Easy Word | Luyện ngữ pháp


Luyện ngữ pháp - English Grammar in Use - Intermediate (Unit 7: Present perfect 1)


A

Study this example situation:

Tom is looking for his key. He can't find it.
He has lost his key.

He has lost his key = He lost it recently, and he still doesn't have it.

Have/has lost is the present perfect simple:

I/we/they/you have (= I've etc.) finished
lost
done
been etc.
he/she/it has (= he's etc.)

The present perfect simple is have/has past participle. The past participle often ends in -ed (finished/decided etc.), but many important verbs are irregular (lost/done/written etc.).

For a list of irregular verbs, see Appendix 1.

B When we say that 'something has happened', this is usually new information:
  • Owl I've cut my finger.
  • The road is closed. There's been (there has been) an accident.
  • (from the news) Police have arrested two men in connection with the robbery.

When we use the present perfect, there is a connection with now. The action in the past has a result now:
  • 'Where's your key?'  'I don't know. I've lost it.'  (=I don't have it now)
  • He told me his name, but I've forgotten it.  (= I can't remember it now)
  • 'Is Sally here?' 'No, she's gone out.'  (= she is out now)
  • I can't find my bag. Have you seen it? (= Do you know where it is now?)
C Note the difference between gone (to) and been (to):
  • James is on holiday. He has gone to Italy. (= he is there now or on his way there)
  • Jane is back home now. She has been to Italy. (= she has now come back)
D

You can use the present perfect with justalready and yet.

Just = a short time ago:
  • 'Are you hungry?' 'No, I've just had lunch.'
  • Hello. Have you just arrived?

We use already to say that something happened sooner than expected:
  • 'Don't forget to pay your electricity bill.' 'I've already paid it.'
  • 'What time is Mark leaving?' 'He's already left.'

Yet = until now. Yet shows that the speaker is expecting something to happen. Use yet only in questions and negative sentences:
  • Has it stopped raining yet?
  • I've written the email, but I haven't sent it yet.
E
You can also use the past simple (didwenthad etc.) in the examples on this page. So you can say:
  • 'Is Sally here?'  'No, she went out.' or  'No, she's gone out.'
  • 'Are you hungry?'  'No, I just had lunch.'  or  'No, I've just had lunch.'


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