English tenses › Present Perfect
Present Perfect
Present Perfect connects the past with now: a past action with a result today, life experience, or something that started in the past and is still true.
Form
When to use it
Result now
The past action matters because of the result.
I’ve lost my keys, so I can’t get in.
Life experience
At some time in your life, the time is not important.
Have you ever been to Japan?
Unfinished time
With today, this week, this year: the period is not over.
I’ve had three coffees today.
Up to now
With for and since, a state that is still true.
We’ve known each other since school.
Time words
ever, never, already, yet, just, so far, recently, for, since, this year
Examples
- She’s just left.
- I haven’t seen that film yet.
- Has he called you back?
- They’ve lived here for ten years.
- I’ve never tried sushi.
- We’ve finished the first part.
Common mistake
I have seen him yesterday.
I saw him yesterday.
With a finished time (yesterday, last week, in 2020) use Past Simple, not Present Perfect.
Present Perfect or Past Simple?
Present Perfect does not say when; Past Simple does: I’ve been to Paris. I went there in 2019. More about Past Simple.
Hear it in videos
See it in real speech. Paste any YouTube link into Tense Lens and every tense in the video is highlighted as it is spoken, with a map of where each one appears.