PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

S+ HAVE/HAS+VERB3

1. Indefinite action: Somebody has broken the window.

I have got my driving-license.

2. Recent action:
- just – The taxi has just arrived.

- already – Have you already talked to him?

Have you talked to him yet?

Yes, I have already talked to him.

- not…yet – I haven’t talked to him yet.

- lately/recently – I haven’t talked to him recently.

- up to now/so far – He has asked ten questions so far.

- before – Have you met before?

We haven’t met before.

3. A series of repeated actions in the past which may continue into

the present (adverbs of frequency)

- ever – Have you ever travelled by plane?

- never – I have never travelled by plane.
- always – She has always bought expensive clothes.
- often – They have often visited their grandparents.
- seldom (rarely) – They have seldom visited their grandparents.

4. An action taking place in a period of time which is not over yet.

- today – Where have you been today?

- this (week, month, year etc) – I have been very busy this week.
 This morning

It’s 11 am. Where have you been?

It’s 1 pm Where were you?

Today : I came home earlier today.

5. An action which is not over yet or which has a result for the
present moment.

- How long have you known Mary?

- I have known Mary for 5 years.
- I have known Mary since 2002.

FOR is used to express a period of time

SINCE is used to express a point in time.

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE/PAST TENSE SIMPLE

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE PAST TENSE SIMPLE

1.Indefinite action: 1.Definite action:

e.g. Somebody has broken the window. e.g. Somebody broke the window on Monday.

e.g. I have got my driving-license. e.g. I got my driving-license in June.

2. An action taking place in a period of time which

is not over yet: TODAY/THIS WEEK (MONTH, YEAR
ETC) 2. An action taking place in a period of time which
is over: YESTERDAY/LAST WEEK (MONTH, YEAR
e.g. Where have you been today? ETC)/AGO

e.g. I have been busy this week. e.g. Where were you yesterday?
e.g. I was busy last week.

3. ADVERBS:

a) expressing a recent action:

- just

- already

- not…yet

- lately/recently

- up to now/so far.

- before

b) adverbs of frequency:
- always
- ever
- never
- often
- seldom (rarely)
c) - how long
- for
- since

How long have you known him?

I have known him for 2 years.

I have known him since 2012.