PRESENT perfect and simple Flashcards
What is the structure for the Present Perfect tense for positive sentences?
I / You / We / They: have + past participle (V3/Ved)
He / She / It: has + past participle (V3/Ved)
Examples:
I’ve eaten.
He’s gone.
How do you form negative Present Perfect sentences?
I / You / We / They: haven’t + past participle (V3/Ved)
He / She / It: hasn’t + past participle (V3/Ved)
Examples:
I haven’t seen it.
She hasn’t finished yet.
What’s the question form for Present Perfect?
Have + subject + past participle (V3/Ved)?
Examples:
Have you seen it?
Have they arrived?
What are the signal words for Present Perfect tense?
Ever
Never
Before
What time
When
When do we use the Present Perfect tense?
When the time of the action is unknown or unimportant.
The action has a result in the present.
Examples:
I’ve lost my keys (The exact time isn’t important, but I don’t have my keys now).
Give an example of a Present Perfect sentence in a positive form.
I have flown a hot-air balloon.
She has eaten pizza with bananas.
Give an example of a Present Perfect negative form.
I haven’t eaten pizza yet.
They haven’t gone to the beach.
Give an example of a Present Perfect question form.
Have you ever flown a hot-air balloon?
Has he ever swum in the ocean?
What is the difference between Present Perfect and Past Simple?
Present Perfect: Action is important, result affects present.
Example: I’ve eaten lunch (I’m not hungry now).
Past Simple: Action happened at a specific time in the past.
Example: I ate lunch at noon yesterday.
Present Perfect short forms
These are short (contracted) forms:
I have - I’ve
She has - She’s
They have - They’ve
Past Simple - Overview
Finished actions at a specific past time (I saw a movie yesterday). Actions started and finished in the past (I lived in London for two years). Habits/repeated actions in the past (I played piano as a child). Past states/situations (I was happy). Time words: yesterday, ago, in [year], last [day/week/month], etc. Form: Regular: base verb + -ed. Irregular: unique forms (memorize!). Negative: didn’t + base verb. Question: Did + subject + base verb?
Present Perfect - Overview
Unspecified time in the past, with relevance to now (I’ve been to Paris – experience matters now). Actions continuing to the present (I’ve lived here for 10 years). Recent actions with present results (I’ve lost my keys – I don’t have them now). Experiences/achievements (I’ve run a marathon). Time words: already, ever, just, never, yet, for, since, today, this [week/month/year], lately, recently. Form: have/has + past participle (V3). Negative: haven’t/hasn’t + past participle. Question: Have/Has + subject + past participle?
Past Simple - Verb Forms & Spelling
Regular: base verb + -ed (walk, walked). -e ending: add -d (like, liked). Consonant + vowel + consonant (except w, x, y, z): double last consonant (stop, stopped). -y ending: change to -i + -ed (study, studied). Irregular: unique forms (go, went; eat, ate). “To be”: was/were.
Present Perfect - Key Differences & Been/Gone
Connects past to now. Focus on result/relevance. “Been” = went and returned (I’ve been to Spain twice). “Gone” = went and still there/on way (He’s gone to Italy). Use “for” with periods of time (for 2 years). Use “since” with starting points (since 2010).
Signal Words - Past Simple & Present Perfect
Past Simple: yesterday, [time] ago, in [year], last [day/week/month], etc. Present Perfect: already, ever, just, never, not yet, for, since, today, this [week/month/year], lately, recently, etc.
since/for
We use since when we have a starting point (e.g., since 2012, since I graduated) and for when we talk about duration (e.g., for 5 years).
Already
Meaning: Before now (often sooner than expected). Placement: Before main verb OR end of sentence (positive). Example: I’ve already finished. / Have you eaten already?
Yet
Meaning: Something hasn’t happened (but probably will). Placement: End of sentence (negative/question). Example: I haven’t gone yet. / Have you seen it yet?
Just
Meaning: A short time ago. Placement: Before the main verb. Example: I’ve just arrived.
Ever/Never
Ever: At any time up to now? (questions). Never: At no time up to now. (verb is affirmative). Example: Have you ever been? I’ve never been. (Note: “She hasn’t never been” is incorrect.)
Been vs. Gone
Been = returned. Gone = still there/on way. Example: I’ve been to France. He’s gone to France.
Замінення на Past Simple
Якщо порядок подій зрозумілий із контексту, Past Perfect можна замінити на Past Simple, і зміст залишиться зрозумілим.
✅ After he had finished his work, he went home.
➡ After he finished his work, he went home.
Але якщо важливо наголосити, що одна подія сталася раніше за іншу, Past Perfect бажано зберегти.
Замінення на Past Continuous
Якщо йдеться про тривалу дію в минулому, можна використовувати Past Continuous.
✅ She had waited for an hour before he arrived.
➡ She was waiting for an hour before he arrived. (тривалий процес очікування)
Замінення на Present Perfect (в розмовній мові)
Якщо дія має зв’язок із теперішнім, у неформальному спілкуванні можна використати Present Perfect.
✅ I had never seen such a beautiful place before I went there.
➡ I have never seen such a beautiful place before going there. (у контексті розмови про досвід)
Але у формальному письмі краще дотримуватися Past Perfect, якщо мова йде про минулі події.
Коли Past Perfect НЕ можна замінити?
Якщо події йдуть у невизначеному порядку, і треба чітко показати, яка з них сталася раніше.
Якщо є слова by the time, before, after, що чітко вказують на часовий порядок подій.
Наприклад:
❌ By the time we arrived, he left. (некоректно, бо незрозуміло, коли саме він пішов)
✅ By the time we arrived, he had left. (чітко зрозуміло, що він пішов до нашого прибуття)
