PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

 

            Present perfect tense is a verb form used to express an action or situation that has started in the past and has been completed at a given point in time in the past or still continues today.

Formula Present Perfect Tense

            Present perfect tense is formed with the auxiliary verb "have" or "has", and the past participle (verb-3). Have used for I, you, they, we, while has to he, she, it, and the third person singular. While past participle can be either regular or irregular verbs.

            Thus the present perfect tense formula for a sentence positive, negative, and interrogative are as follows:

 

Sentence	Formula	Example sentences Present Perfect Tense
positive (+)	S + aux. verb(have/has) + V-3/past participle	I have read
		He has left
negative (-)	S + aux. verb(have/has) + not + V-3/past participle	I have not read
		He hasn’t left
interogative (?)	aux. verb(have/has) + S + V-3/past participle	Have I read
		Has he left

Examples  Present Perfect Tense

Some examples of the present perfect tense sentences with their functions are as follows.

Note:

Note the adverb / prepositional phrase used to express time.

Functions	Example sentences Present Perfect Tense
Present perfect tense Present perfect tense to express past events regardless of when exactly happened (Adverbs and adverb of time like : Just, lately, already, recently, yet, once, never, twice, ever, a few times and so far may be used).	Can you recommend the most delicious seafood restaurant in this town? Yes, I’ve visited all of them.
	I’ve read this book.
Present perfect tense Present perfect tense to indicate that an action occurred repeatedly in the past (adverb of number may be used).	She has called you three times.
Present perfect tense Present perfect tense to express the activity or situation that began in the past then continued until now (unfinished).	I have lived in Cilegon for 3 months.
	She has studied in French since April.
	My brother has worked already/lately/ up to now. (My brother has been working until now.)
Present perfect tense Present perfect tense to talk about an event that just happened (adverb just can be used).	I’ve just sent you an email.
	The rain’s just stopped. [the rain's = the rain has]

 

Form Singular and Plural in Present Perfect Tenses

 

Singular	Plural
I have walked	we have walked
you have walked	you have walked
he/she/it has walked	they have walked

 

Singular	Plural
I have slept	we have slept
you have slept	you have slept
he/she/it has slept	they have slept

 

Singular	Plural
I have been	we have been
you have been	you have been
he/she/it has been	they have been

 

Using the Present Perfect

We use this tense for unfinished and finished actions:

Unfinished Actions

We use this tense when we want to talk about unfinished actions that started in the past and continue to the present. Usually we use it to say 'how long' an action or state has continued with 'since' and 'for'. Often, we use stative verbs in this situation: I've known Karen since 1994. She's lived in London for three years.

 

 

Finished Actions

1: Life experience (we don't say when the experience happened, just sometime in the past) I have been to Tokyo. She has lived in Germany. They have visited Paris three times. We have never seen that film. Have you ever read 'War and Peace'?

2: A finished action with a result in the present (focus on result) I've lost my keys (so I can't get into my house). She's hurt her leg (so she can't play tennis today). They've missed the bus (so they will be late). I've cooked dinner (so you should come and eat).

3: With an unfinished time word (this month, this week, today, in the last year) I haven't seen her this month. She's drunk three cups of coffee today. This week they've been shopping four times.

Note: We can't use the present perfect with a finished time word:

• I've seen him yesterday.

Since, For, Already, Yet, Been and Gone in Present Perfect Tense

      Here is an explanation of since, for, already, yet, been and gone that we often use in the present perfect tense.

Time Duration

      We use the Time Duration / duration / length of time does the job. Here is an explanation of some of the Time Duration that we often use in the present perfect tense:

 

v  Since

       Is an adverb that is often used in the present perfect tense. In the Indonesian language have meaning "from / since / of /". At present perfect tense, since the word is used to describe an activity when it starts.

      Example:

·         Since last year 

·         Since 3 days ago

·          Since January

·         Since 1980

·          Since the last ten year  

I have lived in Jambi since 1990.

v  For

      In Present perfect tense is used to describe the period of time an activity was carried out, in other words how long the activity has occurred. For example: for 2 hours, for 10 minutes.

Example:

Tono has slept for 2 hours.

v  Yet

      In the present perfect tense, “yet” has the meaning of something that has happened and could also not happen.

Example:

Has John arrived yet?

Have you done your homework? Not, Yet.

v  Already

      in the present perfect tense has the meaning that something that happened earlier than we expected. The word "already" placed after "has / have" and before the main verb..

Example:

We’ve already had our breakfast.

Do you want a cup of tea? No, thanks. I’ve already had one.

        Time duration in addition to the above, we can also use some Time Duration below:

-          Just                                   

-          Never                               

-          So far                               

-          Until now                        

-          Up to now                                   

-          Up to the present                      

-          Not………yet                     

-          Ever since                       

-          All day/night/week      

-          Recently                          

-          Lately                               

 

v  Been

We use “been” (often when we talk about 'life experience') to mean that the person being talked about has visited the place, and come back. Notice the preposition 'to': I've been to Paris (in my life, but now I'm in London, where I live). She has been to school today (but now she's back at home). They have never been to California.

v  Gone

We use “gone” (often when we are talking about an action with a result in the present) to mean that the person is at the place now: 'Where's John?' 'He's gone to the shops' (he's at the shops now). Julie has gone to Mexico (now she's in Mexico). They've gone to Japan for three weeks (now they're in Japan).

The relationship between the Present Perfect Tense and the Simple Past Tense

The talks that began with the Present Perfect Tense usually followed by Simple Past Tense.

   Example:

 

             John  : Where have you been?                                         

             Paul  : I've been to the cinema          

             John : What was the film?               

             Paul  : Rome and Juliet                  

             John : Did you like it?                 

             John : Yes, I liked it very much        

                                                     

             Hans : I haven't seen your brother lately

                        Has he gone away?                

             Jane  : Yes, he has been sent to America 

             Hans : When did he go?                  

             Jane  : He went last month               

             Hans : Have you had any letters from him?

             Jane  : No, I haven't

 

Vital records:

Different Simple Past and Present Perfect Tense:

Simple Past Tense	  Definite Time Signal = waktu terjadinya diperhatikan.  Tidak ada hubungannya dengan saat ini (hasilnya tidak diperhatikan).
Present Perfect Tense	  Indefinite Time Signal = waktu terjadinya tidak diperhatikan.   Ada hubungan dengan saat ini (hasilnya masih dirasakan sampai sekarang).

 

Example:

- (Present Perfect)

She has washed her clothes.

- (Simple Past Tense)

      She washed her clothes this morning.

 

Note:

Since + a particular time

For + addituration time

Just + Aa short tim ago