Verbos
Lenguaje. Gramática. Conjugación verbal # Present perfect. Verbs
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE ( Part I)
| Tom is looking for his key. He can't find it. He has lost his key “He has lost his key” = He has lost it and he still hasn't got it Have/has lost is the present perfect tense I/we/they/you have (=I've, we've, etc) finished lost He/she/it have (=he's, she's, etc) ...done ...been, etc |
The present perfect is have/has + past participle. The past participle often ends in -ed ( finished/decided, etc.) but many important verbs are irregular ( lost/done/been/written, etc.)
When we use the presente perfect there is always a connection with now. The action in the past has a result now:
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“Where's your key?”. “ I dont know. I've lost it” ( I haven't got it now)
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“He told me his name but I've forgotten it ( I can't remember it now)
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“Is Sally here?” “ No, she's gone out ( She is out now)
We often use the present perfect to give new information or to announce a recent happening:
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Ow! I've cut my finger
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The road is closed. There's been(= there has been) an accident
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(from the news) The police has arrested two men in connection with the robbery
You can use the present perfect then with, just, already and yet:
| JUST= `a short time ago':
| No,thanks.I've just had lunch Yes, I've just arrived! |
| We use already to say that something happened sooner than expected. | |
| `I've already posted it' |
| `He's already gone' |
| YET = `until now' and shows that the speaker is expecting something to happen. Use “yet” only in questions and negative sentences. | |
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Note the difference between gone (to) and been (to)
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Jim is away on holidays. He has gone to Spain. (= he is there now or on his way there)
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Jane is back home from holiday now. She has been to Italy (= she has now come back form Italy)
EXERCISES
1.- Your are writing a letter to a friend. In the letter you give news about you and other people. Use the words given to make sentences. Use the Present Perfect Tense:
Dear Chris,
Many things have happened since I last wrote you.
| I/buy/a new car | |
| My father/start/ a new job | |
| I/give up/smoking | |
| Charles and Sarah/go/to Brazil | |
| Suzanne/have / a baby |
2.Read the situations and write sentences. Choose one of the following
arrive break go up improve lose
| Mike is looking for his key.He can't find it | He has lost his key |
| Margaret can't walk with her leg in plaster | |
| Maria's English wasn't very good. Now it is much better | |
| Tim didn't have a beard last month. Now has has a bear | |
| This morning I was expecting a letter. Now I have it | |
| Last week the bus far was $200. Now it's $300 |
3.Complete B's sentences. Use the verb in brackets ( ) + just/already/yet
A B
| Would you like something to eat? | No,thanks. I've just had lunch( just/ have) |
| Do you know where Julia is? | Yes, I her(just/see) |
| What time is David leaving? | He ( already/leave) |
| What's in the newspaper today? | I don't know. I (not/read/yet) |
| Is Anne coming to the cinema with us? | No,she the film(already/see) |
| Are your friend here yet? | Yes, they (just/arrive) |
| What does Tim thinks about the plan? | I (not/tell/yet) |
PRESENT PERFECT ( PART II)
Study this example conversation:
| Dave: Have you travelled a lot, Jane? | ||
| Jane: Yes, I've been to lots of places | ||
| Dave: Have you ever been to China? | ||
| Jane: Yes, I've been to China twice | ||
| Dave: What about India? | ||
| Jane: No, I haven't been to India | Past Now | |
When we talk about a period of time that continues from the past until now, we use the present perfect tense ( have been/have travelled, etc)
More examples:
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Have you ever eaten caviar? ( in your life)
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We've never had a car
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Have you read Romeo and Juliet? No, I have never read any Shakespeare's plays
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Susan really loves that film. She has seen it 8 times
Exercises
You are asking someone questions about the things he or she has done. Make questions from the words in brackets()
(ever/ride/horse? Have you ever ridden a horse?
(ever/be/California?)
(ever/run/marathon')
(ever/speak/famous person?
(always/live/in this city')
(ever/be/Antartic?)
(ever/be/Zoo')
(ever/be/arrested by police?)
(ever/visit/a museum?)
(ever/fly/an helicopter?
(ever/see/Charles Chaplin's movie?)
(ever/be/severely injured?)
(ever/stay up/6am?)
(ever/see/dolphin?)
(ever/eat/chocolate cake')
(ever/drive/drunk?)
(ever/wear/glasses?)
(ever/be/in hurricane?)
(ever/ride/a camel')
(ever/sail/a transatlantic?)
(ever/see/Matrix?)
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE ( Part III)
SINCE & FOR
| SINCE | FOR | ||
| 8 o'clock Monday May12th April | 1977 Christmas Lunchtime They were at school | Two hours 20 minutes five days six months | A week 50 years a long time ages |
Exercises
| I haven't seen you | Christmas/three days |
| We've been here | And hour / January |
| She hasn't spoken to me | More than two years/last week |
| They have lived in this street | 1919/the last 10 years/ a long time |
| I haven't had time to do it | I was ill/ last monday |
| We haven't bought any new ones | A week/ages/then |
| There hasnt been famine here | Centuries/the Middle Ages |
| I haven't eaten any meat | Over a year/ I was a boy |
| Nobody has written to me | Many weeks/my birthday |
| You've asked the same question every day | The beginning of the year/the last week |
| She has worn the same old dress | At leat a month/the beginning of the month |
| I havent spoken Spanish | 1925/ ten years |
| I haven't ridden a bike | I was a boy/ my childhood |
| It hasnt rained here | Yesterday/ March |
Jane's life
(a period until now )