Present Perfect tense

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

FORMATION 

AFFIRMATIVE : Subject + has / have + V3……
=He has completed his homework.

NEGATIVE: Subject + has / have + not + V3……
=He has npt completed his homework.

INTERROGATIVE: Has / Have + Subject + V3……
= Has he completed his homework?

WH-QUESTION: Wh-word + Has / Have + Subject + V3……
= When have you completed your homework?

• In this tense in affirmative sentences with the singular subject use helping verb ‘has’ (but I have), with the plural subjects use ‘have’. Use 3rd form of verb with all the subjects 
• In negative sentences ‘not’ will take place just after the helping verb.
• In interrogative sentences helping verbs ‘has’, ‘have’, will take place before the subject.

USE

The present Perfect tense is used:

1. The Present Perfect Tense is often used with the words ever, never, yet, still, so far, till now (in negatives and questions), of late, lately, this week/month, before, after, by the time, just, recently, already, today, several times etc.

• So far he has not come back.
• I have not seen Delhi yet. (remember ‘yet’ is used mostly in only negative or questions )
• Have you ever been to Delhi?
• Has she often met him?
• I have not seen her this week.
• Have the children gone to school yet?
• Has Naveen left yet?
• I have already seen this film.
• She has not been well lately.
• Have you done much work this week?
• I have read this novel several times.
• He has been here recently.
• He has just gone out.
• It has just struck twelve.

2. To describe an action which that has recently been completed.

• I have just received your letter.
• He has just finished his homework.

3. To describe a finished action the time of which is not given.

• They have left for Delhi.

3. To describe a finished action which may happen in the future again:

• I have visited the doctor three times this month.
• He has called us many times this year.

4. To show how long an action has lasted (with non-continuous verbs):

• He has been a teacher since 1990.
• I have known him for three years.

5. To describe a past experience:

• I have visited the Taj.
• We have travelled by train.

6. To talk aboput achievements.

• He has got first division.
• We have won the match.
• Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.

7. For temporary repeated actions:

• I have watched this movie three times.
• I have read this novel many times.

8. To talk about incomplete actions of the present:

• I have not learnt my lesson.
• He has not eaten his meal.

Difference between 'Since' and 'For'

We use 'since' with a fixed time in the past (2004, April 23rd, last year). The fixed time can be another action, which is in the past simple (....................since I was at school, ......since I arrived).

• I have known Sam since 1992.
• I have liked chocolate since I was a child.
• She has been here since 2pm.

We use 'for' with a period of time (2 hours, three years, six months).

• I have known Julie for ten years.
• I have been hungry for hours.
• She has had a cold for a week.

Been and Gone

In this tense, we use both 'been' and 'gone' as the past participle of 'go', but we use it in slightly different circumstances. We use 'been' (often when we talk about life experience) to mean that the person we are talking about visited the place and came back.

• I have been to Paris (in my life, but now I'm in London, where I live).
• She has been to school today (but now she's back at home).
• They have never been to Mumbai.

We use 'gone' (often when we are talking about an action with a result in the present) to mean that the person went to the place and is at the place now.

• Where is Sohan? He has gone to the fair. (he is at the fair now).
• Prem has gone to Mumbai. (now he is in Mumbai)