Present Perfect Simple

The present perfect simple expresses an action that is still going on or that stopped recently, but has an influence on the present. It puts emphasis on the result.

Form of Present Perfect

	Positive	Negative	Question
I / you / we / they	I have spoken.	I have not spoken.	Have I spoken?
he / she / it	He has spoken.	He has not spoken.	Has he spoken?

For irregular verbs, use the participle form. For regular verbs, just add “ed”.

Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ‘ed’

Exceptions in spelling when adding ed	Example
after a final e only add d	love – loved
final consonant after a short, stressed vowel or l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled	admit – admitted travel – travelled
final y after a consonant becomes i	hurry – hurried

Use of Present Perfect

• puts emphasis on the result

Example: She has written five letters.

• action that is still going on

Example: School has not started yet.

• action that stopped recently

Example: She has cooked dinner.

• finished action that has an influence on the present

Example: I have lost my key.

• action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking

Example: I have never been to Australia.

Signal Words of Present Perfect

already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now

Activities

• Grammar and five activities from Eclectic English.
• From Perfect English Grammar, different exercises about the form of the present perfect simple.
• From English Grammar 4 You, a bunch of exercises and three level tests.
• A short explanation and several exercises taken from English 4 You.
• From Agendaweb, lots of exercises of all kind about this tense.