42 Triggers for PRESENT PERFECT -- "HAVE" Tense

Question 1

The PRESENT PERFECT:

Answer 1

For example, if you went to the bank this morning, then this action has happened in this day (today). Since today isn’t over yet, you need to use the present perfect tense.

Question 2

Started recently and continues into the present moment.

Answer 2

There are a lot of nuances and questions that can arise around this topic. For instance, you may think that you are now in the afternoon and the morning is over so this would call for the preterite. But, this isn’t the case. The key is to notice the word “this”.

Question 3

If something happened yesterday morning, then the word “yesterday” would call for the preterite.

Answer 3

But the event happened “this” morning which means you need to use the present perfect.

Question 4

Since the present perfect requires an event to start (often recently) and continue into the present moment,

Answer 4

then all phrases that trigger the present perfect will imply this timeline for the events of the sentence.

Question 5

Whenever you want to talk about something that has happened today, you should use the present perfect.

Answer 5

1. Today – Hoy

Question 6

Today, I went to the gym.

Answer 6

Hoy, he ido al gimnasio.

Question 7

We finished our last exam today.

Answer 7

Hemos terminado nuestro último examen hoy. –el examen

Question 8

Even if something happened this morning and you are currently in the middle of the afternoon you still need to use the present perfect.

2. This morning, this afternoon, this evening

Answer 8

Esta mañana, esta tarde, esta noche

Question 9

This morning I woke up at six.

Answer 9

Esta mañana me he levantado a las seis.

Question 10

This afternoon we ate in the park.

Answer 10

Esta tarde hemos comido en el parque.

Question 11

3. This week, this month, this year –

Answer 11

3. Esta semana, este mes, este año

Question 12

This month I have been very busy.

Answer 12

Este mes he estado muy ocupado.

Question 13

My parents returned from vacation this week.

Answer 13

Mis padres han vuelto de sus vacaciones esta semana.

Question 14

4. Lately, recently –

Answer 14

Últimamente, recientemente

Question 15

I recently met an amazing girl.

Answer 15

Recientemente, he conocido a una chica increíble.

Question 16

I recently realised what I have to do to solve this problem.

Answer 16

Últimamente he dado cuenta de lo que tengo que hacer para resolver este problema.

Question 17

5. Never, ever –

Answer 17

Nunca, jamás

Question 18

The next three phrases extend to timeframes that expand across your whole life and, again, continue into the present moment.

Answer 18

If you have “never” tried something, this is as true in the present moment as it was when you were born.

Question 19

I have never tried octopus.

Answer 19

Nunca he probado el pulpo.

Question 20

He has never written anything like that.

Answer 20

Él jamás ha escrito nada así.

Question 21

6. Already, still –

Answer 21

Ya, todavía

Question 22

If you “still” haven’t done something or it is “already” done, then the action continues into the present moment.

Answer 22

Ya Todavía

Question 23

You still haven’t gone to the doctor?

Answer 23

¿Todavía no has ido al médico?

Question 24

I have already done exercise.

Answer 24

Ya he hecho el ejercicio

Question 25

If you aren’t talking about the event itself (the point in time) when you did exercise, you are just simply stating the fact that it has “already been done” by you, then you need to use the present perfect.

Answer 25

This is because the “already been done” continues into the present even though the exercise finished sometime ago.

Question 26

7. All my life, in my life –

Similar to the “never” and “already” triggers, “all my life” triggers the present perfect.

Answer 26

Toda mi vida, en la vida.

Question 27

I haven’t heard something so strange in my life.

Answer 27

No he oído algo tan extraño en mi vida.

Question 28

All my life I haven’t left the country.

Answer 28

Toda mi vida no he salido del país.

Question 29

8. Sometime, a few times, several times, # times –

If you are counting the number of times you have done something, you should use the present perfect.

Answer 29

Alguna vez, algunas veces, varias veces, # veces

Question 30

I have tried to stop smoking several times.

Answer 30

He intentado dejar de fumar varias veces.

Question 31

In real life

Answer 31

en la vida real (Not Present Perfect)

Question 32

in daily life

Answer 32

en la vida cotidiana (Not Present Perfect)

en la vida diaria