Present Perfect Tense

Learn about the Present Perfect Tense in this short summary. For a longer lesson please click here.

Form

Subject + have / has + past participle verb

Uses

There are three different uses of the Present Perfect Tense.

1. Experiences

If you have done something in the past and want to tell people about it.

I have been to France.

She has eaten snails.

We have seen the Eiffel Tower.

Expand your English

Add how many times or how often you have done the activity.

I have been to France three times.

She has eaten snails every week.

We have seen the Eiffel Tower once before today.

2. Completed actions effecting present

One action in the past which effects the present.

I have washed my clothes.

He has cooked dinner.

They have rented the car.

3. Long-term ongoing actions

These are actions which started in the past and are ongoing

I have lived in London for 15 years.

It has rained for a whole month.

You have played football for 3 years.

Often we use the preposition 'for' to say how long the action has happened for.

What's the difference between the Present Perfect Tense and Present Continuous?

Click here for a blog on that subject.