Present Perfect
Lesson 1 of 7 · ~6 minutes

Lesson 1 · Present Perfect

Form

Form

have or has plus the past participle (the third form). I, you, we, they take have. He, she, it and a name take has. You've already met the third form in the irregular verbs course: seen, gone, finished. In speech have / has are almost always shortened: I've, she's.

Who

I / you / we / they
he / she / it
name

Full form

I have seen Tom
She has finished
Anna has gone

Short

I've seen Tom
She's finished
Anna's gone
Who
Full form
Short
I / you / we / they
I have seen Tom
I've seen Tom
he / she / it
She has finished
She's finished
name
Anna has gone
Anna's gone

I have seen this film.

We have finished lunch.

Anna has packed her bag.

I've lost my keys.

Where people usually slip

Three common mistakes, all about the pair have / has + past participle.

After have / has you need the third form, not the second: not I have saw Tom, but I have seen Tom.

The third person takes has, not have: not Anna have finished, but Anna has finished.

A word like yesterday doesn't go here: not I have seen him yesterday, but simply I have seen him — this course doesn't deal with when it happened.

  • I, you, we, theyI have seen this film.
  • he, she, a nameAnna has packed her bag.
  • past participlehave seen, not have saw
  • shortI've lost my keys.
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