Present Perfect
The present perfect tense is used when a past action has a result in the present. That’s the simple definition, but let’s look at it in more detail.
The Basics
Past Simple
I opened the door = Maybe the door is not open anymore
Present Perfect
I have opened the door = The door is still open
5 Rules for Present Perfect
1. An action that started in the past and continues now.
I have lived in England for 20 years
2. An action that happened in a time that has not finished.
I have been to the supermarket twice this week.
3. A repeated action sometime between the past and now.
I have been to Japan twice.
4. An action that happened very recently in the past – we often use “just”
I have just lost my wallet.
5. An action when the time is not important and we want to emphasise the action
I have climbed Mount Everest.
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Hi Michael!
Thank you very much for this new podcast very instructive. Present perfect was very difficult and boring to learn in school… but, with you it’s very instructive, interesting….?
You’re welcome! It was fun to make. My goal is to make it as not-boring as possible!
I’ve made a 449-day streak on Duolingo.
I have played football and handball when I was younger, and table tennis.
The craziest thing I have ever done could be that summer a long time ago, when I on a whim got out of my car and I wandered around a bit in the city center of Malmoe.
I have stayed up too late too many times.
I loved this podcast. Very clear explanations and examples. Thank you, Micheal!
Hey Jorgen! I’m glad you liked this episode and were able to practice these sentences. Great job! They’re all perfect but there’s one point which I’m not sure I mentioned. With the present perfect tense, we can’t use any past time phrases (yesterday, last year, etc) and “when I was younger” counts as a past time phrase. So we could probably just get rid of that part and it’ll be 100% correct!
I’m definitely with you on the last one too (I’ll probably do it tonight!) haha