ENG 115: Present Perfect

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

(connection between PAST and PRESENT)

• Incomplete action

(An action that started in the past and goes on up to the present and / or future.)

I’ve read that book.

(You started reading some days ago and haven’t finished yet.)

      

You started reading

You continue reading or You're reading the last page

You will be reading

I’ve lived here for a long time.

(You moved here sometime in the past and you still live here.)

You started living here

You live here or You're moving away

You’ll be living here

        

• Present result / Consequence

(An action that happened in the past - complete/finished action - with a result in the present.)

I’ve lost my keys.

(you want to open the door now, but you can’t.)

You lost your keys

You want to open the door, but you don’t have the keys

  He’s broken a leg.

  (He broke it yesterday and now it’s in plaster.)

    

He broke his leg

His leg hurts and it’s in plaster

• Complete action (undetermined time)

(To show that an action has finished, but we don’t know or we don’t want to say when.)

They’ve travelled to Japan.

I’ve posted the letter.

She’s painted the ceiling.

He’s read the newspaper.

• Recent past  (with JUST)

Jack has just arrived at school.

COMMON ADVERBS USED WITH PRESENT PERFECT TENSE:

ALREADY (já – affirmative sentences; comes between HAVE / HAS and the participle)

I’ve already done my homework.

EVER (já; alguma vez – used in questions)

Has she ever driven a truck? (life experience)

YET

(já – interrogative sentences)

(expresses an expectation; comes at the end of the sentence)

Have you washed the dishes yet? (You were expected to wash them)

YET (ainda – negative sentences; comes at the end of the sentence)

He hasn’t arrived yet.

JUST (very recently; comes between HAVE / HAS and the participle)

She has just left the room.

ALWAYS (comes between HAVE / HAS and the participle)

The answers have always been the same.

NEVER

(affirmative sentences with a negative meaning)

(comes between HAVE / HAS and the participle)

We have never had Latin classes.

LATELY (comes at the end of the sentence)

I haven’t gone to the theater lately.

RECENTLY (comes at the end of the sentence)

He has changed his job recently.

TIME EXPRESSIONS:

FOR (duration / length of time)

I have worked as a nurse for three years.

SINCE (beginning of a period of time)

She has lived in Wisconsin since 1985.

THIS MORNING / THIS AFTERNOON / THIS EVENING / TONIGHT

THIS WEEK / THIS MONTH / THIS YEAR / TODAY

(when these periods are not finished at the time of speaking)

He’s smoked ten cigarettes today.

Bill is phoning his girlfriend again. That’s the third time he’s phoned her this evening.

SO FAR / UP TO NOW (até agora)

He’s studied a lot so far/up to now.

Up to now/So far, they haven’t told me the truth.