Subjects
Grades
Present Perfect
Concept sheet | English Language Arts
Grade
1-4
Present Perfect Uses
The present perfect expresses:
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Present result
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past action with present result
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recently finished action
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Unfinished time
-
past action not yet finished
-
time period still going on
-
Indefinite time
-
past actions at unspecified time
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repeated past actions
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Present results
Florence the explorer has discovered a new bird species.
She has tried to print it as a 3D model.
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Unfinished time
Birds have been her favourite animals since she was a kid.
Today, she has seen the bird six times.
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Indefinite time
Florence has written three books on birds in the last few years.
“I have taken a lot of bird pictures in my career.”
Some keywords and phrases are often used with the present perfect.
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Words like: |
Phrases like: |
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Present Perfect vs. Simple Past
Present perfect expresses:
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Present result
She has fallen in the water.
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present result → She is now wet.
Simple past expresses:
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Past action
She fell in the water.
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not connected to the present
Present perfect expresses:
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Unfinished time
I have worked 60 hours this week.
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60 hours done
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the week isn't finished
Simple past expresses:
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Finished time
I worked 60 hours this week.
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60 hours completed
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the week is over
Present perfect expresses:
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Indefinite time
She has been here before.
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specific time is not mentioned
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she knows the place
Simple past expresses:
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Specific time
She was here last week.
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specific time → last week
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she isn’t at the location anymore
Present Perfect Forms Reminder
Affirmative Forms
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I |
have 've |
+ |
verb |
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he/she/it |
has 's |
Negative Forms
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I |
have not haven't |
+ |
verb |
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he/she/it |
has not hasn't |
Question Form
|
have |
I |
+ |
verb |
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has |
he/she/it |