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Present perfect

FUNCTIONS OF THE "PRESENT PERFECT"

FORMATION OF THE "PRESENT PERFECT"

THE "PRESENT PERFECT" IS USED TO DESCRIBE

The "present perfect" of any verb is composed of two elements: the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb to have (in present) and the "past participle" of the main verb.

The form of the "past participle" of a regular verb is root + ed, e.g. played, arrived, looked.

As for the irregular verbs, consult the Table of irregular verbs in the section 'Verbs'.

Afirmativa

Sujetoto havepast participle

She has visited.

Negativa

Sujetoto have + notpast participle

Shehas not (hasn't)visited.

Interrogativa

to havesujetopast participle

Has she visited?

Interrogativa negativa

to have + notsujetopast participle

Hasn't she visited?

The "present perfect" is used to indicate a link between the present and the past.

The time in which the action takes place is prior to the present but non-specific and, often, there is a greater interest in the result than in the action itself.

Note: When we want to give or ask for information about when, where or who, we use the "simple past"

An action or situation that started in the past and continues in the present. I have lived in Bristol since 1984 (still live there.)

An action performed during a period of time not yet completed. She has beento the cinema twice this week (the week is not over yet.)

A repeated action in a non-specific temporal period located between the past and the present. We have visited Portugal several times.

An action that has concluded in a very recent past, which is indicated by 'just'. I have just finished my work.

An action for which the precise moment in which it happened is not important. I have read 'War and Peace'. (= what is relevant is the result of the action)