”, “already”, and “yet” with this use.

• I have just finished my homework. (The result is that my homework is now finished.)
• He has broken his leg. (The result is that his leg is broken now.)
• They have already eaten dinner. (The result is they are not hungry now.)
• Have you finished your book yet? (We want to know the result now.)

3. Unfinished Time Periods (Time periods that include ‘now’)

We use the Present Perfect to talk about actions or situations that started in the past and continue up to the present. We often use “for” and “since” with this use to say how long something has been happening.

• I have lived in this city for ten years. (I started living here ten years ago and I still live here now.)
• She has worked at that company since 2018. (She started working there in 2018 and still works there.)
• We have known each other for a long time. (We became friends in the past and we are still friends now.)

4. News or New Information

We often use the Present Perfect when we announce news or give new information. It’s like saying “Here’s something new that has happened.”

• The train has arrived. (This is new information – the train is here now.)
• The company has launched a new product. (New information about the company.)
• I have found my keys! (Good news – the keys are found now.)

Present Perfect vs. Simple Past

Sometimes, learners get confused between the Present Perfect and the Simple Past tense. The main difference is the connection to the present.

• Simple Past: We use the Simple Past to talk about finished actions in the past at a specific time. We know *when* it happened.
• Present Perfect: We use the Present Perfect to talk about actions connected to the present. The exact time is not important, or the action is still relevant now.

Let’s compare some examples:

Simple Past	Present Perfect	Explanation
I went to Italy last year.	I have been to Italy.	Simple Past: We know *when* (last year). Present Perfect: We talk about the experience, time is not specific.
She finished her work at 5 pm.	She has finished her work.	Simple Past: We know *when* (5 pm). Present Perfect: Focus is on the result now – her work is finished.
They lived in London for 5 years, then moved to Paris.	They have lived in London for 5 years.	Simple Past: Finished action in the past. Present Perfect: Still living in London now.

Remember, if you mention a specific time (yesterday, last week, in 2020, etc.), you usually need to use the Simple Past, not the Present Perfect.

Let’s Practice!

Now it’s time to practice using the Present Perfect tense! Complete these exercises. This is great spoken English practice because you can read these sentences aloud and practice saying them correctly.

1. Fill in the blanks with the Present Perfect form of the verb in brackets:
   1. I _______ (see) that movie before.
   2. She _______ (not eat) breakfast yet.
   3. They _______ (live) here for many years.
   4. _______ you ever _______ (be) to Australia?
   5. He _______ just _______ (finish) his homework.
2. Rewrite these sentences using the Present Perfect tense:
   1. I visited Paris last year. (Focus on the experience, not the time)
   2. She started working here in 2010 and still works here.
   3. He just finished his dinner five minutes ago. (Focus on the result now)
   4. Did you ever travel by plane? (Ask about life experience)
   5. They know each other since they were children.
3. Translate these sentences into English using the Present Perfect tense: (Imagine you are speaking to someone)
   1. (Italian) Ho mangiato la pizza. (I ate pizza.)
   2. (Spanish) Ella ha vivido en España por dos años. (She has lived in Spain for two years.)
   3. (French) Ils ont déjà vu ce film. (They have already seen this film.)

Answers to Practice

Check your answers below:

1. Fill in the blanks:
   1. I have seen that movie before.
   2. She has not eaten breakfast yet.
   3. They have lived here for many years.
   4. Have you ever been to Australia?
   5. He has just finished his homework.
2. Rewrite sentences:
   1. I have been to Paris.
   2. She has worked here since 2010.
   3. He has just finished his dinner.
   4. Have you ever travelled by plane?
   5. They have known each other since they were children.
3. Translations:
   1. I have eaten pizza.
   2. She has lived in Spain for two years.
   3. They have already seen this film.

Great job! You’ve now learned the basics of the Present Perfect tense. Remember to practice using it in your spoken English. The more you use it, the more natural it will become.

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Keep practicing, and you’ll master the Present Perfect tense in no time! This is a key step in improving your overall English language skills and becoming a confident English speaker.

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