This unit will introduce you to the Present Perfect tense and explain how to use it. Besides you will learn how to tell the difference to the Simple Past.
The Use of the Present Perfect
The Present Perfect is used to talk about actions that have been completed in the past. Unlike the Simple Past, however, it suggests a link to the present.
Let’s take a look at when to use it:
- completed action that influences the present:
When something that started in the past is still relevant in the present, we use the Present Perfect. Watch out for signal words that describe an ongoing time, e.g. (n)ever, up to now, or for ages.
⟹ I have played the piano ever since I was a kid.
⟹ He has worn glasses all his life.
- action that has just been completed:
Has an action just been finished, use the Present Perfect. Signal words to watch out for: just, a few seconds ago, not long ago, …
⟹ I have told you seconds ago!
⟹ He has just opened the door.
- action that started in the past and is not completed:
The Present Perfect is also used when an action is ongoing in the present but has begun in the past.
⟹ Those two have been together for ages.
⟹ He has lived here all this time.
- action that happened never, once or multiple times:
When talking about an action that is relevant for the present and we describe how often it has occurred so far, we use the Present Perfect.
⟹ I have never seen the ocean.
⟹ She has only been there once in her life.
Form and spelling
To form the Present Perfect, we use the verb have/has together with the past participle form of a verb. At the end of this chapter, you can find a list of all the irregular verb forms and their past participle forms.
If you want to ask questions with the Present Perfect, you will have to invert the sentence structure:
Signal words and irregularities
Signal words that tell you to use the Present Perfect are: (not) yet, already, just, so far, recently, since (+Zeitpunkt), (n)ever, always, …
They answer the question “How long“ or “How often“?
See full list: