Simple Past or Present Perfect Simple
Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
- I (just / finish) my homework.
- Mary (already / write) five letters.
- Tom (move) to this town in 1994.
- My friend (be) in Canada two years ago.
- I (not / be) to Canada so far.
- But I (already / travel) to London a couple of times.
- Last week, Mary and Paul (go) to the cinema.
- I can't take any pictures because I (not / buy) a new film yet.
- (they / spend) their holiday in New Zealand last summer?
- (you / ever / see) a whale?
With English, the World is Your Oyster!
- Listening Skills
- TED Talk Lessons
- What are Idioms?
- Visual Idiom Examples
- Idioms Lists
- About Nicole
- Privacy Policy
Using the Present Perfect Tense
Are you wondering when to use the present perfect tense? Or I should say, "have you learned" when to use the present perfect? We use this tense to talk about an action that started in the past and has a connection to the present.
[Note: Click here to learn how to form the present perfect.]
Use #1: Describe past situations / things that have a strong connection to the present
We use the present perfect simple to describe an action or state that started at an unknown or unspecified time in the past AND has a connection to the present .
Learners are sometimes confused by this. They ask, if this tense is called the "present" perfect, why are we talking about "past" actions? Excellent question.
With this tense we're talking about the past and the present . These actions or situations may have started and ended in the past but we are focusing on the effect of this action now in the present moment. Let's look at some examples to try to make this clearer:
- Your poor grades have become a problem. (The result now is that there is a problem.)
- Have you seen Selma? (Where is she now?)
- She 's gone to school. (She left home and is at school now.)
- Take off your shoes. I have just cleaned the floor. (A short while ago I mopped the dirty floor and it is clean now.)
- I can't find my keys. Have you seen them? (I lost my keys and can't find them now.)
- Have you done your homework? (Is your homework finished now?)
- I started but I haven't finished my homework yet. (My homework is not finished now.)
- I've been sick all day. (I'm still sick now.)
In each of these examples we are focusing on the result now or why the action is important at this present time.
Use #2: Describe past actions or conditions that continue in the present
It's usually easier for learners to understand the second use which is for actions that started in the past and are still continuing in the present moment.
The tense helps to answer " how long ago " something has been happening (in relation to now) or for how long a period of time something has been happening.
FOR / SINCE
We often use the words " since " (after a specific time) or " for " (a period of time) with this usage.
- We have lived here for 25 years.(We came here 25 years ago and still live here.)
- My parents have been married since 1967. (They're still married.)
- We 've waited 20 minutes already for the bus. (We are still waiting.)
- My daughter has been sick for a week.
- I haven’t slept for two days.
- We haven’t seen each other since high school.
- I haven’t had a drink since the accident.
- He hasn’t dated anyone since his wife left him.
- I haven’t smoked a cigarette for three months now.
Note : we cannot use the present perfect tense with a completed time word. For example:
- Wrong: We have seen the movie last night. (Correct: we saw the movie last night.)
- Wrong : Yesterday, I had worked very late. (Correct: Yesterday, I worked very late.)
With finished time words we use the present simple.
Use #3: To ask about whether we ever had past experiences
We frequently use the present perfect tense to ask or talk about whether someone has experienced something during their life (at any time in the past until this moment).
EVER / NEVER / BEFORE
Often, we use the words " ever " (in questions) and " never ". We will sometimes also add the word " before ."
- Have you ever eaten fried insects?
- No, I haven't tried fried insects and never will.
- Has Jimmy ever been this sick before?
- Have you taken private English lessons?
- I ' ve never travelled by train before.
- Have the children ever done something like this before?
- Never in my life have I been so much in love.
Adverbs that are frequently used with the present perfect tense: Already / yet / just / still
The following words (adverbials) are often used with the present perfect tense:
Just describes something that happened a short time before this moment.
- I 've just received your email and will read it now.
- He 's just arrived , I hear the car pulling to the garage.
- I'm so excited. Lady Gaga has just released her latest album.
Just about means that something that was started is almost finished .
- I 've just about finished this novel.
- Have you finished the report yet? Just about .
- I 've just about used up all the milk.
Already has two main meanings:
1. Already = before this time (before now)
- Where's that letter? I 've already mailed it.
- Can I help you clean? I 've already swept to the floor but you can vacuum the carpet.
- We 've already eaten at that restaurant so let's go somewhere else.
2. Already = so soon (something happened quickly or earlier than expected)
- We need to take the trash out. I 've already taken it out.
- Has my boyfriend arrived already? I'm still getting dressed.
- You don't have to ask. Your mother has already ironed your shirt.
Yet = at this time , until this time , as soon as this time
Note : Yet usually comes at the end of the sentence. We use yet with negative statements and questions.
- Have my parents arrived yet? (They are expected to arrive soon.)
- Have you finished the report yet? (It should be done or finished soon.)
- He hasn't called yet. (Until this time he hasn't called but he should call soon.)
- It's 3 o'clock and I haven't had lunch yet .
We use still in negative sentences with the present perfect to emphasize an action or situation happening or existing before now and continuing into the present:
- I can't believe you still haven't written your paper.
