4ºESO- GRAMMAR - PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

PRESENT PERFECT

Affirmative
I/he/she/it we/you/they	have/ ‘ve has	learned
Negative
I/ he/she/it we/you/they	have not/ haven`t has not / hasn’t	learned
Interrogative
Have  (Wh- ) +                            Has	I/ he/she/it we/you/they	learned?
Time expressions: how long …?, ever, never, for, since, already, just, yet, still

USES

·         To describe actions or states which started in the past and continues in the present:

I’ve known him since last summer.

·         To describe past actions which have an effect in the present:

I’ve lost my keys so I can’t get into my house.

·         To describe past experiences: Have you ever been to Thailand?

CONTRAST BETWEEN PAST SIMPLE AND PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

The main difference between these two forms is their relation to present time. The past simple is used to refer to a specific moment in the past and it is usually used with time expressions which indicate when the action took place (yesterday, last week, five days ago, etc). The present perfect simple is used when the action has a result in the present either because the action is still continuing or because the period to time in which the action took place is not finished. The most important thing is the action itself, not when it happened. We use expressions such as for, since, ever and never with the present perfect simple but not time expressions such as last year, yesterday, etc

                I lived in the USA when I was younger (I don’t live in the USA now).

                They’ve lived in Spain for two years (They live in Spain now).

                I broke my ankle playing football yesterday (We know when this event happened)

                I’ve broken my ankle so I can’t walk (the important thing here is the relationship with   

                                                                                the present)

COMMON TIME EXPRESSIONS WITH THE PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

FOR AND SINCE

For is used to express duration: He’s been a doctor for ten years

Since is used to express the point in time when the action started: She’s been a Liverpool fan since she was a child.

YET, STILL, JUST AND ALREADY

Yet is used at the end of negative sentences to describe an action that hasn’t happened but is expected (we can also use STILL with this sense. It goes before the auxiliary verb). Yet is also used at the end of  interrogative sentences to ask if an expected action has happened.

            The plane hasn’t arrived yet -  The plane still hasn’t arrived

                Have you done your exams yet?

Already is used in affirmative sentences to describe an action that has happened before it was expected. It is also used in interrogative sentences to indicate surprise that an action was completed before it was expected.

            I’ve already seen that film.

                Has your sister had her baby already?

EVER AND NEVER

Ever is used in interrogative sentences to ask about past experiences Have you ever visited London?

Never is used to describe an action that hasn’t happened in your life I’ve never met a celebrity.

BEEN AND GONE

Been means travelled away and come back. Gone means travelled away.

            I’ve been to the cinema (I went to the cinema, watched the film and came back)

            My friend has gone to the cinema (My friend is still at the cinema. He hasn’t returned yet)

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

Afirmativa
I	‘ve	practised
he / she / it	‘s
you / we / they	‘ve

Negativa
I	haven’t	practised
he / she / it	hasn’t
you / we / they	haven’t

Interrogativa
Have	I	practised?
Has	he / she / it
Have	you / we/ they

Estructura

Afirmativa:   el present perfect simple se construye con el presente del verbo to have seguido del           

                                participio pasado del verbo principal.

               Ejemplos: They have travelled around the world. (Han viajado por todo el mundo.)

                                    Jonathan has climbed Mount Everest. (Jonathan ha subido al Everest.)

Negativa:   la forma negativa se construye con el auxiliar have / has (has para la 3ª  persona del                       

                   singular, have para el resto) seguido de not y el participio  pasado del verbo principal.

                   Ejemplos: We haven’t been to Cuba.        (nunca hemos ido a Cuba.)

                                    Jim hasn’t finished writing his novel.(Jim no ha acabado de escribir su novela)

¡Recuerda!    que haven’t y hasn’t son las contracciones de have not y has not respectivamente.

Interrogativa:   se construye colocando el auxiliar have / has delante del sujeto (has para la 3ª persona del    

                            singular, have para el resto), al que sigue el participio  pasado del verbo principal.

                Ejemplos:    Have you been to the dentist?        (¿has ido al dentista?)

                                     Has he asked you for help?         (¿Os ha pedido ayuda?)

Usos

El present perfect simple se utiliza para hablar de:

• Cosas que empezaron en el pasado y continuan en el presente.

