PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

We use present perfect for

• things that started in the past and continue still
• things started and completed in the past but still affect now
• experiences we had or didn’t have up until now
• ‘ever’ and ‘never’

present tense of ‘have’ (have, has) +3^rd form of main verb

Present perfect sentences

1. Positive sentences

EVENTS THAT CONTINUE UP UNTIL NOW:

• I have been in good health all my life.

EVENTS COMPLETED IN THE PAST THAT STILL AFFECT NOW:

• She has had coffee, but that’s all, so she can do the test.

EXPERIENCES UP UNTIL NOW:

• He’s had (has had) a few abnormal sugar reading (in the past).
• We’ve had (have had) really good patient outcomes with this treatment.

2. Negative sentences

EVENTS THAT CONTINUE UP UNTIL NOW:

• He hasn’t been in good health recently.

EVENTS COMPLETED IN THE PAST BUT AFFECTING NOW:

• I haven’t eaten for a while, so my stomach is empty.

EXPERIENCES UP UNTIL NOW:

• I’ve never had an abnormal sugar reading (before).
• I haven’t had any problems with my eyesight (so far).

SEE RESOURCES APPENDIX P2.1 – COMMON IRREGULAR VERBS IN HEALTHCARE 

Present perfect questions

Here, the form of ‘have’ goes before the subject; the third form of the main verb comes after the subject:

• Have you ever had a urinary tract infection?
• Has the doctor explained the test?
• Have the results come back as yet?

Present perfect w-questions (who, what, when, where, why, which, how)

In w-questions, the w-word goes before the form of ‘have’:

• What symptoms have you had so far?
• How have you managed the itchy skin?
• Why haven’t the results come back as yet? 

SPEAKING EXERCISE D

Practice repeating ALOUD each example sentence in the lesson above. Focus on the common collocations, RUNNING THEM TOGETHER until they flow as ONE EXPRESSION.  The collocations are underlined.

GRAMMAR EXERCISE D

Instructions: Choose the correct option.