Page 64 - New Grammar with a Smile 5

Uses

We use the present perfect tense
1. to talk about an action, state or situation that started in the past and continues in the
present. This is usually used with ‘for’ and ‘since’ and is used to talk about people’s
lives. For example,

y They have lived in London since 2001.
y Mr Sahu has worked in this school for seventeen years.

Note

We use since to show a fixed time in the past. For example,
• I have known Pavitra since 2007.

• I have liked chocolate since I was a child.
We use for to show a period or a duration of time. For example,

• I have known Mahima for ten years.
• She has been sleeping for eight hours.

2. to talk about an action when time is not important. For example,
y I have been to England.

y She has read all the Harry Potter novels.

3. to talk about an incident or an action Note
that was completed in the recent past, To talk about the recent past, we add just or yet.
with words like ‘just’/‘yet’ to suggest • The best was yet to come.
that the action is being discussed at the
time of speaking. For example, • We may yet succeed - you never know.

y The train from Surat has just arrived. • Of all the songs I have heard, that is the
best yet.
y The meeting has not yet begun.
• They have yet to make a decision.
Structure • I’m sorry to bother you yet again.

The structure of the present perfect tense is given.

Ø For declarative sentences

Subject Helping verb Main verb

I have sung.

You have sung.
He/She/It has sung.

We have sung.
You have sung.

They have sung.

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