Present Perfect Tense

The Present Perfect Tense is used to indicate completed activities in the immediate past as "He has just gone out". Actions in this tense are complete without specific time such as two years ago, last week or that day. For example: "I have done my homework (= now I am free)" a complete action in recent past. It means that this tense expresses the action whose time when it happened, is not exactly specified but it sounds to refer to some action that happened or completed in near past.

Rules: Helping verb "has" or "have" is used before 3rd form of verb in sentence.

Structure of Sentence

Positive Sentence

• Subject + helping verb ("has" or "have") + (3rd form of verb) + object

• If the subject is "he, she, it or singular proper noun" then helping verb "has" is used after subject.
• If the subject is "they, we, you, I or plural noun" then helping verb "have" is used in place of "has".

Examples

1. He has eaten orange.
2. We have eaten guavas.

Negative Sentence

• Subject + helping verb ("has" or "have") + not + (3rd form of verb) + object

• "not" is added between helping verb and verb.
• In negative sentences of Present Perfect Tense, other rules for using helping verb ("has" or "have") are same as mentioned above in positive sentence.

Examples

1. He has not eaten oranges.
2. We have not eaten guavas.

Interrogative Sentence

• Helping verb ("Has" or "Have") + subject + (3rd form of verb) + object

• In Present Perfect Tense, interrogative sentence starts with helping verb ("Has" or "Have").
• Rule of using "has" or "have" is same as mentioned in positive sentences.

Examples

1. Has he eaten oranges?
2. Have we eaten fruits?

• The words "what, where, when, how, etc." will be used before "has" or "have" in such kind of interrogative sentences for example; "What have you eaten?".

Interrogative Negative Sentence

• Helping verb ("Has" or "Have") + subject + not + (3rd form of verb) + object

• Helping verb "Has" or "Have" is placed at the beginning of the sentence and "not" is used after the subject.

Examples

1. Has he not eaten oranges?
2. Have we not eaten guavas?

• The Present Perfect Tense is never used with adverbs of past time. We should not say, for example, 'He has gone to Kolkata yesterday'. In such cases the Simple Past Tense should be used ('He went to Kolkata yesterday').

Rule: Must put Question Mark (?) in the end of interrogative and negative interrogative sentences.

More Examples of Present Perfect Tense

Positive Sentences

1. I have watched television.
2. We have read newspaper.
3. They have played football.
4. You have loved swimming.
5. She has cooked food.
6. He has taught English.
7. It has rained in morning.

Negative Sentences

1. I have not watched television.
2. We have not read newspaper.
3. They have not played football.
4. You have not loved swimming.
5. She has not cooked food.
6. He has not taught English.
7. It has not rained in morning.

Interrogative Sentences

1. Have I watched television?
2. Have we read newspaper?
3. Have they played football?
4. Have you loved swimming?
5. Has she cooked food?
6. Has he taught English?
7. Has it rained in morning?
8. What has he brought from market?

Interrogative Negative Sentences

1. Have I not watched television?
2. Have we not read newspaper?
3. Have they not played football?
4. Have you not loved swimming?
5. Has she not cooked food?
6. Has he not taught English?
7. Has it not rained in morning?

1. Present Simple (Indefinite) Tense
2. Present Continuous Tense
3. Present Perfect Tense
4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

5. Past Simple (Indefinite) Tense
6. Past Continuous Tense
7. Past Perfect Tense
8. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

9. Future Indefinite (Simple) Tense
10. Future Continuous Tense
11. Future Perfect Tense
12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

1. How Many Tenses in English
2. The Sequence of Tenses