Unveiling the World of Present Perfect: By Oleksii Parfeniuk (Student's Work)

 

Unveiling the World of Present Perfect

The tense of Present Perfect in the English language might seem a bit intricate for beginners, yet it adds flexibility and precision in expressing the timing of events.

What Is It?

Present Perfect is used to link the past with the present. It indicates an action that happened in the past but has relevance to the present moment. The basic formula for this tense is have/has + past participle (for past tense verbs) or have/has + been + verb with -ing (for ongoing actions).

When to Use It?

1. Actions that occurred at an unspecified time in the past but have relevance to the present:

• I have visited Paris.

2. Actions that have just occurred:

• She has just finished her work.

3. Actions that started in the past and have a connection to the present:

• They have been studying English for five years.

Difference Between Present Perfect and Past Simple

The main difference lies in Present Perfect's connection to the present, while Past Simple refers to a specific time in the past. For instance:

• Present Perfect: I have lost my keys. - The lost keys have a relevance to the present.

• Past Simple: I lost my keys yesterday. - There's a specific time mentioned when it happened.

1.     1. Choose the answer. Read the sentence. Circle the correct answer.

a. I’ve _________ to South Africa.                                 go / been / went

b. She’s never _______ pizza with chocolate!                 eaten / eat / ate

c. He never _________ made a snowman.                      was / have / has

d. Have you ever _________ off your bike?                    fallen / fell / fall

e. I _________ ridden a camel.                                       ’s / ’ve / ’m

f. We’ve _________ the Pyramids.                                 see / saw / seen

g. They _________ been skiing.                                     haven’t / hasn’t / weren’t

h. How many countries has she _________?                   visit / visited / visiting

2.     2. Make it right! Find the mistake in each sentence and correct it.

a. I’ve meet my favourite actor!                            I’ve met my favourite actor!   

b. He’s try snowboarding and skiing.                                                                  

c. She haven’t read any Shakespeare plays.                                                         

d. I’ve never broke my leg.                                                                                 

e. Has you ever given your teacher a present?                                                      

f. We’ve ran two marathons.                                                                              

g. They’s built their own house.                                                                         

h. Has he ever have Thai green curry?                                                                

Practice Makes Perfect

Mastering Present Perfect requires practice. Use it in various contexts, create sentences, and narrate stories using this tense.

Remember, mistakes are part of the learning process. Try employing Present Perfect in everyday conversations; it will help you grasp it faster!

I hope this article helps in understanding Present Perfect! If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to ask!