Topics

Present

Past

Past to Present

Future

Abilities - Responsibilities

Asking Questions

Choosing the Right Phrase

Combining Verbs

Explaining Ideas

Describing Your World

Complex Ideas

Relating Ideas, People, Objects

Speaking about Objects

Wondering about Situations

Life Experience

Present Perfect

Use the present perfect when speaking about an experience that has happened before the present moment when the time of the event remains unspecified.

Example:

Have you visited the reservation desk?

They haven't had the chance to hire a busser in that restaurant.

They've requested wake-up calls in hotels all around the world.

In this case, the present perfect is used to express an experience without giving precise details. Whenever you speak about something that has happened up to now without giving a precise point in time, use the present perfect.

Positive Form:

I've travelled on fourteen major highways in the United States.

Negative Form:

They haven't had the chance to hire a busser in that restaurant.

Question Form:

Have you visited the reservation desk?

'Ever' and 'Never' with the Present Perfect

Use the present perfect with both 'ever' and 'never'. These time expressions are often used to to discuss experiences.

She has never tolerated disgruntled employees.

The food service management team has never seen a raise.

Place 'ever' or 'never' directly before the past participle in the question form.

Has the hostess ever thought about changing venues?

Have you ever audited the chain operators?

'Never' means 'not ever' and is a negative form of the present perfect.

Courses
English for Business and Commerce

English for Production and Manufacturing

English for NGO and NPO (Non-Governmental Organizations, Non-Profit Organizations)

Share This Page