Present Perfect Basics: I Have Done
Form the present perfect and use it for past events connected with the present.
Learning Objective
Present Perfect Basics: I Have Done
Form the present perfect and recognise its connection between a past event and the present.
Clear Explanation
Use the present perfect when a past event matters now, when the exact finished time is not stated, or when a situation continues up to the present.
Form and Structure
subject + have/has + past participle
“I have finished my homework.”
Do not normally combine the present perfect with a finished past-time expression such as yesterday or in 2020; use the past simple instead.
Meaning and Use
Present result
A completed action can have a result that is important now.
“I have lost my keys, so I cannot open the door.”
Life experience
Use the tense for experience when no finished time is given.
“Have you ever travelled alone?”
Unfinished period
Use it with since or for when a state continues to the present.
“She has known him for years.”
Common Errors and Meaning Traps
She have finished.
She has finished.
Use has with he, she, and it.
I have saw that film.
I have seen that film.
Use the past participle seen after have.
We have arrived yesterday.
We arrived yesterday.
Yesterday is a finished past time, so use the past simple.
Guided Practice
Use the grammar in context
“She has visited Delhi twice.”
“We have lived here since 2022.”
Write one sentence about a present result, one about experience, and one with since or for.
Quick Recap
Use the present perfect when a past event matters now, when the exact finished time is not stated, or when a situation continues up to the present.
A completed action can have a result that is important now.
Do not normally combine the present perfect with a finished past-time expression such as yesterday or in 2020; use the past simple instead.
Use has with he, she, and it.
Independent Mastery Check
Complete these four checks before taking the quiz. If one feels difficult, return to the matching section and try again.
Explain the core rule in your own words without looking back at the lesson.
Find the target form in “I have finished my homework.” and explain what it communicates in this context.
Explain why “She has finished.” is the recommended revision for “She have finished.”.
Write one sentence about a present result, one about experience, and one with since or for.
Continue at A1-A2 Level
Aim for at least 5 out of 6 in the quiz below. For every missed answer, read the explanation, return to the relevant section, and try the quiz again.
Which statement best explains Present Perfect Basics: I Have Done?
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