Have plus a past participle covers everything between your first day and this moment: what you have tried, what you have finished, what has changed. Nothing here is tied to a finished time, and that is exactly the point.
1. Have You Ever Tried It?
Rana: Have you ever tried Korean food?
Emil: I've eaten it twice. Both times abroad.
Rana: Has your family tried it?
Emil: My son has. He cooks it better than the restaurant.
Rana: I've never eaten anything spicy.
Emil: Then start with the soup.
2. I've Just Finished
Dario: Are you free?
Wren: I've just finished the report.
Dario: Has anyone read it?
Wren: My manager has read the first half.
Dario: I've printed the figures for you.
Wren: You've saved me an hour.
3. Already and Yet
Pearl: Have you packed yet?
Ken: I've already packed. The bag's by the door.
Pearl: I haven't started yet.
Ken: Have you found your passport?
Pearl: I've looked in three drawers and one shoe.
Ken: You've had that passport for two weeks.
4. She's Gone Out
Toni: Is Maya here?
Gil: She's gone out. She'll be back at four.
Toni: Has she gone far?
Gil: Only to the post office.
Toni: I've been there this morning. The line was terrible.
Gil: Then she's put off her afternoon completely.
5. How Long?
Ola: How long have you worked here?
Ben: I've worked here since March.
Ola: Have you met the whole team?
Ben: I've met everyone except the night staff.
Ola: I've been here for nine years.
Ben: Then you've seen everything.
6. So Far This Week
Vera: How many calls have you taken?
Nico: Forty so far this week.
Vera: I've taken sixty, and it's only Wednesday.
Nico: Has the new line helped at all?
Vera: It's made the mornings quieter.
Nico: Then something has worked.
7. The Town Has Changed
Imre: The town has changed a lot.
Fay: They've built two hotels since I left.
Imre: The old cinema has closed.
Fay: Has anything stayed the same?
Imre: The bakery hasn't moved. Same family, same bread.
Fay: Then I haven't lost everything.
8. Then and Now
Sena: Have you seen the new bridge?
Arto: I saw it in June, before it opened.
Sena: I've walked across it twice this month.
Arto: Was it busy?
Sena: It's been busy every single time.
Arto: Then I've picked the wrong month to visit.
Words to know
| ever | at any time in your life, used in questions Have you ever tried Korean food? |
| abroad | in or to another country I've eaten it twice. Both times abroad. |
| just | a very short time ago I've just finished the report. |
| already | sooner than expected, or before now I've already packed. The bag's by the door. |
| yet | up to now, used in questions and negatives I haven't started yet. |
| put off | to move something to a later time Then she's put off her afternoon completely. |
| so far | up to this point in time Forty so far this week. |
| twice | two times I've walked across it twice this month. |
Quick practice
Complete each sentence with the present perfect, exactly as it appears above.
1. ____ you ever ____ Korean food? (try)
_______________________________________
2. I ____ just ____ the report. (finish)
_______________________________________
3. I ____ started yet. (not start)
_______________________________________
4. How long ____ you ____ here? (work)
_______________________________________
5. The town ____ a lot. (change)
_______________________________________
6. The bakery ____ moved. (not move)
_______________________________________
Show the answers
1. Have you ever tried Korean food? 2. I've just finished the report. 3. I haven't started yet. 4. How long have you worked here? 5. The town has changed a lot. 6. The bakery hasn't moved.
Common mistakes
Not: I have seen him yesterday.
Say: I saw him yesterday.
Yesterday is a finished time, and finished times take the simple past. The present perfect never names the day.
Not: Have you ever went to Japan?
Say: Have you ever been to Japan?
After have, use the participle, and for visiting a place the participle is been.
Not: I've never ate octopus.
Say: I've never eaten octopus.
The third form is the one that follows have: eat, ate, eaten.
Your turn
Answer out loud in full sentences. If a sentence names a day or a year, stop and switch it to the simple past.
- Ask yourself five Have you ever questions and answer each one honestly.
- Say three things you have just done today.
- Say what you have already done this week and what you haven't done yet.
- Say how long you have lived in your town and how long you have known your closest friend.
- Describe three ways your town has changed since you were a child.
Quick review
The present perfect is have or has plus the third form of the verb: I've worked, she's gone, they haven't moved. Use it for life experience, for very recent news, and for a situation that started earlier and is still true. Ever, never, just, already, yet and so far all sit comfortably in it. The moment you name a finished time, switch to the simple past.