- We use it to talk about our experience up to the present (the experience is relevant, not when it happened). We often use it with ever, never or before.
- I have never been to Australia.
- Have you ever seen such a silly person?
- I have read the book before.
- We use the present perfect simple with state verbs to talk about actions or situations that started in the past and continue to the present. To refer to a period of time, we use since, for, and how long.
- We have had the car since last week.
- We have been married for twenty years.
- We use it with: just, yet, already:
just: When something has happened very short time ago;
- He has just finished his report.
- I have just paid the gas bill.
Note!
just now/a moment ago are synonyms but we use them with past simple
- I saw her just now. x I’ve just seen her.
- I spoke to him a moment ago. x I’ve just spoken to him.
yet: We use yet in questions and negative statements and usually put it at the end of the sentence. It refers to a time which starts in the past and continues up to the present:
- Has she finished her homework yet?
- I haven’t spoken to her yet.
- She hasn’t called me back yet.
- Have you met my wife yet?
already: We use already to say that something has happened earlier than we expected.
- Do your homework first, please! – But I’ve already done it!
- Could you do the washing up? – I’ve already done it.
- We use it with: so far, until now, till now, up to now. It is something that started in the past and has lasted up to the present.
- I’ve read ten pages so far.
- How much have you saved up to now?
- We use present perfect simple lately, recently with state verbs. They generally go at the end of the sentence.
- Have you been to the library lately? (state verb)
- I haven’t been sleeping well recently. (it’s typically used with present perfect continuous)
- We use it when the result of a past action is connected to the present, and the result is significant, not when it happened.
- I’ve lost my keys. (and I can’t get home now)
- I lost my keys yesterday. (it’s sorted out now, I have new keys)
- Have you seen Game of Thrones? (I’d like to talk about it, so it doesn’t matter when but if you have seen it)
- We usually use present perfect simple after the pattern It is/This is/will be the first time ….
- It’s the first time I’ve seen our boss.
- This is the second time she has been abroad.
- This week/this morning/this month/this year/today can be used with the past simple or the present perfect verbs.
- The post hasn’t arrived today. (it is, for example, 9 a.m., and it still may arrive).
- The post did not arrive. (it is, for example, 5 p.m., and I do not expect it to arrive).
Note!
Shakespeare wrote ten historical plays. X Stephen King has published 61 novels.
(It is finished). (He is still alive, so he may write more)
Note!
Have gone to, have been to, have been in
- She has gone to Boston. (she is not here at the moment, she is in Boston now)
———————————————————–> - She has been to Boston. (she left for Boston and has already been back)
———————————————————–>
<———————————————————- - She has been in Boston for a year. (she has been living or staying in Boston)
———————————————————>
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