English Grammar: Present Perfect
Choose the most suitable verb form in each sentence.
1) Silvia is writing/has been writing/has written this letter for the last 30 minutes.
2) Have you given/Did you give Laura the flowers when you have seen/saw her?
3) Did you meet/Have you met anyone interesting on your holiday?
4) Hi Sergio, have you found/did you find your notes?
Answers:
1) Silvia is writing/has been writing/has written this letter for the last 30 minutes.
Silvia has been writing this letter for the last 30 minutes.
2) Have you given/Did you give Laura the flowers when you have seen/saw her?
Did you give Laura the flowers when you saw her?
3) Did you meet/Have you met anyone interesting on your holiday?
Have you met anyone interesting on your holiday?
4) Hi Sergio, have you found/did you find your notes?
Hi Sergio, have you found your notes?
Extra examples & explanation:
Present perfect is:
Subject + have / has + past participle
Example:
I have studied maths.
She has travelled a lot.
Basic rules:
1) We use present perfect when there is a connection with the present.
(Usamos el presente perfecto cuando hay una conexión con el presente)
She has gone to London. (Ella se ha ido a Londres)
It means that she is in London now. (Esto significa que ella está en Londres ahora)
2) If something has happened recently
(Si algo ha sucedido recientemente)
I have brushed my teeth. (Me he lavado los dientes)
3) If it's the first time that something happens
(Si es la primera vez que algo sucede)
It's the first time they have studied algebra (Es la primera vez que han estudiado álgebra)
4) An experience
(Una experiencia)
Have you ever been to New York? (¿Has estado alguna vez en Nueva York?)
Note: If we are interested in the result, instead of when it happened, we use present peferct. Otherwise, we use another tense.
(Nota: Si estamos interesados en el resultado, en vez de cuándo sucedió, utilizamos present perfect. De otro modo, utilizamos otro tiempo)
Have you opened the window? --> Yes, I have / No, I haven't (¿Has abierto la ventana?)
When did you open the window? --> I opened it three minutes ago (¿Cuándo abriste la ventana? La abrí hace tres minutos)
6) Compare these two situations
Shakespeare wrote a lot of plays [He is dead => Past tense]
Arturo Pérez-Reverte has written a lot of books. [He is still alive => Present perfect]
7) Rephrasing:
The last time I saw Raquel was 4 months ago = I haven't seen Raquel for 4 months.
8) Some words (Algunas palabras)
Already : ya => I have already finished my homework. (Affirmative)
Yet : todavía => I haven't finished my homework yet. (Negative)
Yet : ya => Have you finished your homework yet? (Interrogative)
For : durante => She has been working for three hours.
Since : desde => She has been working since three o'clock.
Just : acaba de => They have just finished their job.
Been : estado => Have you been to Madrid? [You are not there now] [Tú no estás allí ahora]
Gone : ido => She has gone to the bank [She is outside now. Either she is there now or on her way there] [Ella está fuera ahora. O está allí ahora o de camino]
Ever : Alguna vez => Have you ever been to Canada? (Interrogative)
Ever : Nunca => I haven't ever been to Canada (Negative) (Nunca he estado en Canadá)
Never : Nunca => I have never been to Canada (Affirmative) (Nunca he estado en Canandá)
How long : Hace cuánto que => How long have you been working on this project? (Literal: ¿Hace cuánto que has estado trabajando en este proyecto? No tan literal: ¿Cuánto tiempo llevas trabajando en este proyecto?)
Note: Please, pay attention to the position.
[Nota: Por favor, presta atención a la posición]
