Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect connects the past with the present. We use it when:

• the time is not finished, or

• the result matters now, or

• the experience is important, not the exact time.

Form:
have / has + past participle

Examples:

• I have finished my homework.

• She has lived here for five years.

• We have never tried sushi.

👉 Key idea to tell students:
If you care about “when,” don’t use present perfect. If you care about “now,” use it.

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2. Core Uses to Teach (with Examples)

A. Life Experience (Ever / Never)

Used to talk about experiences up to now.

• Have you ever visited Japan?

• I have never eaten octopus.

✅ No specific time mentioned.

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B. Unfinished Time (Yet / Already / Just)

Used when the time period is not finished or the action affects the present.

• I have already finished the report.

• She hasn’t replied yet.

• We have just arrived.

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C. Actions That Started in the Past and Continue Now

(With for and since)

• I have worked here for ten years.

• He has lived in Sydney since 2018.

👉 Emphasise:

• for = length of time

• since = starting point

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3. Present Perfect vs Past Simple (Key Contrast)

This is where intermediate learners struggle most.

Examples:

• I visited Paris in 2019. ✅ (finished time)

• I have visited Paris. ✅ (life experience)

Teach this as a choice, not a rule.

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4. Common Student Errors to Address

❌ I have seen him yesterday.
✅ I saw him yesterday.

❌ I am living here since 2020.
✅ I have lived here since 2020.

❌ Did you ever try sushi?
✅ Have you ever tried sushi?

Correct errors by asking:

“Is the time finished or unfinished?”

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5. Teaching Tips for Success

• Use timelines to show the connection between past and now

• Elicit answers before explaining rules

• Recycle adverbs (ever, never, already, yet, just) often

• Personalise questions to increase fluency

Example speaking prompt:

“What is something you have done recently that you are proud of?”

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6. Simple Practice Ideas

• Find someone who has… (experience activity)

• Sentence transformation (past simple → present perfect)

• Error correction from real student mistakes

• Pair interviews using ever / since / for