Present Perfect Tense
Using the Present Perfect
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Using the Present Perfect
Open with the idea that this tense links the past to the present. Students often know the name but mix it with the past simple.
Learning goal
I can recognise the present perfect tense and write my own sentences with it.
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One word or phrase you connect with the present perfect
Use this to surface prior knowledge such as have/has, past participle, experiences, already, yet, or confusion with past simple.
What is the present perfect?
The present perfect is a tense we use for actions or experiences that are connected to now.
It is not only about the past. It shows that the past action matters in the present.
Keep the focus on meaning before form: past action, present connection.
How to form it
have/has + past participle
I / you / we / they have finished
he / she / it has finished
Short forms: I've, you've, he's, she's, we've, they've
Mention that the past participle is the third form of the verb. For regular verbs it often ends in -ed.
Affirmative, negative, question
Forms
Short forms
haven't / hasn't
I've / she's / they've
Example: She hasn't done her homework.
Affirmative: I have seen it.
Negative: I have not seen it.
Question: Have you seen it?
Point out word order in questions: Have/Has comes before the subject.
Regular and irregular verbs
Regular: play → played
Regular: finish → finished
Irregular: go → gone
Irregular: see → seen
Irregular: write → written
Students often use the past simple instead of the past participle, for example I have went. Correct this clearly.
Which form is correct in the present perfect?
She has finished
She have finished
She is finished
She finished has
Checks basic form from slides 2 to 5: subject + have/has + past participle.
Complete the rule
The present perfect uses have/has + past participle. With he, she and it, we use has. For example: She has finished her homework.
All blanks echo the exact rule and model sentence from the form slides.
When do we use it?
We often use the present perfect for:
experiences in life
actions that happened at an unknown time
actions that have a result now
actions that started in the past and continue now
This lesson stays with the most common school uses. Avoid overloading with rare cases.
Use 1: life experience
I have visited London.
She has never eaten sushi.
The exact time is not important.
Connect this use to words like ever and never.
Use 2: result in the present
He has broken his leg.
I have lost my keys.
The action is past, but the result matters now.
Stress the present importance: he is injured now, the keys are missing now.
Use 3: from past until now
We have lived here for five years.
She has studied English since 2022.
for = a period of time
since = the starting point
A timeline on the board can help here: start in the past, continues to now.
Signal words
already
just
yet
ever
never
for
since
Explain that these words often appear with the present perfect, but students should still check meaning and structure.
Present perfect or past simple?
finished past time
often with yesterday, last week, in 2023
I saw that film yesterday.
time is not stated
connected to now
I have seen that film.
Present perfect
Past simple
This contrast is essential because students often choose the wrong tense when a clear past time expression is present.
Recognising the tense
To recognise the present perfect, look for:
have or has
a past participle
a link with now
no finished past time such as yesterday
Students may spot have/has but miss the participle. Train them to check both parts.
Which sentence shows a result that matters now?
I saw him yesterday
She visited Paris in 2023
I have lost my keys
We played football last week
Tests the use contrast: present result now versus finished past time.
Choose the correct tense words
The present perfect is used when the action is connected to now. We can use it for life experiences or actions that continue until now. We often see words like for and since.
Checks meaning and signal words from slides 6 to 12.
Building your own sentence
Choose a subject
Add have or has
Use the correct past participle
Add the rest of the sentence
A simple model: Subject + have/has + past participle + extra information.
Sentence models
I have finished my homework.
They have played football.
She has visited her aunt.
We have never tried this game.
Use these as clear, simple models before students attempt more personal sentences.
Common mistakes
She have finished. → She has finished.
I have went home. → I have gone home.
I have seen him yesterday. → I saw him yesterday.
These three errors match the core lesson goals: form, recognition, and correct sentence building.
Which sentence is correct?
I have seen him yesterday
She have written a letter
We have played football
He has went home
Distractors come from the common mistakes slide: wrong time marker, wrong auxiliary, wrong participle.
Write one present perfect sentence of your own.
Good answers should include a correct present perfect sentence with subject + have/has + past participle. Personal examples are fine, such as I have finished my homework or She has visited her aunt.
What is one thing you learned today?
Reflection only. Invite students to name one clear takeaway, such as the form, when to use it, or the difference from past simple.
What helped you understand this tense best?
Reflection only. Useful answers may mention signal words, sentence models, examples, or the rule have/has + past participle.
Glossary
present perfect - a tense that links a past action or experience to the present
past participle - the verb form used after have or has, such as finished, gone or seen
subject - the person or thing doing the action in a sentence
affirmative - a positive sentence form
negative - a sentence form with not
question - a sentence that asks for information
signal words - words that often help you recognise a tense
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