Lesson 11: From the past to now

The present perfect is like a bridge between the past and now. It tells us about the past, but it matters today.

How to make it

Use have or has and the past participle. The past participle is the third form of a verb. For regular verbs, it is the same as the past simple: “worked”, “played”. For irregular verbs, you must learn it. Start with these five:

• see, saw, seen
• go, went, gone
• do, did, done
• eat, ate, eaten
• write, wrote, written

“I have seen that film.” “She has gone home.” Use “has” for he, she and it. The short forms are “I’ve” and “she’s”. The no forms are “haven’t” and “hasn’t”.

When to use it

Use it for life experience, when the time is not important: “I have been to Spain.” Use “ever” and “never” with it: “Have you ever eaten sushi?” “I have never skied.”

Use it for a result you can see now: “I have lost my keys.” So you cannot open the door now.

Use it for something that started in the past and still goes on. Use “for” and “since”: “I have lived here for five years.” “I have lived here since 2020.” “For” is a length of time. “Since” is a starting point.

Not with a finished time

Do not use the present perfect with words like “yesterday” or “last year”. That time is finished, so use the past simple: “I saw him yesterday.”

Been or gone?

“She has been to Rome” means she went there and came back. “She has gone to Rome” means she is still there.

Try it

Present perfect or past simple? Write the verb:

1. I ___ (live) here since 2020.
2. She ___ (see) that film yesterday.
3. ___ you ever ___ (be) to Italy?

The answers are: have lived, saw, and “Have you ever been”.

Next time, we will look at the most common mistakes.