Grammar Reminder: Present Perfect Simple

Join a global community of over 200,000 TEFL teachers working throughout the world! Enrol me!

The present perfect simple is formed using have or has and then the past participle of the verb. For example, I have visited London twice. Or, she has walked to work every day. This blog provides tips on teaching the present perfect.

  • I/you/we/you/they have visited London twice
  • He/she/ has visited London twice

The present perfect is often used with the additions of the word since or for. Since is used with a fixed time like 2018. For is used for a period of time like 5 days or 3 hours:

  • I have worked for the company since 2014
  • I have lived here for six years

Another word that is used with the present perfect simple is -just. This indicates an action that finished in the recent past:

  • I have just finished my lunch
  • He has just left for work

Your students will need to know when to use the past simple and the present perfect. Teaching them that the past simple is used when we want to explain when something happened. For example, I went to Madrid last year.

The present perfect is used when we don’t know when the action happened, or it doesn’t matter. For example, I have been to Madrid.

Questions are formed by putting the word have or has at the beginning of the sentence and is sometimes used with the word -yet:

  • Have you eaten yet?
  • Have you read any Shakespeare?

Negatives are made by using not. This is usually in the short form using haven’t or hasn’t:

  • I haven’t seen that film
  • She hasn’t been married long

The difference between the present perfect simple and the past simple can be seen in the following sentences. Notice how the past simple is definite with the timescale:

Present Perfect                                                                   Past Simple

I have eaten at that restaurant before                            I ate at that restaurant yesterday

I have met that man before                                               I met that man last week

I have had some meetings with him                                 I had some meetings with him last week

 

Get Social

Follow us on social networks, join our newsletter - get the latest news and early discounts

Sign up to our newsletter

Follow us on social networks, sign up to our e-newsletters – get the latest news and early discounts

Accreditation Partners

The TEFL Academy was the world’s first TEFL course provider to receive official recognition from government regulated awarding bodies in both the USA and UK. This means when you graduate you’ll hold a globally recognised Level 3 (120hr) Certificate or Level 5 (168hr) Diploma, meaning you can find work anywhere and apply for jobs immediately.

Product added to your cart

You have added to your cart:

Request call back

    Please leave your details below and one of our TEFL experts will get back to you ASAP:

    captchaType characters on the left:

    Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

    Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

    Thank you! Your message has been sent!

    Download the TEFL World Factbook

      Please enter your details in order to download the latest TEFL World Factbook.

      Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

      Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

      Thank you for downloading the TEFL World Factbook!

      If the TEFL World Factbook did not download
      > Click Here To Download <

      Download the Online Teaching Guide

        Please enter your details in order to download our Online Teaching Guide.

        Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

        Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

        Thank you for downloading our Online Teaching Guide!

        If the Online Teaching Guide did not download
        > Click Here To Download <

        Download Prospectus

          Please enter your details in order to download our latest prospectus.

          Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

          Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

          Thank you for downloading our prospectus!

          We hope you enjoy reading our prospectus, we have tried to make it as useful as possible! Please get in touch if you have any questions.

          If the prospectus did not download automatically
          > Click Here To Download <

          $
          $