Present Perfect Simple
Forms
Principal uses
- · To refer to a time period which is not yet finished (e.g. today, this month):
- · To show that something happened in the past. We don't state when is happened:
Note: If we give the time we must use the simple past:
I lost my watch yesterday. (not
The following time expressions are often used: ever, never, always, up to now, so far.
This is the worst storm we've ever had. (at any point before now)
- · To talk about a situation which started in the past and usually continues after the time of speaking in the present:
He has lived here for six years. (He has lived
here till now)
We use for with a length of time (e.g. for
three weeks, for two days, for six years) and since with
a point in time (e.g. since 2010, since Wednesday, since nine o'clock,
since I was five, since I moved here)
- · To talk about an action which occurred at an unstated time in the past, provided that there is still a connection with the present:
Note: If we give the time we must use the simple past:
I lost my watch yesterday. (not
Commonly used expressions
- · recently, just, already, and yet with negatives or questions.
Have you done your homework yet?
Note the position of the
following time expressions that occur with the present perfect:
- · between the auxiliary and main verb (e.g. recently, already, always, ever, just, never):
- · Ever is generally used with questions or negatives:
- · After the main verb (e.g. all my life, every day, yet, before, for ages, for two weeks, since 2001, since I was ten etc.)
- · If there is an object clause, the time expression comes at the end:
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