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Unit 7 · Present perfect and past

Present perfect 1 (I have done)

Study

A

Tom can't find his key.

›

He's lost his key. (= He has lost …)

he has lost his key = he lost it and he doesn't have it now

have lost / has lost is the present perfect simple:

I / we / they / you have (= I've etc.) finished
he / she / it has (= he's etc.) lost
done
been etc.

The present perfect simple is have/has + past participle. The past participle often ends in -ed (finished/decided etc.), but many verbs are irregular (lost/done/written etc.).

For a list of irregular verbs, see Appendix 1.

B

When we say 'something has happened', this is usually new information:

›

Ow! I've cut my finger.

›

The road is closed. There's been an accident. (= There has been …)

›

Police have arrested two men in connection with the robbery.

When we use the present perfect, there is a connection with now. The action in the past has a result now:

›

Tom has lost his key. (= he doesn't have it now)

›

He told me his name, but I've forgotten it. (= I can't remember it now)

›

Sally is still here. She hasn't gone out. (= she is here now)

›

I can't find my bag. Have you seen it? (= do you know where it is now?)

Compare gone (to) and been (to):

›

James is on holiday. He has gone to Italy. (= he is there now or on his way there)

›

Amy is back home now. She has been to Italy. (= she has now come back)

C

You can use the present perfect with just, already and yet.

Just = a short time ago:

›

'Are you hungry?' 'No, I've just had lunch.'

›

Hello. Have you just arrived?

Already = sooner than expected:

›

'Don't forget to pay the bill.' 'I've already paid it.'

›

'What time is Mark leaving?' 'He's already left.'

Yet = until now. We use yet to show that we are expecting something to happen.

We use yet in questions and negative sentences:

›

Has it stopped raining yet?

›

I've written the email, but I haven't sent it yet.

D

You can also use the past simple (did, went, had etc.) in the examples on this page. So you can say:

›

Ben isn't here. He's gone out. or He went out.

›

'Are you hungry?' 'No, I've just had lunch.' or 'No, I just had lunch.'

→ Present perfect ➜ Units 8, 11 · been to ➜ Units 8A, 126A · Present perfect continuous ➜ Units 9–10 · Present perfect and past ➜ Units 12–14 · yet and already ➜ Unit 111 · American English ➜ Appendix 7

Exercises (4)

0/4 exercises checked
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7.1

Read the situations and complete the sentences using the present perfect. Choose from these verbs:

breakdisappeargo upgrowimproveloseshrinkstop
  1. 1
    Tom is looking for his key. He can't find it.
    Tom his key.example
  2. 2
    Maria's English wasn't very good. Now it is better.
    Her English .
  3. 3
    My bag was here, but it isn't here any more.
    My bag .
  4. 4
    Lisa can't walk and her leg is in plaster.
    Lisa her leg.
  5. 5
    Last week the bus fare was £1.80. Now it is £2.
    The bus fare .
  6. 6
    Dan didn't have a beard before. Now he has a beard.
    Dan a beard.
  7. 7
    It was raining ten minutes ago. It isn't raining now.
    It raining.
  8. 8
    I washed my sweater, and now it's too small for me.
    My sweater .
7.2

Put in been or gone.

  1. 1
    My parents are on holiday.
    They've to Italy.example
  2. 2
    Hello! I've just
    to the shops. I've bought lots of things.
  3. 3
    Tom has just
    out. He'll be back in about an hour.
  4. 4
    Alice isn't here at the moment. I don't know where she's
    .
  5. 5
    You're very late.
    Where have you ?
7.3

Complete the sentences using the present perfect.

  1. 1
    Sally is still here.
    She (she / not / go) out.example
  2. 2
    I can't find my bag.
    (you / see / it) anywhere?
  3. 3
    I can't log on to the website.
    (I / forget) my password.
  4. 4
    I sent Joe an email this morning, but
    (he / not / reply).
  5. 5
    Is the meeting still going on, or
    (it / finish)?
  6. 6
    (the weather / change). It's colder now.
  7. 7
    (you / not / sign) the form. Could you sign it now, please?
  8. 8
    Are your friends still here, or
    (they / go) home?
  9. 9
    Paul doesn't know what he's going to do.
    (he / not / decide / yet).
  10. 10
    'Do you know where Julia is?' 'Yes,
    (I / just / see / her).'
  11. 11
    'When is David going away?'
    ' (he / already / go).'
  12. 12
    A:
    (your course / start / yet)? B: Not yet. It starts next week.
7.4

Read the situations and write sentences with just, already or yet.

  1. 1
    After lunch you go to see a friend at her house. She says, 'Would you like something to eat?' You say: No thank you. I've
    lunch. (have lunch)example
  2. 2
    Joe goes out. Five minutes later, the phone rings and the caller says, 'Can I speak to Joe?' You say: I'm afraid
    . (go out)
  3. 3
    You are eating in a restaurant. The waiter thinks you have finished and starts to take your plate away. You say: Wait a minute!
    . (not / finish)
  4. 4
    You plan to eat at a restaurant tonight. You phone to reserve a table. Later your friend says, 'Shall I phone to reserve a table?' You say: No,
    . (do it)
  5. 5
    You know that Lisa is looking for a place to live. Perhaps she has been successful. You ask her:
    ? (find)
  6. 6
    You are still thinking about where to go for your holiday. A friend asks, 'Where are you going for your holiday?' You say:
    . (not / decide)
  7. 7
    Laura went out, but a few minutes ago she returned. Somebody asks, 'Is Laura still out?' You say: No,
    . (come back)