The Present Perfect Tense

The Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense is used to express:

1. An action that has existed or has occurred some time in the past but the exact time of the action is either not known or not indicated.
2. An action with an incomplete period of time.
3. An action that began in the past and has continued up to the present and possibly to the future.
4. An action that was repeated several times in the past.
5. An action that has been completed a relatively short time before the moment speaking.

Examples:

1. I have read that book before. ○ Have you ever been to London? - Yes, I have been there twice.
2. I have written three letters this morning.
3. They have lived here for five years. ○ I have learnt French since 1970.
4. She has seen that film many times. ○ I have studied my lessons over and over before the examination.
5. He has just gone out. ○ She has just bought this car.

Other Tenses

• The Simple Present Tense
• The Present Continuous Tense
• The Simple Past Tense
• The Past Continuous Tense
• The Simple Future Tense
• The Future Continuous Tense
• The Present Perfect Continuous Tense
• The Past Perfect Tense
• The Past Perfect Continuous Tense
• The Future Perfect Tense
• The Future Perfect Continuous Tense