- He said he sent an email an hour ago but I still haven't received it.
- We still haven't decided what to eat for lunch.
If you need to review how to form the present perfect tense please check this page. I go over the positive and negative forms, questions, review the irregular past participles and spelling changes and give lots of examples.
- Main Grammar Page
- Using the Present Perfect
Listening | TED Talks | Speaking | Grammar | Vocabulary | Idioms | Blog
Copyright © 2013-2024 OysterEnglish.com All rights reserved | Privacy policy
Perfectyourenglish.com
English Grammar Lessons And Worksheets
I’ve Finished vs. I’m Finished
by Manjusha Nambiar · September 19, 2019
- I have finished the job.
- She has not yet finished working on the project.
Finished can also be used as an adjective after a form of be (is, am, are, was and were). In this case, it means ready .
Note that the sentence I have nearly finished means more or less the same as the sentence I am nearly finished . Both sentences can be used to mean I am almost ready .
The structure be + finished is mainly used in informal English.
Study the examples given below.
- Wait a minute. I’m nearly finished. / I’ve nearly finished.
- I went to the studio to get the photos, but they weren’t / hadn’t finished . (= The photos weren’t ready.)
Related posts:
- Present And Past Participle
- Perfect Infinitive, Passive Infinitive, Progressive Infinitive | Different Forms Of Infinitives
- Sentence Fragments
- Passive Voice Worksheet For Class 8 | Present Perfect Tense
- Rather Than vs. Would Rather
- If I Were You
- Finite And Non-finite Verbs
Tags: I am finished I have finished
Manjusha Nambiar
Hi, I am Manjusha. This is my blog where I give English grammar lessons and worksheets.
- Next story Fit vs. Suit
- Previous story Finally, At Last, In The End, At The End
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Explore perfectyourenglish.com
Useful links
- English Grammar
Learn English with me
If you need one-on-one private tuition, please send an email to [email protected]
- A word a day
- B2 First (Cambridge English)
- Bank PO English
- CBSE Grammar Worksheets
- Class 10 worksheets
- Class 11 Worksheets
- Class 2 Worksheets
- Class 3 worksheets
- Class 4 worksheets
- Class 5 worksheets
- Class 6 worksheets
- Class 7 worksheets
- Class 8 worksheets
- Class 9 and 10 worksheets
- Class 9 worksheets
- Grammar exercises
- Karnataka Board English
- Kerala Syllabus English
- Maharashtra Syllabus English
- Phrasal verbs
- PSC Coaching
- Reading comprehension
- Sample Letters
- Tamil Nadu Board English
- Test Preparation
- Uncategorized
- Vocabulary exercises
Never Miss an Update!
Enter your email address to receive our lessons in your inbox:
Delivered by FeedBurner
Sites in our network
NCERT Guides
Learn Maths Online | Free NCERT Maths Solutions
Recent Posts
- Wealthy Nations Should Help Poor Countries During Natural Calamities
- Local Shops Have Closed Because of Online Shopping | IELTS Essay Sample
- Letter to the Editor about Incorrect Information in an Article
- Number of Films Produced in Five Countries | IELTS Report Sample
- Advertisement for a Baby Sitter | IELTS Letter Sample
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
"To Have Finished (Something)", meaning something has been completed. Here are some examples: "You are finished! You will never work in this city again!" "I have finished my homework. My homework is finished." "I can't take another step, I'm finished, I'm through." "Sir, you haven't finished your steak." "No, I'm finished with this steak ...
Either way the examples do have broadly similar meanings but there are significant differences, including these below: I finished my homework. I completed my homework at some time in the past. I might have started the work previously and set it aside, but during the session in question, I completed the work.
Personally, I'd use it in conversation (though more often 'I've done') but usually switch to 'I've finished' if I considered a more formal register preferable. Looking at the choice of verb/auxiliary, have is obviously an auxiliary forming the perfect in 'I have finished' (and 'I have done').
I ‘ve already finished my homework. We use yet in negative sentences and questions to talk about things that we expect to happen soon. Yet goes at the end of the sentence.
I have finished my homework. is stating that the event in the past has some present relevance. Sometimes the present relevance is that it is very recent (your picture 2); but other times it will have a different significance. For example, Do you want to go out? No, I've got my homework to do.
Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple). I (just / finish) my homework. Mary (already / write) five letters. Tom (move) to this town in 1994. My friend (be) in Canada two years ago. I (not / be) to Canada so far.
Also, in proper English usage, I have finished is preferred over I am finished. So, in that sense only the following (from your list) are correct: I have "To Kill a Mockingbird" on my list.
The present perfect tense describes an action that started in the past and continues in the present. We'll review why we use it and the frequently used words (yet, still, already) with this tense.
Present Perfect is also used to talk about something recently finished. I have already done my homework: This means you finished your homework somewhere before now. It is an unspecified time in the past. We don’t know when the person did it.
I’ve Finished vs. I’m Finished. by Manjusha Nambiar · September 19, 2019. Sharing is caring! Finished is the past participle form of finish. As a past participle, it can be used to form perfect tenses. I have finished the job. She has not yet finished working on the project.