The present perfect tense
The present perfect tense is used when something that happened in the past is still happening now, or still matters in the present.
I have played netball for five years.
This means you started playing netball in the past and you’re still playing it today.
The present perfect is made with has/have + the past participle.
He has loved netball since he was tiny.
How to form the present perfect
Learn when to use the present perfect tense with Chloe as she interviews a famous actor.
When to use the present perfect tense
The present perfect tense tells us about something that has happened in the past, but is either still happening now, or is still important to the present time.
The present perfect is made using has/have + the past participle of the verb.
I have loved writing this story.
For regular verbs, the past participle are formed by adding -ed.
search → searched
Here are some examples comparing the past tense and the present perfect tense:
| Past tense | Present perfect tense |
|---|---|
| I enjoyed meeting the famous actor. | I have enjoyed meeting the famous actor. |
| Chloe started the interview. | Chloe has started the interview. |
How do you know whether to use ‘have’ or ‘has’?
Use have for 'I', 'you', 'we' and 'they'.
Use has for 'he', 'she', and 'it'.
Example 1
Rewrite these sentences in the present perfect tense.
Chloe enjoyed the interview.
The actor whispered a secret.
They enjoyed talking about unicorns.
✓ Here are the sentences written in the present perfect.
Chloe has enjoyed the interview.
The actor has whispered a secret.
3. They have enjoyed talking about unicorns.
Use have for 'I', 'you', 'we' and 'they'.
Use has for 'he', 'she' and 'it'.
Example 2
Some verbs are irregular. This means we cannot add -ed to the verb to make the past participle.
go → gone
What are the past participles of each of these verbs below?
a) catch
b) speak
c) hear
✓ Here are the past particles of each verb:
a) catch → caught
b) speak → spoken
c) hear → heard
Some of these verbs you will probably know from using them in your speech, but others can be tricky and you will need to learn them.
Task
Interview time
Chloe still has more questions for the famous actor.
Imagine you are the actor. How would you answer these questions?
Questions
- What has surprised you most about meeting a unicorn?
- What has fascinated you most about unicorns?
- Have you always wanted to star in a film about unicorns?
Remember to use the present perfect tense to talk about things from the past that still matter now.
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