Present Perfect

form

I have done…

I have done…

‘to have’auxiliary

in present:have / has

I have done…

main verbin past

participle

I have

donetakenbeenarrivedmetstudiedetc.

heshe

ithas

weyouthey

have

have [aux]is usually abbreviated

I’ve done… / I haven’t done…

I’ve done… / I haven’t done…

She’s done… / She hasn’t done…

I’ve done… / I haven’t done…

She’s done… / She hasn’t done…

hasNOT

is

I’ve done… / I haven’t done…

She’s done… / She hasn’t done…

We’ve done… / We haven’t done…

tense gymnastics

!

convertpast simple to present perfect

andpresent perfect to past simple

past simple present perfect

She made a phone call.

They haven’t finished.

We didn’t do the homework.

Have you seen John?

Did you wear the jacket?

She has taken her exams.

I sang the words.

He has shown us how.

You didn’t drive to work.

We have met before.

Did they give you a present?

past simple present perfect

She made a phone call. She has made a phone call.

They didn’t finish. They haven’t finished.

We didn’t do the homework. We haven’t done the homework.

Did you see John? Have you seen John?

Did you wear the jacket? Have you worn the jacket?

She took her exams. She has taken her exams.

I sang the words. I’ve sung the words.

He showed us how. He has shown us how.

You didn’t drive to work. You haven’t driven to work.

We met before. We have met before.

Did they give you a present? Have they given you a present?

!be careful translating

passato prossimo constructions with ‘essere’

Sono stato al bar.

Luisa è arrivata.

intransitive verbs

Sono stato al bar.I’ve been to the bar.

Luisa è arrivata.Luisa has arrived.

intransitive verbs

Sono stato al bar.I’ve been to the bar.

Luisa è arrivata.Luisa has arrived.

intransitive verbs

Sono stato al bar.I’ve been to the bar.

Luisa è arrivata.Luisa’s arrived.

intransitive verbs

Sono costati molto.

È piovuto.

impersonal verbs

Sono costati molto.They’ve cost a lot.

È piovuto.It has rained.

impersonal verbs

Sono costati molto.They’ve cost a lot.

È piovuto.It’s rained.

impersonal verbs

Mi sono lavato.

Lui si è visto.

reflexive verbs

Mi sono lavato.I’ve washed myself.

Lui si è visto.He’s seen himself.

reflexive verbs

exercise

translate‘passato prossimo’ to ‘present perfect’

and‘present perfect’ to ‘passato prossimo’

passato prossimo present perfect

Sono partiti. They’ve left.

(Lei) è stata a Parigi. She’s been to Paris.

È nevicato?

Has something happened?

Non sono andati via.

I’ve come to say hello!

È costato molto.

They haven’t called each other.

Sono nate due gemelle!

They’ve got off the bus.

È salito in macchina.

passato prossimo present perfect

Sono partiti. They’ve left.

(Lei) è stata a Parigi. She’s been to Paris.

È nevicato? Has it snowed?

È successo qualcosa? Has something happened?

Non sono andati via. They haven’t gone away.

Sono venuto per dire ciao! I’ve come to say hello!

È costato molto. It’s cost a lot.

Non si sono chiamati. They haven’t called each other.

Sono nate due gemelle! Twins have been born.

Sono scesi dal autobus. They’ve got off the bus.

È salito in macchina. He’s got into the car.

!BUT

‘present perfect’=

‘passato prossimo’

?

only sometimes!

‘present perfect’=

‘passato prossimo’

?

meaning & function

1

experience

A: Have you ever been to Paris?

A: Have you ever been to Paris?

What does ‘A’ want to know?

A: Have you ever been to Paris?

B: Yes, I have.

A: When did you go?

Where did you stay?

What did you eat?

A: Have you ever been to Paris?

B: Yes, I have.

A: When did you go?

Where did you stay?

What did you eat?

Present Perfect

Past Simple

A: Have you ever been to Paris?

B: Yes, I have.

A: When did you go?

Where did you stay?

What did you eat?

indefinite time

definite time

When did you see John?

We saw him on Monday.at 3 o’clock.in March.

