What is Present Perfect Tense?
The present perfect tense is used to show an action that happened recently and still affects the present or an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past. It is formed using "have" or "has" plus the past participle of the verb.
Here are three examples of present perfect tense:
- I have finished my homework.
- She has visited Paris twice.
- They have already eaten dinner.
Subject Verb Explanation:
Use “have” with plural subjects (e.g., “I have,” “you have,” “they have”).
Use “has” with singular subjects (e.g., “he has,” “she has,” “it has”).
How to Make Sentences in the Present Perfect Tense?
The Present Perfect Tense has simple rules for forming positive, negative, and question sentences. Let’s look at each type with easy explanations and examples:
Affirmative or Positive Sentences
Affirmative sentences describe actions that happened in the past but still have a connection to the present. The structure of affirmative sentences is:
Structure: Subject + has/have + past participle + object
Here are 5 positive sentences in the present perfect tense:
- I have completed my project.
- She has visited the museum several times.
- We have finished our dinner.
- He has bought a new car.
- They have learned a new language.
Negative Sentences
Negative sentences in the Present Perfect Tense show that an action has not happened up to the present moment. The structure of negative sentences is:
Structure: Subject + has/have + not + past participle + object
Here are 5 negative sentences in the present perfect tense:
- I have not completed my project.
- She has not visited the museum several times.
- We have not finished our dinner.
- He has not bought a new car.
- They have not learned a new language.
Interrogative Sentences
To ask questions in the Present Perfect Tense, we use "has" or "have" before the subject. When using question words like where, what, and when, they come at the beginning of the sentence, followed by "has" or "have."
Structure: Question Word + has/have + Subject + past participle + Object?
Here are 5 interrogative sentences in the present perfect tense:
- Have I completed my project?
- Has she visited the museum several times?
- Have we finished our dinner?
- Has he bought a new car?
- Have they learned a new language?
