 What you need to know about present perfect tense in English. Present perfect tense may be a little bit confusing. That is because it has different uses. It can mean before now or until now. Let's look at each of these individually. Before we begin, we need to understand what present perfect means. It means that something is completed in the present or before the present time. Perfect here means completed. The present perfect is formed by using have or has plus the third form of the verb, the past participle. To simplify things, we're going to just say the first form, second form, and third form. For example, I eat every day. This is the first form or base form. Sometimes we use the S form in the present tense. We'll talk about that later. I ate at 8 o'clock this morning. This is the second form or the past form. I have eaten breakfast already. This is the third form or past participle. Notice that the word have is not in the third form, only the main verb here. Number one. When we use present perfect tense to indicate before now, we sometimes get it mixed up with the simple past tense. Here's the difference. We use past tense to indicate a specific or definite time in the past. We use present perfect tense to indicate an indefinite time in the past. Let's look at some examples. Notice between past tense and present perfect before now, the indefinite time in the past. I have seen that movie already. I don't want to tell you when or where. Definite time in the past. I saw that movie last week with Bob. Now you know the details. So the difference here is, when we're speaking indefinitely about the past, we use the present perfect. When we talk about a specific time in the past, we use the simple past tense. Present perfect tense can be very useful. For example, when we only want to share general information. I've been to Taiwan. Roger has been there too. And the other person doesn't need to know all the details. I've done my homework. This is the contracted form of have. Perhaps a timeline will help. This is the definite time before now. So I use the purple X to indicate a specific time on the timeline. With the indefinite time for before now, I use a little circle to indicate that it happens sometime in the past but we don't want to tell you exactly when it was. Already and yet. We often use the words already and yet with the present perfect tense. For example, she has left for Alaska already. This is with positive statements. They have not eaten their dinner yet. This is with negative statements. Note, sometimes people use these informally with the simple past tense. For example, she left for Alaska already. Questions with already and yet. We use yet to ask yes-no questions in the present perfect tense. For example, have you finished your work yet? That means I don't know if you finished or not. Sometimes already can be used to show surprise at early results. For example, have you finished your work already? This means so soon I'm surprised that you finished it so quickly. When we use the present perfect tense to indicate until now, we often include phrases with for or since. For example, I have lived in Canada for six years. I have lived in Canada since 2015. These phrases make a connection between the past and the present time and indicate that at present I am still in the same situation, that is living in Canada. Perhaps a timeline will help. For until now, we start at a particular time in the past and continue until the present time. I have lived in Iowa for five years. We can also use it to indicate an unbroken action or status, starting in the past and continuing until now. I have lived in Iowa since 2015. I have been a lawyer for ten years. We can also use it to indicate repeated action that started in the past and continues until the present. That doesn't mean it was ongoing and never stopped, but sometimes it goes in a repeated fashion. Example, I have played baseball since 2019. I have played baseball many times. Here's where it can get complicated. We sometimes use the present perfect tense when we count the number of times we have done something from the past until now. For example, I have traveled to Oklahoma three times. Calvin has played volleyball many times. This is normally used with action, not status verbs. For example, I have been a doctor five times. No, that sounds very strange. Did you stop being a doctor? Did you interrupt the time from the past until now? That doesn't work. I have performed surgery five times. That's good. This is more likely because it's talking about the action. Special usage of words. I have been to Miami three times. This is a special use of the word been, which means I have traveled to Miami three times. Note, we do not say I have traveled to Oklahoma for many times. Do not use for here. Say I have traveled to Oklahoma many times. When versus how long? In questions, we use when with simple past tense and how long with present perfect tense. For example, when did you go to Singapore? That means you went there and came back. How long have you lived here? That means you're still living here. There's a lot more information on this in our other video, when versus how long. You can see that link in the description below. Three, recently or lately? We sometimes use the present perfect tense to indicate that something occurred recently. In the near past. They have traveled a lot recently. Susan hasn't slept much lately. I've been busy recently. Sometimes the meaning of recently is already understood. Note, lately does not mean tardy or at a late time. It means recently. Do not say he arrived lately at the party. That is incorrect. You say he arrived late at the party. To indicate that he was not on time. Note about contracted forms. You can sometimes use contracted forms of the verb have, but do not change the main verb. For example, I haven't been to Maine. We've heard the news already. He hasn't done his work yet. She's been here for five minutes. Be careful with contractions. Sometimes they look alike, but they're not exactly the same word. For example, he's been a good boy. That means he has been a good boy. He's a good boy. That means he is a good boy. We call these look-alike contractions, but they're not exactly the same. What's the difference between present perfect and present perfect continuous? The present perfect continuous or progressive tense is formed by combining the present perfect and present continuous tenses. We have lived in Ohio for ten years. This is the present perfect. We are living in Ohio now. This is the present continuous tense. We have been living in Ohio for ten years. This is the present perfect continuous. The form is have or has plus been plus main verb ing. Are the tenses interchangeable? Can you use them in the same ways? Well, present perfect continuous or progressive tense can be used in some cases where the present perfect tense is used, but not all. Let's take a look. Note, we will discuss present perfect continuous in another video. When can you use present perfect or present perfect continuous? Let's look at some examples. I have lived in Tennessee for five years or since 2014. That means until now. I have been living in Tennessee for five years or since 2014. That's okay. It has basically the same meaning. I have seen that movie already. That means before now at an indefinite time in the past. I have been seeing that movie already. That's not okay. When you use already, don't use the present perfect continuous tense. I have played volleyball seven times. When we say seven times, we're counting the occurrences. I have been playing volleyball seven times. That's not okay. Do not use the present perfect continuous in this way. I have known Jeff since elementary school. I have been knowing Jeff since elementary school. That's not okay. The verb know is what we call non-action. We have other videos talking about non-action verbs and action versus status verb pairs. The last two are different in meaning and they're both correct. I have done my homework. That means my homework was completed before now. I have been doing my homework. That means my homework is not yet completed. I'm still in the process of doing my homework. Practice. Indicate whether the following are correct or incorrect. Take some time and do this exercise. Feel free to pause the video if you'd like more time to do this. Okay, let's check the answers. Number one, we have been to North Carolina nine times. Correct. Number two, last Sunday I have visited my grandparents. Incorrect. Last Sunday I visited my grandparents. Simple past tense. Three, have you seen the new Car Wars movie yet? Correct. Four, Kelly has went to Colorado already. Incorrect. Kelly has gone to Colorado already or informally some people might say Kelly went to Colorado already. Five, I have driven to Phoenix four many times. Incorrect. I have driven to Phoenix many times. No four. Six, they have been very busy lately. Correct. Seven, I have been playing hockey five times. Incorrect. I have played hockey five times. Eight, Yolanda has played the violin since 2012. Correct. Nine, we have taken a lot of pictures recently. Correct. Ten, I have been an engineer for five years. Incorrect. I have been an engineer for five years. Hope that was helpful. If you liked this video please give it a thumbs up in the comment section below. And don't forget to subscribe to our channel. Thanks for watching. If you have ideas for our next video please submit them at the link below.