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Elementary - Present Perfect

Thursday, 13 August 2009
Where have you been? Where have you been? People image created by Prostooleh - Freepik.com

English grammar lesson on-line for elementary level students - An explanation of present perfect with printable exercises.

Positive and negative

I
We
You
They
have (not) been to the United States.
He
she
it
has

Question

Where have I
you
we
they
been?
has he
she
it
Contractive forms

I've been= I have been

You've/ we've/ they've been= you have/ we have/ they have been

he's/ she's/ it's been= he has/ she has/ it has been

1) The Present Perfect refers to an action that happened some time before now.

  • She has travelled to most parts of the world.
  • Have they ever been to to any of the European countries?

2) If we need to specify when these actions happened, we must use the Past Simple.

  • She travelled to most parts of the world when she was ten.
  • They went to Germany and France two years ago.

Ever and Never

We use 'ever' for questions and 'never' for negatives.

  • Have you ever seen an horror film?
  • We've never won a competition.

Yet and Just

We use 'just' in positive sentences and 'yet' in negative sentences and questions.

  • Have you done your homework yet?
  • I haven't done my English lesson yet (but I'm going to).
  • I've just done my English lesson ( a short time before now).

Been and Gone

  • She's gone to Greece (and she is still there now).
  • She's been to Greece (sometime in her life, but now she has returned).
published in Verbs