Present Perfect

We use this verb tense to talk about actions which:

- have happened in the past and have matter or
result in the present.
Ex: She has sold all her pets.
Many animal species have become extinct.
- have begun in the past and still happening in the
present.
Ex: The world’s climate has become warmer over
the past 50 years.
Some scientists believe that human activities have
caused climate change.
Affirmative form
I You We They have
He She It over the past
changed
The average global temper- has decades.
ature
In negative sentences, we use haven’t/hasn’t (have
not/has not) before the past participle form of the main
verb.
Negative form
ha-
I You We They to changes
ven’t
adapted in the en-
He She It
hasn’t vironment.
Human immune system
 In interrogative sentences, we use have/has before
the subject.
Interrogative form
I
Have
You
He
Has She over the
changed
It past decade?
We
Have You
They

Short answers
Affirmative Negative
I I
have. haven’t.
You You
He He
She has. She hasn’t.
Yes, No,
It It
We We
You have. You haven’t.
They They
Present Perfect – Ever, never, since, for,
just, already and yet
We use ever in sentences in the Present Perfect:
- to know if it has ever had happened.
Ex: Have you ever seen planted a tree?
Have you ever been to the Amazon?
- with the superlative, to indicate that someone or
something is more interesting, better, worse etc.
Ex: It’s definitely the worst movie I’ve ever seen.
Ribeirão Preto is the hottest city I’ve ever been to.
We use never in sentences in the Present Perfect
to talk about actions which have never happened until
the present moment.
Ex: It’s never been this way warm before.
I’ve never held a heart in my hands.
We use since in sentences in the Present Perfect
to indicate the begin of an action that have begun in the
past and still happening in the present.
Ex: She has watched documentaries since she was a little
girl.
Meryl Streep’s made over 60 movies since her debut in
1977.
We use for in sentences in the Present Perfect to
indicate the duration of an action that have begun in the
past and still happening in the present.
Ex: Hollywood has dominated the worldwide film industry
for almost a century.
Tom Cruise has starred in movies for over 30 years.
 We use just in sentences in the Present Perfect
to refer to actions which just happened.
Ex: I’ve just watched DiCaprio’s latest movie.
He has just left the film industry.
We use already in sentences in the Present Per-
fect to refer to actions that already happened (affirma-
tive form).
Ex: Julia Roberts has already played the role of a hope-
less romantic in several films.
Director Walter Salles has already directed an Oscar-
nominated movie.
We use yet in sentences in the Present Perfect to
refer to actions which didn’t happen (in negative form)
or to know if an action happened (interrogative form).
Ex: That actress hasn’t won an Oscar yet.
Has that actress won an Oscar yet?
Present Perfect vs Past Simple
Basically, we use the Present Perfect to actions
which have happened in the past, not knowing when
they’ve happened.
Ex: She’s watched Titanic a twice.
All my friends have seen Ghost, The Musical.
I’ve downloaded a fascinating documentary about the
Second World War.
 And we use the Past Simple to actions that hap-
pened in a specific moment in the past.
Ex: She watched Titanic in 1997.
All my friends saw Ghost, The Musical last weekend.
I downloaded a fascinating documentary about the Sec-
ond World War this morning.
Observations: Still talking about the Past Simple,
the adverb ago is sometimes used. It’s not used with the
Present Perfect because it has the meaning of a specific
time in the past.
Ex: Are you looking for Jana? I saw her 30 minutes
(or half an hour) ago.
- When did you meet your girlfriend?
- Well, I guess 1 hour ago.
Remember that ever, never, since, just, for, al-
ready, yet and ago are adverbs.