Present Perfect

 We form the Present Perfect with have / has + the Past Participle. The past participle often
ends in - ed ( opened, decided ) but many important verbs are irregular (lost, written, done ...)
When we use the present perfect there is a connection with the present :
I’ve lost my key.  I haven’t got it now.
Jim has gone to Canada.  He is in Canada or in his way there now.
Oh dear, I’ve forgotten her name.  I can’t remember it now.
Have you washed your hair ?  Is it clean now ?

 We often use the present perfect to give new information or to announce a recent happening :
I’ve lost my key. Can you help me look for it ?
Do you know about Jim ? He’s gone to Canada.

 Use the present perfect to say that you have never done something or that you haven’t done
something during a period of time which continues up to the present :
I have never smoked.  I haven’t smoked for three years. not I don’t smoke for...
I haven’t smoked since September. not I don´t smoke since ...
Jill hasn’t written to me for nearly a month.
Jill has never driven a car.

JUST
 You can use the present perfect with just  a short time ago :
Would you like something to eat ? No, thanks. I’ve just had lunch.
Hello, have you just arrived ?

ALREADY
 You can use the present perfect with already to say that something has happened sooner than
expected :
Don’t forget to post the letter ! I’ve already posted it.
When is Tom going to start his new job ? He has already started.

EVER / NEVER
 We often use the ever and never with the present perfect, and a period continuing up to the
present.
Have you ever eaten caviar ?
We have never had a car.

YET
 We often use present perfect with yet. Yet shows that the speaker is expecting something to
happen. Use yet only in questions and negative sentences :
Has it stopped raining yet ?  not did it stop
I haven´t told them about the accident yet.  not I didn’t tell

 We use the present perfect with this morning / this evening / today / this week... When
these periods aren’t finished at the time of speaking :
I’ve smoked ten cigarettes today. perhaps I’ll smoke more before today finishes.
Has Ann had a holiday this year ?
I haven’t seen Tom this morning. Have you ?
Ron hasn’t studied very much this week.

1 – You are writing a letter to a friend and giving news about people you both know. Use the
words given to make sentences and put the verb into the correct form.
Ex.: Phil / find a new job. Phil has found a new job.
Dear Chris,
Lots of things have happened since I last wrote to you.
1. Charles / go / to Brazil __________________________________________________________
2. Jack and Jill / decide / to get married ____________________________________________
3. Suzanne / have / a baby _________________________________________________________
4. Monica / give up / smoking ______________________________________________________
5. George / pass / his driving-test ___________________________________________________

2 – In this exercise you have to read the situation and then write a suitable sentence. Use the
verb given.
Ex.: Tom is looking for his key. He can’t find it. (lose) He has lost his key.
1. Ann’s hair was dirty. Now it is clean. (wash) ______________________________________
2. Tom was 80 kilograms. Now he weighs 70 (lose weight) ______________________________
3. The car has just stopped because there isn’t any more petrol in the tank. ( run out of petrol )
____________________________________________________________________________
4. Yesterday Bill was playing football. Now he can’t walk and his leg is in plaster. (break)
______________________________________________________________________________________

3 – This time you have to use just. Answer the questions using the words given.
Ex.: Would you like something to eat. (no thank you / I / just / have / dinner )
No thank you. I’ve just had dinner.
1. Have you seen John anywhere ? (yes / I / just / see / him )
____________________________________________________________________________

2 . Has Ann phoned yet ? (yes / she / just / phone )

____________________________________________________________________________

3 . Would you like a cigarette ? (no thanks / I / just / put / one out )
____________________________________________________________________________

4 – In this exercise you have to write sentences with already

Ex.: Don’t forget to post that letter. I’ve already posted it.
1 . Don’t forget to phone Tom. _________________________________________________
2 . Why don’t you read the paper ? _____________________________________________
3 . Shall I pay the waiter ? _____________________________________________________

5 – You are asking someone about things he has done in his life. Use the words in brackets to
make your questions.
Ex.: (you ever / be / to Italy ?) Have you ever been to Italy ?
2. ( you ever / be / to South America ? ) ____________________________________________
3. ( you / read / any English books ? ) ______________________________________________
4. ( you / live / in this town all your life ? ) __________________________________________
5. (how many times / you / be / in love ? ) __________________________________________
6. ( what’s the most beautiful country you / ever / visit ? )
__________________________________________________________________________________
7. ( you ever / speak / to a famous person ? ) ________________________________________

6 – Now you have to write questions and answers as shown in the example.
Ex.: Jack is driving a car but he’s very nervous and not sure what to do.
You ask : Is this the first time you’ve driven a car ?
Jack : Yes, I’ve never driven a car before.
1 . Len is playing tennis. He’s not very good and doesn’t know the rules.
You ask : _____________________________________________________________________
Len : _________________________________________________________________________
2 . Sue is riding a horse. She doesn’t look very confident or comfortable.
You ask : _____________________________________________________________________
Sue : _________________________________________________________________________
3 . Maria is in England. She’s just arrived and it’s very new for her.
You ask : _______________________________________________________________________
Maria : _________________________________________________________________________

7 – Answer these questions using the words in brackets.

Ex.: When did you last smoke ? ( for two years ) I haven’t smoked for two years.
1. When did it last rain? (for ages ) ______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. When did they last visit you ? (since June) _____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. When did you last play tennis ? (for a long time) _______________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
4. When did you last eat caviar ? (never) __________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
5. When did you last drive ? ( for six months) ______________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
6. When did you last go to Spain ? (never) _______________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
7. When did she last write to you ? (since last summer) ___________________________
__________________________________________________________________________