The present perfect simple

The present perfect simple has these uses:

  • It is used to talk about an action which began in the past and continues to the present.


I have always loved trees.
I have gone to the National Forest Conference for the last six years.

  • It is used to talk about an action that happened in the past where the time is not mentioned.
    If the time is mentioned, you must use the simple past. (Also, see the rules about unfinished time and finished time below.)

I have been to three conferences on air pollution. (present perfect simple)
I went to the conferences in 2000, 2002 and 2004. (simple past)
They have decided to make me President of the group. (present perfect simple)
They decided this in a meeting yesterday. (simple past)

  • It is used with words like since 2003, this week and today. These words describe an unfinished time.

I have worked here since 2003.
I have read three articles today about trees and pollution.

Note: It is never used with time words like last week, last year, yesterday, five minutes ago, in 1995 etc. These words describe a finished time.

Wrong: I have planted three trees last year.
Correct: I planted three trees last year.

  • It is used with just, already and recently.

I have just read an article about trees and pollution.
I have recently planted some oak trees in my garden.

  • It is often used with never and yet. It is used in questions with ever.

I have never planted a tree.
We haven't planted any trees yet.
Have you ever hugged a tree?

The present perfect simple tense is made with has/have + the past participle.

I / we / you / they have always loved trees.
He / she / it has always loved trees.

I / we / you / they have never had asthma.
He / she / it has never had asthma.

Have I / we / you / they / ever planted a tree?
Has she / he / it ever planted a tree?

Exercise 1:
Fill the gaps in the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Put them in the present perfect simple.

a. I __________ a lot of articles about this problem. (read)
b. He __________to Canada. (go)
c. __________ you ever __________ on a farm? (work)
d. We __________more and more trees from our city over the last ten years. (lose)
e. She __________ very kind to me. (be)
f. I __________ on a farm all my life. (live)
g. They __________ us to build new pigsties for our pigs.(tell)
h. We __________ pigs for the last six years. (keep)

Exercise 2:
Here are some time words. Sort the words into two groups.
Group A: Those words that describe a finished time
Group B: Those that describe an unfinished time. (Two are done for you as an example.)

in 2003, this week, last year, since 2002, two minutes ago, yesterday, this month, three weeks ago, on Saturday, today, this evening

Finished

Unfinished

in 2003

this week


Exercise 3:
Fill the gaps in the sentences with the verb in the brackets. Use either the present perfect simple or the simple past tense.

a. I _______ on a farm in 2003. (work)
b. I _______ on a farm since 2004. (live)
c. I _______ six pigs this month. (sell)
d. I _______ the pigsty yesterday. (clean)
e. I _______ the news about the new pig law five minutes ago. (hear)
f. It _______ sunny and windy today. (be)

Answer Key:
Exercise 1
a. I have read a lot of articles about this problem.
b. He has gone to Canada.
c. Have you ever worked on a farm?
d. We have lost more and more trees from our city over the last ten years.
e. She has been very kind to me.
f. I have lived on a farm all my life.
g. They have told us to build new pigsties for our pigs.
h. We have kept pigs for the last six years.

Exercise 2
Group A Finished Time: last year, two minutes ago, yesterday, three weeks ago, on Saturday,
Group B Unfinished Time: since 2002, this month, today, this evening

Exercise 3
a. I worked on a farm in 2003.
b. I have lived on a farm since 2004.
c. I have sold six pigs this month.
d. I cleaned the pigsty yesterday.
e. I heard the news about the new pig law five minutes ago.
f. It has been sunny and windy today.