Part 12 Basic English – Essential Lessons for Beginning English Learners

The present perfect is used to say what has happened recently and has an effect on the present moment. We often use ‘just’, ‘yet’ and ‘already’ to express the relationship to the present moment.

• Have you seen Mary yet?
• They’ve already had dinner.
• She’s just been to the dentist.

The present perfect is also used to express something which has happened up to the present moment of time.

• Have you worked here for a long time?
• Peter’s lived here since 1987.
• She hasn’t had much fun this week.

Positive Form

Subject + have + past participle + object(s)

• Peter’s lived here since 1987.
• We’ve been very busy today.

Negative Form

Subject + have + not + past participle + object(s)

• I haven’t been to class very often this month.
• She hasn’t had much fun this week.

Question Form

(Wh?) + have + subject + past participle?

• Have you worked here for a long time?
• Where have you been?

Present Perfect for Unspecified Past

When speaking about an experience that has happened at an unspecified point in time before the present moment, use the present perfect.

• I’ve been to New York three times.
• They’ve lived in many places.
• She’s studied in London.

NOTE: In this use of the present perfect, we are talking about things that have happened up to the present moment. Whenever you speak about something that has happened up to now without giving a precise point in time, use the present perfect.

Use of ‘For’, ‘Since’ and ‘How long’

Always use the present perfect with for, since, and how long.

‘For’ is used to indicate a duration or period of time.

• He has lived here for seven years.
• We have been here for six weeks.
• Shirley has played tennis for a long time.

Use ‘Since‘ to Indicate a Specific Point in Time.

• I’ve worked here since 2004.
• She’s gone to dancing lessons since April.
• They’ve been unhappy since they left college.

Use ‘How long‘ in the question form to ask about duration.

• How long have you played the piano?
• How long has he worked here?
• How long has she been with you?

Lesson 22:  Past Simple Tense

Use the past simple to talk about activities or routines which take place at a specified time in the past. Notice that all subjects take the same conjugation of the verb. Regular verbs end in ‘-ed’.

• visit – visited
• enjoy – enjoyed

Irregular verbs have various forms, and each verb needs to be learned.

• see – saw
• think – thought

The past simple is used to express a finished past action which occurs at a specific moment in the past.

• She visited Iran last month.
• They didn’t go to Tom’s party last weekend.
• Where did you go on vacation last summer?

The following time signifiers often indicate a specific point in time and indicate that the past tense should be used.

• last
• ago
• in … (plus a year or month)
• yesterday
• when … (plus a phrase)

Examples

• They had lunch at home last week.
• He left the company many years ago.
• Susan bought a new car in May.
• He telephoned his friend in Rome yesterday.
• I played golf when I was a teenager.

Positive Form

Subject + past form of verb + object(s) + time

• They flew to Chicago last month.
• Peter completed his course three weeks ago.

Negative Form

Subject + did + not + base form of verb + object(s) + (time)

• They didn’t expect to see you at Christmas.
• She didn’t understand the question.

Question Form

(Wh?) + did + subject + base form of verb + (object(s))+ (time)?

• Where did you study French?
• When did you arrive last week?

Source:  thoughtco.co©