Present Perfect: positive sentences
450 fill-in-the-gap exercises, 45 tests of ten
Have or has, then the past participle. The only thing that changes is which auxiliary the subject takes.
The past participle is the third form in verb tables: written, gone, built. It never changes with the subject.
Practice this form
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The pattern
Everything before the verb stays ordinary. The work happens in two slots: the auxiliary and the past participle.
Choose has for he, she, it and any single person or thing. Choose have for I, you, we, they and any plural.
In speech and informal writing the auxiliary almost always contracts: I’ve, you’ve, he’s, she’s, we’ve, they’ve. Note that he’s can be he has or he is — the past participle after it tells you which.
Words that sit inside the sentence
Three adverbs turn up constantly in positive sentences, and each has its own position.
- already goes between the auxiliary and the verb: I have already paid.
- just sits in the same place: She has just left.
- ever appears mainly in questions, but never works here: We have never met.
Time expressions with for and since attach to the end. Use for with a length of time and since with a starting point: He has worked here for ten years / …since 2015.
All forms
| Subject | Full form | Short form |
|---|---|---|
| I | I have finished | I've finished |
| you | you have finished | you've finished |
| he, she, it | he has finished | he's finished |
| we | we have finished | we've finished |
| they | they have finished | they've finished |
Examples
Taken from the 450 sentences in this drill. The answer is highlighted.
- They have been to Paris twice in the past year.
- Emily and Jack have had a wonderful time at the party.
- We have finished the party preparations for tomorrow.
- My sister and I have bought a new house in the suburbs.
- Sarah and John have watched a movie at the cinema.
- The company has achieved its profit goals for this year.
- They have made their travel plans for the summer.
- We have heard the news on the radio this morning.
- She has made a lot of progress in her studies.
- They have eaten at this restaurant several times in the past.
- We have seen the movie that everyone is talking about.
- They have learned many new words today.
Mistakes to avoid
Wrong: The team have arrived. correct: The team has arrived.
In American English a group word such as team, family or company counts as one thing and takes has.
Wrong: I've ate already. correct: I've eaten already.
Ate is the past. The past participle of eat is eaten.