How do we make the present perfect tense in English?
Note: This is also called the present perfect simple tense.
Positive form
Use the present simple of have and the past participle.
| Full form | Short form |
| I have played | I’ve played |
| you have played | you’ve played |
| he has played | he’s played |
| she has played | she’s played |
| it has played | it’s played |
| we have played | we’ve played |
| they have played | they’ve played |
For example:
- I have played basketball for three years.
- He’s worked here since 2022.
- They’ve already cleaned the kitchen.
Some notes on short forms:
1. We often contract has with nouns and other words in speaking and informal writing: Jane’s, nobody’s, that’s, what’s, etc.
2. We often contract have with nouns and other words in speaking, but not in writing: the students’ve, those’ve, what’ve, etc.
3. We do not usually contract verbs in writing if we have a compound subject: Jane and I’ve, Jane and Ben’ve, etc.
Negative form
Put not after the present simple of have.
| Full form | Short forms | |
| I have not played | I haven’t played | *I’ve not played |
| you have not played | you haven’t played | you’ve not played |
| he has not played | he hasn’t played | he’s not played |
| she has not played | she hasn’t played | she’s not played |
| it has not played | it hasn’t played | it’s not played |
| we have not played | we haven’t played | we’ve not played |
| they have not played | they haven’t played | they’ve not played |
*The structure in the third column is sometimes used in British English, but it is rarely used in other varieties of English. When used in other varieties, it sounds quite formal.
For example:
- I haven’t finished my homework yet.
- Amy hasn’t been to Australia before. (she hasn’t been)
- It has not arrived yet.
- He hasn’t talked to them today.
- We’ve not seen her all week.
Question forms
Invert the subject and the present simple of have, and then put a question word (what, who, etc.) at the beginning for wh- questions.
| Yes/No questions | |
| Have I played? | |
| Have you played? | |
| Has he played? | |
| Has she played? | |
| Has it played? | |
| Have we played? | |
| Have they played? | |
| Wh- questions | |
| What Who Where When Why How etc. | have I played? |
| have you played? | |
| has he played? | |
| has she played? | |
| has it played? | |
| have we played? | |
| have they played? | |
For example:
- Have I written it right?
- Have you found your phone?
- Has Maria emailed you yet? (has she emailed)
- What have you done today?
- How long have we lived in this house?
- Where have they gone?
Short answers
| Positive | Negative | |
| Yes, I have. | No, I haven’t. | *No, I’ve not. |
| Yes, you have. | No, you haven’t. | No, you’ve not. |
| Yes, he has. | No, he hasn’t. | – |
| Yes, she has. | No, she hasn’t. | – |
| Yes, it has. | No, it hasn’t. | – |
| Yes, we have. | No, we haven’t. | No, we’ve not. |
| Yes, they have. | No, they haven’t. | No, they’ve not. |
*The structure in the third column is sometimes used in British English, but it is rarely used in other varieties of English. When used in other varieties, it sounds quite formal.
Notes:
1. We do not use short forms in positive short answers.
2. We sometimes use full forms in negative short answers (e.g. No, I have not.), but this is rare and mainly used in very formal contexts or for emphasis.