Transcript Slide 1
the Present
perfect
•How do you make it?
•When do you use it?
~form~
Look at the following sentences in
the present perfect. Can you form
a rule to make this grammar?
1. So far this semester, the students have
worked hard in this class.
2. Everyone has been through difficult
experiences during their lives.
3. I’ve taught at ECC for six years.
The present perfect has 2 parts:
But . . . what does “past participle” mean?
Past participle for regular verbs:
= the same as the simple past tense.
Regular verbs require –ed in the simple
past tense. For these verbs, the past
participle is the same. What is the past
participle for these verbs?
Past participle for
irregular verbs:
= depends on the particular verb.
Irregular verbs do not
take –ed in the simple past. For
these verbs, you must memorize the past
participle form. Do you know the past
participle for these verbs?
Note: The simple past and the past participle forms are
the same for certain verbs (i.e., teach, bring, have, send)
Challenge:
Find all the examples of the present perfect in the following paragraph.
My friend Jill and I have been friends for
many years. We met when we were just 14 years
old. Through the years, we’ve shared a lot of
great laughs and great experiences. She was
with me when I graduated from high school. We
were even roommates once. Jill has always
supported me during the difficult times, too.
She’s always listened to me and she’s always
given me good advice. This past summer we took
a trip to Spain together. We had a great time and
we plan to travel together again in the future.
We’re fortunate that we’ve developed such a
great friendship over the years. I feel lucky to
have a friend like her.
More Practice:
Complete each sentence with the
present perfect form of the verb
given. Be sure to use “has” or
“have” + the verb in past participle.
1. Some students ____________
(take) many English classes, while
others ___________ (study)
English for just a short time.
2. The cost of housing in San Diego
_____________ (get) more
expensive in recent years.
3. Jaime Escalante ____________
(make) a real impact on the lives of
many students.
4. You all ________ (have)
many accomplishments
in your lives.
~use~
The present perfect has many uses and is
very common in American speech.
Often it’s difficult for ESL students to
master when to use the present perfect
vs. the simple past tense.
Let’s look at some examples and think
about the meaning of each tense.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an
activist who fought for equal
rights. He spent his entire life
trying to make a difference for
future generations.
Dolores Huerta has fought for
decades to improve the rights of
migrant workers. She joined
forces with Cesar Chavez in the
1960s. Huerta has been an
important leader for American
workers.
present perfect vs. simple past?
Which tense is used . . . ?
1. For action that is completed/finished?
2. For action that started in the past but is
still happening today?
3. For action that has a connection to or is
still relevant today?
4. With a specific date or point in the past?
more practice:
Click on the links below or
write down the Internet
addresses. These sites will
give you some helpful
practice. Good Luck!
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/4
10/grammar/pperf.htm
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/3
30/grammar/prperf.htm