4 days ago.yesterday.

while we were walking.before he left.

prepositionsof time

adverbsof time

conjunctionsof time

when andwhat time

many time expressions ‘require’ the Past Simple

A: Have you ever been to Paris?

B: Yes, I have.

A: When did you go?

Where did you stay?

What did you eat?

A: Have you ever been to Paris?

B: Yes, I have.

A: When did you go?

Where did you stay?

What did you eat?definite time

with notime

expression

SO you can also use the Past Simple for definite time

without a time expressionif it’s clear that you’re talking about a

finished period or activity.

In this case the finished period isa trip to Paris.

Contrast this with ‘indefinite time’.

The time of the action isn’t defined because it doesn’t matter!

Instead, ‘indefinite time’ makes a connection to the present.

1st RULE

Use the Present Perfect for ‘indefinite time’.

Use the Past Simple for‘definite time’.

1st RULE – in translation

Italian uses the Passato Prossimo both for ‘indefinite time’

and for‘definite time’.

2

recent past

A: I’ve lost my keys.

A: I’ve lost my keys.

‘A’ has some problems.What are they?

A: I’ve lost my keys.

B: Oh! How did you lose them?

A: This morning, I tripped going

downstairs. I dropped my bag and

when I picked it up some things

fell out of my pocket. I think I lost

my keys then.

A: I’ve lost my keys.

B: Oh! How did you lose them?

A: This morning, I tripped going

downstairs. I dropped my bag and

when I picked it up some things

fell out of my pocket. I think I lost

my keys then.

A: I’ve lost my keys.

B: Oh! How did you lose them?

A: This morning, I tripped going

downstairs. I dropped my bag and

when I picked it up some things

fell out of my pocket. I think I lost

my keys then.

Present Perfect

Past Simple

A: I’ve lost my keys.

B: Oh! How did you lose them?

A: This morning, I tripped going

downstairs. I dropped my bag and

when I picked it up some things

fell out of my pocket. I think I lost

them then.

recent pastnarrative time

I tr

ippe

d go

ing

dow

nsta

irs

I dr

oppe

d m

y ba

g

I pi

cked

it u

p

som

e th

ings

fel

lou

t of

my

pock

et

I lo

st m

y ke

ys t

hen

A: I’ve lost my keys.

B: Oh! How did you lose them?

A: This morning, I tripped going

downstairs. I dropped my bag and

when I picked it up some things

fell out of my pocket. I think I lost

my keys then.

A: I’ve lost my keys.

B: Oh! How did you lose them?

A: This morning, I tripped going

downstairs. I dropped my bag and

when I picked it up some things

fell out of my pocket. I think I lost

my keys then.

same actiondifferent tense:

why?

A: I lost my keys.

Do we know what happened next?

A: I lost my keys.

I looked everywhere. In the end I

had to call the locksmith.

or

A: I lost my keys.

But I found them again after 5

minutes—they were in my pocket!

A: I lost my keys.

Do we know what happened next?

No!In a narrative we must wait for the next verb.

compare

A: I’ve lost my keys.

I don’t have my keys. I can’t get into my flat. I have a big problem.

HELP!

A: I’ve lost my keys.

I don’t have my keys. I can’t get into my flat. I have a big problem.

HELP!

A: I’ve lost my keys.

I don’t have my keys. I can’t get into my flat. I have a big problem.

HELP!There’s a‘present consequence’to the Present Perfect for the recent past

2nd RULE

Use the Present Perfect to announce news.

Use the Past Simple to tell the story of the news.

2nd RULE – in translation

Italian uses the Passato Prossimo both for announcing

news and for (recent)‘narrative time’.

past simple or present perfect

She made / has made a phone call at 3pm.

She already made / has already made a phone call.

We didn’t do / haven’t done the homework for this lesson.

I never went / I’ve never been to New York.

Did you wear / have you worn the jacket yesterday?

He already did / has already done the exercise.

I went there / have been there in 2009.

He just went to the bar / has just gone to the bar.

You didn’t see / haven’t seen the match last night.

We didn’t do / haven’t done it yet.

Did you book / Have you booked your holiday yet?

past simple or present perfect

She made / has made a phone call at 3pm.

