Present Perfect Tense in English
Present Perfect Tense is used to express an event that started in the past and the impact of the event is now continuing (or a long-running event that started in the past and is still going on). This tense is used to express actions completed recent past. In this tense, it is important whether the event occured or not. ( or the result of the event is important, not the time of the event )
The Present Perfect Tense is formed by putting “to have ( have or has )” before the past participle of the verb.
POSITIVE FORM (+) :
Subject ( I, YOU, WE, YOU, THEY ) + HAVE + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
Subject ( HE, SHE, IT ) + HAS + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
NEGATIVE FORM (-) :
Subject ( I, YOU, WE, YOU, THEY ) + HAVE + NOT + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
Subject ( HE, SHE, IT ) + HAS + NOT + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
QUESTION FORM (?) :
HAVE + Subject ( I, YOU, WE, YOU, THEY ) + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
HAS + Subject ( HE, SHE, IT ) + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
NEGATIVE QUESTION FORM (?) :
HAVE + NOT + Subject ( I, YOU, WE, YOU, THEY ) + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
HAS + NOT + Subject ( HE, SHE, IT ) + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
SHORT ANSWER FORMS ( + / – ) :
YES / NO + Subject ( I, You, We, You, They ) + have / have not (haven’t)
YES / NO + Subject ( He, She, It ) + has/ has not (hasn’t)
| POSITIVE(+) | NEGATIVE(-) | POSITIVE QUESTION (?) | NEGATIVE QUESTION (?) |
|---|---|---|---|
| He has watched | He has not ( hasn’t ) watched | Has he watched | Hasn’t he watched |
| She has watched | She has not ( hasn’t ) watched | Has she watched | Hasn’t she watched |
| It has watched | It has not ( hasn’t ) watched | Has it watched | Hasn’t it watched |
| I have watched | You have not ( haven’t ) watched | Have you watched | Haven’t I watched |
| You have watched | We have not ( haven’t ) watched | Have we watched | Haven’t you watched |
| We have watched | You have not ( haven’t ) watched | Have you watched | Haven’t we watched |
| They have watched | They have not ( haven’t) watched | Have they watched | Havent’t they watched |
