Present Perfect

Today's lesson is...

PRESENT PERFECT

PRESENT PERFECT

Kelly is looking for her book

She can’t find it. She has lost her book. She has lost her book = she lost it recently, and she still doesn’t have it. Have/has lost is the present perfect simple:

I / we / you / they She / he / it

HAVE HAS

done, lost, been, finished, etc.

Have/has + past participle. The past participle often ends in -ed (finished/decided etc.), but many important verbs are irregular (lost/done/written etc.)

PRESENT PERFECT

When we say that “something has happened”, this is usually new information:

• I have broken my arm.
• The road is closed, there’s been (there has been) a mudslide.
• The police have arrested a new suspect.

When we us the present perfect, there is a connection with now. The action in the past has result now:

• “Where’s the book?” “I don’t know, she’s lost it” (= she doesn’t have it now)
• Pete told me which restaurant, but I’ve forgotten it. (= I can’t remember it now)
• I can’t find my keys, have you seen them? (= do you know where they are now?)

PRESENT PERFECT

We can use the present perfect with just, already and yet. Just = a short time ago:

• “Do you want something to eat?” “No thanks I’ve just eaten”.

We use already to say that something happened sooner than expected:

• “Don’t forget to send your paper” “I’ve already sent it”.

Yet = until now. Yet shows that the speaker is expecting something to happen. Use yet only in questions and negative sentences:

• Have they arrived yet?
• The package got here yesterday, but I haven’t opened it yet.

PRESENT PERFECT

Note the difference between gone (to) and been (to): - Felicity is on holiday. She has gone to Spain. (= she is there now or on her way there) - Felicity is home now. She has been to Spain. (= she has now come back)