She already made / has already made a phone call.

We didn’t do / haven’t done the homework for this lesson.

I never went / have never been to New York.

Did you wear / have you worn the jacket yesterday?

He already did / has already done the exercise.

I went there / have been there in 2009.

He just went / has just gone to the bar.

You didn’t see / haven’t seen the match last night.

We didn’t do / haven’t done it yet.

Did you book / Have you booked your holiday yet?

3

period to the present

A: I’ve lived in Rome for 22 years.

A: I’ve lived in Rome for 22 years.

Where does ‘A’ live now?

A: I’ve lived in Rome for 22 years.

Before coming to Rome,

I lived in London.

A: I’ve lived in Rome for 22 years.

Before coming to Rome,

I lived in London.

A: I’ve lived in Rome for 22 years.

Before coming to Rome,

I lived in London.

Present Perfect

Past Simple

A: I’ve lived in Rome for 22 years.

Before coming to Rome,

I lived in London.

open period

closed period

this grammar is only about defining the duration of periods

1983 1993 now

10 years 22 years

I lived in London for 10 years.

between 1983 and

1993.

from 1983 to 1993.

until / till / ’til 1993.

until I came to Rome.

1983 1993 now

10 years 22 years

I’ve lived in Rome for 22 years.

since 1993.

since I left London.

1983 1993 now

10 years 22 years

London Rome

I came to London

I came to Rome

I left London

3rd RULE

Use the Present Perfect to define the length of an open period.

Use the Past Simple to define the length of a closed period.

?ive: How long have you lived in

Rome?

?ive: How long did you live in

London?

-ive: I haven’t seen Gianni since

Thursday.

BUT: I last saw Gianni on Thursday.

3rd RULE – in translation

Italian uses the Presentefor open periods.

And it uses the Passato Prossimo for closed periods.

BE CAREFUL: this can cause some confusion!

I’ve lived in Romefor 22 years.

Presente for open periods.

I lived in Londonfor 10 years.

Passato Prossimo for closed periods.

I’ve lived in Romefor 22 years. = Vivo a Roma

da 22 anni.

I lived in Londonfor 10 years. = Ho vissuto a Londra

per 10 anni.

I’ve lived in Romefor 22 years. = Vivo a Roma

da 22 anni.

I lived in Londonfor 10 years. = Ho vissuto a Londra

per 10 anni.

present simple or present perfect or past simple

She works / has worked as a doctor since 2001.

She is / has been a doctor since she graduated / has graduated.

We know / have known the answer for a long time.

How long do you have / have you had that computer?

We live / have lived in Garbatella now.

We live / have lived in Garbatella for 7 months.

How long are you / have you been in your job?

How long were you / have you been in your last job?

They studied / have studied from 9:00pm.

They studied / have studied since 9:00pm.

They studied / have studied for 3 hours.

present simple or present perfect or past simple

She works / has worked as a doctor since 2001.

She is / has been a doctor since she graduated / has graduated.

We know / have known the answer for a long time.

How long do you have / have you had that computer?

We live / have lived in Garbatella now.

We live / have lived in Garbatella for 7 months.

How long are you / have you been in your job?

How long were you / have you been in your last job?

They studied / have studied from 9:00pm.

They studied / have studied since 9:00pm.

They studied / have studied for 3 hours.

both correctwith different meanings

summary

experience recent past period to the present

present perfect indefinite timeI’ve been to Paris.

newsI’ve lost my keys!

open periodI’ve lived in Rome for…

past simple definite timeI went to Paris.

narrativeI lost my keys.

closed periodI lived in London for…

adverbs and prepositions

evernever

justalreadyyet

forsince

English function Italian

Present Simple permanent truth Presente

Present Simple present fact Presente

Present Simple present habit Presente

Present Perfect period to the present Presente

Present Perfect recent past Passato Prossimo

Present Perfect experience Passato Prossimo

Past Simple definite timePassato Prossimo /

Remoto

Past Simple narrative timePassato Prossimo /

Remoto

Past Simple historical time Passato Remoto

homework

module 7, parts 1, 2, 4, 5

www.davidnicholson.it