Present perfect tense

Sakshi Education

We have been talking about the use of verbs at different timings in the present. We do complete certain actions and do not use past tense but present prefect. There is a slight difference between past tense and present perfect. Let us study present perfect in detail.

FORM

Have ® Plural subjects
Has ® Singular subject

Subject + have/has + past participle.
The Present Perfect verb tense can be used to express something in the past when we don't know when it happened or when it happened is not important.

Observe the following sentences.

I have read this book many times.
The word many times does not express when exactly it happened.
I have read the book twice.
‘Twice’ tells how many times but not the exact time.

Observe the structure

Ram has done the work.

Ram and Hari have done the work.

I have done the work.

He has done the work.

They have done the work.

I have seen a movie.

In the above sentences action is completed but time is not specified.
The verb after perfect tense is ‘past participle but not past’.
I have saw the movie. (Wrong)

Functions / contexts of present perfect:
We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an
unspecified time before now.

I saw a movie. (Action is completed, though time is not specified it is understood that it was completed some where in the past – yesterday or earlier to that.)
I saw a movie yesterday. (right)

We do not use Present Perfect with specific time such as yesterday, last week,
when I was a child, at that moment, that day, one day, etc.

I have seen a movie yesterday. (wrong)
I have read this book when I was a child. (Wrong)

It is used for repeated actions and expresses experience of humanity where time is not mentioned.

She traveled many parts of the world.

Man has walked on the Moon.

Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.

The cost of rice has increased these days.

We use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.

I have read that book many times.
I think I have seen that movie earlier.
Have you ever been to Mumbai? No, I have not been to Mumbai.

Past actions with results in present
I have cut my finger, it is bleeding now.
For an unfinished action/ when the time period is not finished. Or some thing happened in the past and may happen in future.

She has come to my house several times.( may come even in future)
They have had many troubles while working with the new machine.

To talk about change that has happened over a period of time.

The principal has concentrated on extra curricular activities.
Many changes have taken place in politics recently.
The importance of soft skills has increased in the work environment.
His English has really improved since he moved to Australia.

For an uncompleted action
Ravi has not finished his homework yet.
The use of ‘since’ and ‘for’ with perfect tense

She has been a teacher for five years. (period of time)
She has been a teacher since June. (point of time)

Difference between past tense and present perfect tense

I read the book.
I have read the book.

Both sentences talk about completed action. But there is a time difference in these actions.

. > announced the schedule of exams last week. >

Present perfect	Past
Time period is not finished I have read the book twice this week.	Time period is finished I read the book.
To give the recent news The Board has announced the schedule for exams	To give past information The board
Time is not specific He has been to that hotel many times	Time is specific in the past He went to that hotel yesterday.