The Present Perfect Tense [1] 1. To express the present result of a past event (the past event is usually recent). The Present Perfect relates past actions to the a present. There js a result. e.g. “ | have cleaned my shoes. ‘=> my shoes are clean now. She has repaired the television. = the T.V. works now. Susan has been to the dentist. = she doesn't have toothache now. Thé Present Perfect also describes ‘unfinished past’ (see [3]). For this reason you cannot Note ; "use the Present Perfect with an adverb of finished time. e.g. Ho has-cleaned the car yesterday. > time finished Correct He cleaned the car yesterday. => Simple Past: actions completed in finished time or He has cleaned the car. = Present Perfect: to describe the present result of a past action Exercice 1: Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form of the Present Perfect tense. 1. Today, at the office, everyone very hard. « (work) 2. Tony his reports. finish) 3. The secretaries lots'of letters. (ype) 4, The boss twenty phone calls. (make) 5. Susan and Jill ten fax messages. (send) 6. Pauline twelve telexes. (receive) 7. The Managing Director a new order. (win) 8, The members of the Board a meeting. (have) 9. The cleaners the offices. (clean) 10. The Sales Manager seven letters, Gictate) 11. Malcolm three reports (read) 12, The Works Manager a subsidiary company. (visic) 13, Ann and John eight telexes, (write) 14. Marie a report into English. (wanslate) 15, The Chairman to Amsterdam on business. (fly) 16. The advertising employees new equipment, (order) 17. The Purchasing Manager __ anew photocopier. (buy) 18, The auditors the accounts. (see) ©E. McCattanThe Present Perfect Tense. [2] 2. To express past experience, the time of which is not specified. L eg. smoked a pipe? er @q eaten suaile? been to London? ce duel (eis seen vead War Ve whisky? this fila? aud Peace? ‘I've heard this joke before.’ => when is not important, itis to describe an experience: Present Perfect. flave you ever... but A. ‘Have you ever been in an accident?” B. ‘Yes, | have.” A. ‘When were you in the accident?" B, ‘In 1989. = it is clear that 'B' was in an accident in the past, and the question word ‘when’ asks for a specific time. For these reasons, the second question must be in the Simple Past tense. Exercice 1: Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form of the Present Perfect tense. he ever. to the United States? Yes, he . (be) 1 2 you ever a horse? No, I (ride) 3.1 _____ frogs-legs in France. (cat) 4. She never chess before. (lay) 5. They to each other recently, (write) 6 you ever how to ski? Yes, I (learn) 2 she ever the Queen of England? No, she . (meet) Exercice 2: Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form: Simple Past or Present Perfect. this book?" (read) in?! LAL _ already __ B. B.'Yes,I___— (drive) ‘Oh really. When you ; youever a Mercedes?" 2A A you one?’ B. ‘Three years ago. _ 3A you ever a book? B, 'Yes,I P (write) A you r BI ani English book. 4A, you this film?" B. 'Yes,I ‘ (see) A. "yor it?" B.I it last year.’ 5A! he ever to China?’ B. "Yes, he __ { (be) A. ‘Of, when he ? B. He there in 1985." (go) 6A. she German? B, 'Yes, she (study) A. ‘When she oe __ it?" B. She it at school.’ ©B. McCatlanThe Present Perfect Tense [3] 3. To express unfinished past. The verb action began in the past and still continues, eg. I have had a telephone for three weeks. > I stil have the telephone. He has worked here for three years. => ho still wars here. | have lost my wall. = itis stil ost. John has lived in Paris for ten years. Past Now Future = lestil ives in Paris. Note: It is because the Present Perfect is used to express unfinished time, that we cannot use it with an adverb of finished time: ¢.g, | have-worked in France /ast year. 4 action finished so Correct: | worked in France last year: | Compare: | have never spoken to my grandfather. = My grandfather is still alive, there is the chance to speak to him -» Present Perfect [never spoke to my grandfather. - => My grandfather is dead, there is no chance to speak to him > Simple Past Exercice: Look at the following sentences and decide if the actions are finished (> Simple Past) or unfinished. Put the verbs in*brackets into the correct tense. Th my boss today. (not see) 2. He his boss last week. (not see) 3. Johnis still with the company. He here for eleven years. (work) 4. She lives in London, She in London for six years. (lve) 5. Last year, we in Belgium (live) 6. They a holiday for a long time. (not have) 7. The Managing Director five minutes ago. (arrive) 8. His secretary yet. (not arrive) 9. The typist still letters. (not finish) 10. She her work last week. (not finish) 1 Tom in hospital for six weeks. (be) 12, Sarah in hospital firve years ago. (be) 13, The Sales Manager is not here, He to the bank (go) 14, The boss was not here last month. She totaly on business. (go) 18. I just an order for a new computer. (write) 16. Yesterday, I an order for a new adding-machine, (send) 17, He ill recently. (be) 18, She ill last week, (be) ©E, McCallan