Present Perfect Tense Examples: Definition, Structure, Rules, Exercises [PDF Available] 

English language tenses are a category for communicating with regard to time. There are various types of tenses and the examples of present perfect tenses in the blog post below fall under this group. Even though an action may have taken place in the past, the present perfect tense is employed to express it as having been finished in the present. Read the blog post below for more information in-depth on the present perfect tense examples and other crucial rules.

What is Present Perfect Tense?

The present perfect tense is a verb tense used to describe actions that are considered to be completed at the present moment, even though they may have occurred in the past. It is formed by combining the present tense of the auxiliary verb “have” (have/has) with the past participle form of the main verb.

Structure of Past Perfect Tense

Here is the structure of past perfect tense which will help you to create sentences.

Rules And Points to Remember When Using Present Perfect Tense

When using the present perfect tense in English, it’s important to keep in mind several rules and points to use it correctly. Here are some key guidelines to remember:

1. Formation of Present Perfect Tense:
   • The present perfect tense is formed by using the auxiliary verb “have” (in its different forms “have” or “has,” depending on the subject) and the past participle form of the main verb.
2. Subject-Verb Agreement:
   • 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”).
3. Past Participles:
   • Regular verbs typically form the past participle by adding “-ed” to the base form (e.g., “walked,” “talked,” “played”).
   • Irregular verbs have their own unique past participle forms (e.g., “gone,” “eaten,” “written”).
4. Time Frame:
   • The present perfect tense is used to describe actions that have relevance to the present, even if they occurred in the past.
5. Unspecified Time:
   • It is often used when the specific time of the action is not mentioned or known. For example, “I have visited London” (we don’t specify when).

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Present Perfect Tense Exceptions

Here are some exceptions and nuances related to the present perfect tense:

Stative Verbs

Stative verbs, which describe a state or condition rather than an action, are often not used in the present perfect tense. These verbs are typically used in the simple present or past tense. Examples of stative verbs include “believe,” “like,” “know,” “hate,” and “prefer.”

Incorrect: “I have known her for a long time.” [❌]
Correct: “I have believed in his ideas.” [✅]

Specific Time Expressions

The present perfect tense is generally used to describe actions or events without specifying a particular time frame. It’s not usually used with specific time expressions that refer to a past point in time. In such cases, the simple past tense is more appropriate.

Correct: “I saw that movie last night.” [✅]
Incorrect: “I have seen that movie last night.” [❌]

Unfinished Actions with “For” and “Since”

While the present perfect tense can describe actions that started in the past and continue into the present, it’s not suitable for actions explicitly stated as unfinished. In such cases, the present perfect continuous tense is more appropriate.

Correct: “I have been reading for an hour.” [✅]
Incorrect: “I have read for an hour.” [❌]

Habitual or General Statements

The present perfect is not typically used to make general or habitual statements. For these purposes, the simple present tense is more common.

Correct: “I often go to the gym.” [✅]
Incorrect: “I have often gone to the gym.” [❌]

How to Make Present Perfect Negative

To form the present perfect tense in the negative, you typically use the word “not” after the auxiliary verb “have” (for subjects like “I,” “you,” “we,” “they”) or “has” (for subjects like “he,” “she,” “it”). Here’s a structure for how to make a present perfect sentence negative:

For “have” (used with I, you, we, they): Subject + have + not + past participle

For “has” (used with he, she, it): Subject + has + not + past participle

Here are some examples:

1. Affirmative (Positive): “I have seen that movie.”
2. Negative: “I have not (haven’t) seen that movie.”
3. Affirmative: “She has finished her work.”
4. Negative: “She has not (hasn’t) finished her work.”

In informal or spoken language, contractions are often used to make negative sentences more concise:
“I have not” can be contracted to “I haven’t.”
“She has not” can be contracted to “She hasn’t.”

So, you can say:
“I haven’t seen that movie.”
“She hasn’t finished her work.”

How to Make Present Perfect Positive

To form the present perfect tense in the positive, you use the auxiliary verb “have” (for subjects like “I,” “you,” “we,” “they”) or “has” (for subjects like “he,” “she,” “it”) and the past participle form of the main verb. Here’s how to make a present perfect sentence positive:

Structure:

For “have” (used with I, you, we, they):

• Subject + have + past participle

For “has” (used with he, she, it):

• Subject + has + past participle

Here are some examples:

1. Affirmative (Positive): “I have seen that movie.”
2. Affirmative: “She has finished her work.”

In informal or spoken language, contractions are often used to make positive sentences more concise:
“I have” can be contracted to “I’ve.”
“She has” can be contracted to “She’s.”

So, you can say:
“I’ve seen that movie.”
“She’s finished her work.”

These positive sentences indicate that the actions (seeing the movie and finishing the work) have occurred and are completed.

Common Regular Verbs in Present Perfect Tense Examples

Here are some examples of common regular verbs in the present perfect tense, both in affirmative and negative forms:

Regular Verbs	Examples
Talk (Affirmative)	I have talked to her several times this week.
Talk (Negative)	I have not (haven’t) talked to him today.
Walk (Negative)	He has not (hasn’t) walked to work this week.
Play (Negative)	She has not (hasn’t) played basketball in months.
Cook (Affirmative)	He has cooked dinner for us.
Learn (Affirmative)	I have learned a new language.

Common Irregular Verbs in Present Perfect Tense Examples

Here are some examples of common irregular verbs in the present perfect tense, both in affirmative and negative forms:

Irregular Verbs	Examples
Take (Affirmative)	I  have taken a new job opportunity.
Take (Negative)	They have not (haven’t) taken that route before.
Break (Negative)	He has not (hasn’t) broken a single dish.
Drink (Affirmative)	I  have drunk a glass of water.
Break (Negative)	He has not (hasn’t) broken a single dish.
Eat (Negative)	I have not (haven’t) eaten anything all day.

Present Perfect Tense Verb Tenses Sample Exercises

Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Form of the Verb (Affirmative):

1. She __________ (visit) Paris several times.
2. I __________ (read) that book.
3. They __________ (eat) sushi.
4. He __________ (play) the guitar for years.
5. We __________ (travel) to many countries.
6. Mary __________ (cook) dinner for us.
7. The team __________ (win) the championship.
8. I __________ (study) French for a while.
9. John __________ (work) here since 2010.
10. She __________ (paint) a beautiful picture.

Answers

1. She has visited Paris several times.
2. I have read that book.
3. They have eaten sushi.
4. He has played the guitar for years.
5. We have traveled to many countries.
6. Mary has cooked dinner for us.
7. The team has won the championship.
8. I have studied French for a while.
9. John has worked here since 2010.
10. She has painted a beautiful picture.

Present Perfect Tense Verb Tenses Sample Exercises PDF

Types of Tenses Chart
Past Tense	Present Tense	Future Tense
Simple Past Tense	Simple Present Tense	Simple Future Tense
Past Continuous Tense	Present Continuous Tense	Future Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense	Present Perfect Tense	Future Perfect Tense
Past Perfect Continuous Tense	Present Perfect Continuous Tense	Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Past Unreal (Third Conditional)	Present Unreal (Second Conditional)	Future Unreal (Mixed Conditional)

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Idioms to Express Surprise	Synonyms of Welcome	Antonyms of Selfish
Idioms to Express Friendship	Synonyms of Cry	Antonyms of Victim
Idioms to Express Excitement	Synonyms of Huge	Antonyms of Misogyny
No Pain No Gain Meaning, Synonyms, Examples	Synonyms of Jovial	Antonyms of Lazy

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