subject + have/has + past participleUse have with I, you, we, they; use has with he, she, it.
Present Perfect Simple
A2Present Perfect links past and present. Use have/has + past participle for life experience and past actions that matter now.
What you'll learn
- Build affirmative sentences with have/has + past participle.
- Make negatives with haven't and hasn't.
- Ask yes/no questions with Have and Has.
- Place ever, never, yet, just, and already correctly.
- Choose Present Perfect when a past action has a result now.
Structure
subject + have/has + not + past participlePut not after have or has. The past participle does not change.
Have/Has + subject + past participle + ?Move Have or Has to the front to make a yes/no question.
subject + have/has + just/already/never + past participle | Have/Has + subject + ever + past participle | subject + have/has not + past participle + yetJust, already, never usually go before the participle; yet usually goes at the end; ever is common in questions.
Build a sentence
Subject
Verb
Shehasfinished
She has finished her coffee.
Use has with she.
When to use
Life experience
Use it for experiences before now when the exact time is not important or not given. Maria has visited Japan twice.
Result now
Use it when the past action changes the present situation. Tom has broken his glasses, so he cannot read this sign.
Recent news
Use it to announce something new that matters now. Lisa has just arrived at the office.
Markers
everneveryetjustalreadyso farrecently
In contrast
vs past-simple
Present Perfect does not name a finished past time. If you say yesterday, last year, or in 2022, use Past Simple.
vs present-perfect-continuous
Present Perfect Simple focuses on the result or completed experience. Present Perfect Continuous focuses on the activity over time.
Common mistakes
Wrong
She have finished her report.
Correct
She has finished her report.
He, she, it take has, not have.
Wrong
They have went home.
Correct
They have gone home.
After have/has, use the past participle, not the past simple form.
Wrong
I not finished yet.
Correct
I have not finished yet.
Present Perfect negatives need have or has before not.
Wrong
Did you ever visit Rome?
Correct
Have you ever visited Rome?
Present Perfect questions start with Have or Has, not did.
Wrong
I have visited Paris last year.
Correct
I visited Paris last year.
Last year is a finished past time, so use Past Simple, not Present Perfect.
Wrong
She hasn't never tried sushi.
Correct
She has never tried sushi.
Never already makes the sentence negative, so do not add not.
Common misconceptions
❝ I can use Present Perfect with any past time word. ❞
Do not use it with finished past times like yesterday, last week, or in 2019. Use Past Simple for those times.
❝ In negatives, I can drop have if the meaning is clear. ❞
Present Perfect always needs have or has. Without it, the sentence is incomplete.
Skills in this rule (7)
HAVE_HAS_PAST_PARTICIPLEw5Build affirmative sentences with have/has + past participle
Use have with I, you, we, they and has with he, she, it. The main verb goes in the past participle form.
NEGATIVE_HAVE_HAS_NOTw5Make negatives with have not / has not + past participle
Put not after have or has. The participle stays the same in the negative form.
QUESTIONS_HAVE_HASw5Ask yes/no questions with Have/Has + subject + past participle
Start the question with Have or Has, then add the subject and the past participle. Do not use did for this form.
EVER_NEVER_YET_JUST_ALREADYw4Use ever, never, yet, just, and already in the right place
Use ever in questions, never for no experience, yet mostly at the end in negatives and questions, and just/already before the past participle.
USE_FOR_LIFE_EXPERIENCEw4Use Present Perfect for life experience
Choose this form for experiences at any time before now when the exact past time is not named. It often goes with ever or never.
USE_FOR_PRESENT_RESULTw4Use Present Perfect for past actions with a result now
Choose this form when a past action matters now: the task is done, the room is clean, the person is here or not here now.
PICK_TIME_MARKERSw3Recognize time markers that fit Present Perfect
Markers like ever, never, yet, just, already, so far, and recently often point to Present Perfect. Exact finished times like yesterday do not fit.