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Present perfect
The present perfect simple expresses an action that is still going on or that stopped recently, but
has an influence on the present. It puts emphasis on the result.

Form of Present Perfect
Positive

I / you / we / they I have spoken.

he / she / it

Negative

Question

I have not spoken.

Have I spoken?

He has spoken. He has not spoken. Has he spoken?

Forirregular verbs, use the participle form (see list of irregular verbs, 3rd column). For regular
verbs, just add “ed”.

Exceptions in Spelling when adding ‘ed’
Exceptions in spelling when adding ed

after a final e only add d

Example

love – loved

final consonant after a short, stressed vowel
admit – admitted
or l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled travel – travelledfinal y after a consonant becomes i

hurry – hurried

Use of Present Perfect


puts emphasis on the result
Example: She has written five letters.



action that is still going on
Example: School has not started yet.



action that stopped recently
Example: She has cooked dinner.



finished action that has an influence on the present

Example: I have lost my key.
action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking
Example: I have never been to Australia.

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple
Exceptions in Spelling when adding ‚ed‘
Write the participle form (3rd form) of the regular verbs. Note the exceptions in spelling when
adding ‚ed‘.
1. use 2. try 3. carry 4. dance 5. cycle 6. travel -

Exercise on Present PerfectSimple
have or has
Fill the gaps with 'have' or 'has'.
1. I
2. She
3. They
4. You
5. It

answered the question.
opened the window.
called us.
carried a box.
rained a lot.

6. We

washed the car.

7. He

closed the window.

8. Jenny

locked the door.

9. The girls

visited the museum.

10. John and Sophie

helped in the garden.

Exercise on Present PerfectSimple
Positive Sentences in Present Perfect Simple
Write positive sentences in present perfect simple
The following people have just completed an action.
1. Bob / visit / his grandma
2. Jimmy / play / on the computer
3. Sue and Walter / wash / their car
4. Andrew / repair / his bike
5. Phil / help / Anne with maths
6. Brad and Louise / watch / a film
7. Tamara / talk to / her best friend
8.Bridgette / draw / a picture
9. Carol / read / a computer magazine
10. Tom and Alice / be / to a restaurant

List of Irregular Verbs

Infinitive

Simple Past

Past Participle

alight

alighted, alit

alighted, alit

arise

arose

arisen

awake

awoke, awaked

awoken, awaked

be

was, were

been

bear

bore

borne, born

beat

beat

beaten, beatbecome

became

become

beget

begot

begotten

begin

began

begun

bend

bent

bent

bereave

bereaved, bereft

bereaved, bereft

beseech

besought, beseeched

besought, beseeched

bet

bet, betted

bet, betted

bid

bade, bid

bidden, bid, bade

bide

bade, bided

bided

bind

bound

bound

bite

bit

bitten

bleed

bled

bledbless

blessed, blest

blessed, blest

blow

blew

blown

break

broke

broken

breed

bred

bred

bring

brought

brought

broadcast

broadcast, broadcasted

broadcast, broadcasted

build

built

built

burn

burnt, burned

burnt, burned

burst

burst

burst

bust

bust, busted

bust, busted

buy

bought

bought

can

could(kein Participle)

cast

cast

cast

catch

caught

caught

choose

chose

chosen

cleave

cleft, cleaved, clove

cleft, cleaved, cloven

cling

clung

clung

clothe

clothed, clad

clothed, clad

come

came

come

cost

cost

cost

creep

crept

crept

crow

crowed

crew, crowed

cut

cut

cut

deal

dealt

dealt

dig...