In this English lesson we’ll take a look at how we use the present perfect tense when talking about experiences, recent news and things that started in the past and continue now.
What Is the Present Perfect Tense?
The present perfect tense connects the past with the present. It’s formed with have / has + the past participle of the verb.
- “I have visited London three times.”
- “She has lost her keys.” (so she can’t get in now)
- “We have lived here since 2015.” (and we still live here)
- “They haven’t finished their homework yet.”
How to Form It
- Positive: subject + have/has + past participle – I’ve eaten. / He’s eaten.
- Negative: subject + haven’t/hasn’t + past participle – I haven’t eaten.
- Question: Have/Has + subject + past participle? – Have you eaten?
- Short answers: Yes, I have. / No, I haven’t.
Use has with he, she and it, and have with everything else. Regular past participles end in -ed (worked, played), but many common verbs are irregular: go → gone, see → seen, eat → eaten, be → been, do → done.
When Do We Use It?
- Life experiences (when exactly isn’t important): “I’ve been to Japan.”
- Recent news or changes with a result now: “Look – it’s stopped raining!”
- Situations that started in the past and continue now, often with for and since: “I’ve known her for ten years.”
- Unfinished time periods like today, this week, this year: “I’ve drunk three coffees today.”
Useful Words: Ever, Never, Just, Already, Yet
- ever (questions): “Have you ever eaten sushi?”
- never: “I’ve never seen snow.”
- just (very recently): “I’ve just finished.”
- already (sooner than expected): “She’s already left.”
- yet (questions and negatives): “Have you finished yet?” / “I haven’t finished yet.”
Present Perfect or Past Simple?
This is where many learners get stuck! Use the past simple when you say exactly when something happened, or the time is finished. Use the present perfect tense when the time isn’t stated or isn’t finished.
- Say: “I went to Paris last year.” (finished time – past simple)
- Not: “I have been to Paris last year.”
- Say: “I have been to Paris.” (no time – present perfect)
Note: American English often uses the past simple with just, already and yet (“Did you eat yet?”), while British English prefers the present perfect (“Have you eaten yet?”).
For a fuller grammar reference, see the British Council’s guide to the present perfect.
Have You Ever…?
“Have you ever…?” is one of the most useful questions in English. We use it to ask about life experiences:
- “Have you ever been to Australia?” — “Yes, I have! I went there in 2019.”
- “Have you ever tried skydiving?” — “No, I haven’t. I’d be too scared!”
- “Have you ever met anyone famous?” — “I’ve never met anyone famous, but I once saw a footballer at the airport.”
Notice how the answer often switches to the past simple when we add details about when it happened.
Example: Lisa’s Travel Experiences
Lisa is a student at university, and she loves travelling. Here are some things she has done – and some things she hasn’t done yet.
- I have been to Spain, Italy and Thailand.
- I have tried real Italian pizza in Naples.
- I have seen the Northern Lights in Norway.
- I have never been on a cruise.
- I haven’t visited Australia yet, but I really want to!
- I have just booked a weekend trip to Scotland.
Note:
Lisa uses the present perfect tense because she doesn’t say when she did these things. If she adds a time, she switches to the past simple: I went to Thailand in 2022.
Try It Yourself
Have a go at answering these questions using the present perfect tense. You can write about your real experiences or just use your imagination. Have some fun with it! Remember – if you add when it happened, switch to the past simple.
- Have you ever been on a plane?
- What is the most interesting place you have visited?
- How long have you lived in your home?
- Have you ever eaten something really strange?
- What have you done today?
More Tense Lessons
- All 9 English Tenses – The Complete Guide
- Present Simple Tense – Daily Routine
- Present Continuous Tense – What Are You Doing?
- Past Simple Tense – What Did You Do?
- Past Continuous Tense – What Were You Doing When…?
- Past Perfect Tense – What Had Happened?
- Future Simple Tense – What Will You Do?
- Future Continuous Tense – What Will You Be Doing…?
- Future Perfect Tense – What Will You Have Done?
Frequently Asked Questions
Use have or has + the past participle of the verb, for example “I have eaten” or “She has gone”.
Use the past simple when you say exactly when something happened in finished time (“I went last year”). Use the present perfect for experiences or unfinished time without a specific time (“I have been there”).
Test Yourself
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