Present perfect — past meets now · Present perfect — le passé rencontre le présent
Linking the past to now
- The present perfect connects a past action to now.
- I have finished my homework. (so I'm free now)
- It's about experience or the recent past — not a specific time.
I have finished my homework; the sofa is delighted.
Relier le passé au présent
- Le present perfect relie une action passée à maintenant.
- I have finished my homework. (donc je suis libre maintenant)
- C'est une question d'expérience ou du passé récent — pas d'un moment précis.
I have finished my homework; the sofa is delighted.
Form: have / has + past participle
- have / has + past participle (he / she / it → has).
- I have seen it. She has gone home.
- Past participle: regular = -ed; irregular → do → done, see → seen, be → been.
Forme : have / has + participe passé
- have / has + participe passé (he / she / it → has).
- I have seen it. She has gone home.
- Participe passé : régulier = -ed ; irrégulier → do → done, see → seen, be → been.
Which sentence is in the present perfect? · Quelle phrase est au present perfect ?
Present perfect = have/has + past participle: “has lost”. · Present perfect = have/has + participe passé : « has lost ».
Complete: I have ___ (do) my homework. · Complétez : I have ___ (do) my homework.
The past participle of “do” is “done”: I have done. · Le participe passé de « do » est « done » : I have done.
ever, never, just, already, yet
- ever (in questions) / never → experience.
- just = a moment ago; already = sooner than expected.
- yet goes at the end of negatives / questions ("so far / still not").
- Have you ever been to London? I've just eaten. He hasn't finished yet.
ever, never, just, already, yet
- ever (dans les questions) / never → expérience.
- just = un instant avant ; already = plus tôt que prévu.
- yet va à la fin des phrases négatives / interrogatives (« jusqu'à présent / encore pas »).
- Have you ever been to London? I've just eaten. He hasn't finished yet.
for and since
- for + a length of time → for three years.
- since + a starting point → since 2020.
- I have lived here for five years. We've known each other since 2018.
for and since
- for + une durée → for three years.
- since + un point de départ → since 2020.
- I have lived here for five years. We've known each other since 2018.
for or since? · for ou since ?
Use 'for' with a length of time, 'since' with a starting point. · Utilisez 'for' avec une durée, 'since' avec un point de départ.
Choose the correct word: I have lived here ___ 2019. · Choisissez le bon mot : I have lived here ___ 2019.
2019 is a starting point → use “since”. Use “for” with a length of time. · 2019 est un point de départ → utilisez « since ». Utilisez « for » avec une durée.
Translate into English: 我在这里住了五年了。 · Traduisez en anglais : 我在这里住了五年了。
Still true now → present perfect with for: “I have lived here for five years.” · Toujours vrai maintenant → present perfect avec for : « I have lived here for five years. »
Common mistakes
- ❌ I have seen him yesterday. → ✓ I saw him yesterday. — an exact past time → past simple.
- ❌ I live here for ten years. → ✓ I have lived here for ten years. — still true now → present perfect.
- ❌ Have you ever went to Beijing? → ✓ Have you ever been to Beijing?
Erreurs courantes
- ❌ I have seen him yesterday. → ✓ I saw him yesterday. — un temps passé exact → past simple.
- ❌ I live here for ten years. → ✓ I have lived here for ten years. — toujours vrai maintenant → present perfect.
- ❌ Have you ever went to Beijing? → ✓ Have you ever been to Beijing?
Match the verb to its past participle (the have/has form). · Reliez le verbe à son participe passé (la forme have/has).
The participle is the third form: do–did–done, see–saw–seen, eat–ate–eaten, be–was–been. · Le participe est la troisième forme : do–did–done, see–saw–seen, eat–ate–eaten, be–was–been.
Tom isn't here. He has ___ to the bank.
gone = he went and is still away; been = he went and came back. · gone = il est allé et est encore loin ; been = il est allé et est revenu.
- Present perfect links past → now.
- Form: have / has + past participle.
- for + a length of time; since + a starting point.
- Present perfect relie passé → présent.
- Forme : have / has + participe passé.
- for + une durée ; since + un point de départ.
Write one sentence about a place you have visited, using the present perfect (have/has been to ...). · Écrivez une phrase sur un endroit que vous avez visité, en utilisant le present perfect (have/has been to ...).
Example: “I have been to Shanghai.” (have + been) · Exemple : « I have been to Shanghai. » (have + been)