Grammar
Present perfect tense: connect past events to now
Your colleague asks whether you can join a meeting. You say, "I've sent the report, so I can join now." The sending happened earlier, but the useful result matters at this moment.
Use the present perfect to talk about experiences, changes, unfinished time, and past actions with a result now.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
I've already finished /aɪv ɔːlˈredi ˈfɪnɪʃt/
The short answer
Use have or has plus a past participle when a past event is relevant now, or when the time period continues to now. For example, I have lost my keys means I do not have them now.
I have lost my keys.
Why it works: The loss happened before now, and the present result is that the keys are missing.
4 more examples
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Rina has visited Morocco twice.
This describes Rina's experience up to now without saying the dates of the visits.
Not this:Rina
visited Morocco in 2024. What changes: In 2024 is a completed time, so use the simple past for that particular trip. -
We have had three meetings this week.
This week is still continuing, so the number can increase before the week ends.
Not this:We
had three meetings last week. What changes: Last week has finished, so the simple past describes a closed period. -
The weather has become colder.
The change began before now and the colder weather is true now.
Not this:The weather
became colder after sunset. What changes: After sunset names the finished time of the change, so the simple past gives the event's time. -
Have you finished the application yet?
Yet asks whether an expected action is complete by now.
Not this:Did you
finish the application before the deadline? What changes: Before the deadline refers to a completed past limit, so the question uses the simple past.
Read the full guide
First, ask whether the sentence connects to now. If it describes a present result, an experience without a stated finished time, or a period that has not ended, the present perfect may fit. If you name a completed past time, choose the simple past instead.
Connect the past to now
Use the present perfect when an earlier action has a present result. The exact moment may be unknown or unimportant. What matters is the situation now.
Omar has broken his glasses.
The breaking happened earlier, and Omar cannot use the glasses properly now.
Omar broke his glasses during football practice.
During football practice gives a finished past setting, so broke is the natural form.
Which sentence tells us about Omar's situation now?
Omar has broken his glasses tells us that the broken glasses are relevant now.
Build the form with a past participle
Choose have or has, then use a past participle. Regular verbs often end in ed, but many common verbs have an irregular participle. Use has with he, she, and it.
They have completed the safety form.
Have completed is correct because they takes have and completed is the past participle.
She has written a reply.
Written is the past participle of write. Do not say has wrote.
Complete the sentence: He has ____ the bus. Choose missed or miss.
Use missed. It is the past participle after has.
Talk about experience without a date
Use the present perfect for experiences up to now when you do not say when they happened. Words such as ever, never, before, and twice often appear in this use.
Have you ever tried making bread at home?
The question asks about any time in the listener's experience up to now.
I tried making bread at home last winter.
Last winter is over, so this sentence gives one particular past experience.
Choose the better form for an unspecified life experience: Have you seen it, or Did you see it in 2022?
Have you seen it asks about experience without a finished date. Did you see it in 2022 asks about one past time.
Use unfinished time periods carefully
Today, this month, and this year can include the present moment. Use the present perfect if the period is still open. Use the simple past after the period has ended.
I have answered six emails today.
Today is still in progress, and the number may change later.
I answered six emails yesterday.
Yesterday is complete, so answered describes the finished period.
It is Tuesday morning. Which form fits: We have met twice this week, or We met twice last week?
Both fit their time period. This week is unfinished, while last week has ended.
Make negatives and questions
Put not after have or has to make a negative. Put have or has before the subject to make a question. Yet often appears in questions and negatives about an expected action.
The delivery has not arrived yet.
Has not arrived means the expected delivery is still missing now.
Has the delivery arrived yet?
Has moves before the subject to ask about the present situation.
Turn this into a question: You have checked the address.
Have you checked the address?
Avoid finished time expressions
Do not combine the present perfect with yesterday, last month, in 2023, or another completed time. Those expressions point to a finished past event, so use the simple past.
I saw that documentary last night.
Last night is a completed time, so saw is correct.
I have seen that documentary before.
Before does not name a finished date. The sentence describes experience up to now.
Choose the correct sentence: She has called me yesterday, or She called me yesterday.
Use She called me yesterday because yesterday is a finished past time.
Before you go
Remember this
Build the present perfect with have or has plus a past participle. Use it for a past action that matters now, experience without a stated finished time, change, or an unfinished time period. Use the simple past when you name a finished time.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Present perfect tense: connect past events to now"
What is the present perfect tense?
The present perfect uses have or has plus a past participle to connect an earlier event to now. I have lost my keys means the loss happened before now and the keys are still missing.
I have lost my keys.
What is the formula for the present perfect?
Use have with I, you, we, and they, and has with he, she, and it. Add a past participle: They have completed the safety form and She has written a reply.
I lost my keys yesterday.
When do I use the present perfect instead of the simple past?
Use the present perfect when the exact finished time is not stated or when the event matters now. Use the simple past with a completed time, such as Rina visited Morocco in 2024.
Rina has visited Morocco twice.
Can I use the present perfect with today or this week?
Yes, when the period is still continuing. We have had three meetings this week can change before the week ends. Use the simple past for a closed period such as last week.
Rina visited Morocco in 2024.
Why can I not say 'I have lost my keys yesterday'?
Yesterday is a finished time expression, so it needs the simple past: I lost my keys yesterday. I have lost my keys works when the present result is the focus and no finished time is named.
We have had three meetings this week.
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