present perfect and past simple; have gone and have been
Context listening
James shares a flat with his sister Annie. James is having a birthday party. Look at the pictures and guess what happened.
You are going to hear some conversations at the birthday party.
How does Garry know Annie?
What happens at the end?
GRAMMAR
Present Perfect form
We form the present perfect with has/have + past participle.
The past participle:-
for regular verbs* and a few irregular** verbs, it is the same as the past simple.
want => wanted => wanted*
make => made => made**
for most irregular verbs it is different from the past simple
break => broke => broken
go => went => gone
Click here for a list of irregular verbs or scan the code below.
Present Perfect form summary
Present perfect vs past simple
We use the present perfect not the past simple:
for past events when the exact time is not important, but the result is interesting now:
They have moved to another town. (= They don’t live here now.)
She’s passed her driving test. (= She can drive to work.)
The bus has arrived. (= We can get onto it.)
for a period of time beginning in the past and continuing to now (often with since and for):
You have worked very hard.
I’ve worked there for two months.
I’ve worked there since April. (= I still work there now.)
with still and yet with not and in questions with yet:
I still haven’t dried my hair. (= it’s wet)
I haven’t put the balloons up yet. (= I want to – they’re on the floor)
Have the guests arrived yet?
NOTE! Still goes before the verb and yet goes after it.
for questions asking how long until now:
How long have you known Annie?
We use the past simple NOT the present perfect
for past events at a particular time:
They moved in July.
She passed her driving test yesterday.
The bus arrived at six.
for a period of time beginning and ending in the past (sometimes with for):
You worked very hard last year.
She worked at the cinema for ten months. (= But she doesn’t work there now.)
for actions and events started in the past which are finished, often with ago:
I dried my hair half an hour ago. (= it was wet but it’s dry now)
I didn’t put the balloons up. (= because I decided not to have a party)
for questions asking when:
When did you meet?
Other uses of the present perfect
We use the present perfect
with just for an event a short time before now:
I’ve just met her. (= a few minutes ago)
with adverbs already, before, ever and never, meaning ‘before now’
We’ve already met.
Has he ever met her?
We’ve met before.
with superlatives
You make the best pizza I’ve ever eaten.
after the expressions the first/last etc. time:
That’s the second time you’ve asked me.
Have gone and have been
To go has two forms in the present perfect:
have gone and have been.
The meanings are different.
He’s been to the shops.
(= He went there and then returned home.)
She’s gone to the city centre.
(= She went there and she’s there now.)
Grammar Practice
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