Ejemplos:   I’ve worn contact lenses since I was 15 (Llevo lentillas desde los 15 años)

                                 How long have you lived here? (¿Cuánto tiempo hace que vivís aquí?)

• Experiencias que hemos vivido, pero sin especificar cuándo.

Ejemplos:    We’ve been to Finland twice.(Hemos estado en Finlandia dos veces.)

                                   Has she ever travelled by Concord?(¿Ha viajado alguna vez en Concord?

• Algo que sucedió en el pasado y tiene un efecto en el presente.

Ejemplos:    I’ve forgotten her phone number, so I can’t pone her.

                                           (He olvidado su número de teléfono, así que no puedo llamarla.)

                                   He’s finished his homework, so he can go to the party now.

                                          (Ha acabado de hacer los deberes, así que ya puede ir a la fiesta.)

                                      

¡Recuerda! que, cuando utilizamos el present perfect simple, a menudo no especificamos el momento ni la fecha en la que han sucedido los hechos; por el contrario, con el past simple es frecuente utilizar expresiones de tiempo.    Ejemplos:   He’s gone.   (Se ha marchado)                       He went yesterday.   (Se fue ayer.)                       Have you griten your essay?                       (¿Has hecho la redacción?)                       I finished it last night.   (La acabé anoche.)    ¡Recuerda también!    Que los participios pasados been y gone marcan significados diferentes en frases construidas en present perfect simple.     Ejemplos:    John has been to Bilbao. (he went and came back) (John ha estado en Bilbao.)                         John has gone to Bilbao.  (he’s still there)  (John se ha ido a Bilbao.)

FOR AND SINCE

for

He’s had a motorbike for two months.    They’ve lived in Portugal for ten years.

  

since

He’s had a motorbike since his birthday.    I’ve known my best friend since I was four.

  

Estructura y usos

For y since expresan la duración de una acción que llega hasta el momento actual. Es importante tener claro en qué contexto se utiliza cada preposición, ya que no son intercambiables.

• For:  describe el tiempo que ha durado la acción, sin referirse al momento concreto en el que comenzó.

              Ejemplos:    I’ve been here for three days. / for a year / for a long time.

                                      (Llevo aquí tres días / un año / mucho tiempo.)

                                  We’ve known them for years.  (Hace años que los conocemos.)

                        

• Since:  marca el periodo de tiempo que dura la acción, centrándose en el momento en el que comenzó.

Ejemplos:    He’s had a pasión for mountains since he was 8 years old / since 2002.

                                        (Ha sido un apasionado de la montaña desde que tenía 8 años / desde 2002.

                                  She’s worked here since last summer / since June.

                                    (Trabaja aquí desde el verano pasado / desde Junio.)

ALREADY / JUST / YET

already

The’ve already bought their Christmas presents.    She’s already seen that film.

  

just

He’s just had his breakfast.    I’ve just sent an e-mail to Mary.

yet

He hasn’t had lunch yet.    Have you finished yet?

Estructura y usos

• Already: se coloca entre el auxiliar have / has y el participio pasado del verbo principal. Se traduce por “ya”, e indica que la acción a la que nos referimos se ha completado.

               Ejemplos:John has already finished the exam.    (John ya ha terminado el examen)

                               The’ve already sold the flat.             (Ya han vendido el piso.)

• Just:  se traduce por “acabar de”  (acabo de, acabamos de, etc.) y suele indicar que la acción a la que nos referimos ha sucedido hace muy poco tiempo.

Ejemplos: Elena’s just bought a car.      (Elena acaba de comprarse un coche.)                             

                                 I’ve just met his girlfriend.       (Acabo de conocer a su novia.)

• Yet:   se utiliza en oraciones negativas e interrogativas. Aunque su traducción general sería el adverbio “ya”, a veces se suele omitir en la frase castellana, y otras veces se traduce como “aún / todavía”.

Ejemplos:  Have you seen `The Lord of the Rings´ yet?

                          (Has visto ya `El señor de los anillos´?)

                                  I haven’t read the book yet.           (Aún no he leído el libro.)

¡Recuerda!    que already y just se colocan entre el auxiliar have / has y el participio pasado del verbo principal, mientras que yet     aparece al final de la frase.