Present perfect tense

Present Perfect Tense to Describe Life Experiences

Have you ever climbed a mountain?

## Introduction to the Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense is formed with the auxiliary verb 'have' (in the correct form for the subject) and the past participle of the main verb. It's used to connect the past and the present. One of its main uses is to describe experiences that occurred at an unspecified time in the past. These experiences are relevant to the present moment or impact the person's life now.

## Structure of the Present Perfect

**Positive:** Subject + has/have + past participle

**Example:** I have visited Paris.

**Negative:** Subject + has/have + not + past participle

**Example:** She hasn't climbed Mount Everest.

**Question:** Have/Has + subject + past participle?

**Example:** Have you tried sushi?

## Talking About Life Experiences

### Unspecified Time

When talking about life experiences, we don't specify when they happened; we're more interested in the fact that they did happen at some point. For instance:

- I have been to Italy. (At some unspecified time in my life)

- We have seen that movie. (It doesn't matter when)

### Not Tied to Exact Moments

The present perfect isn't used with specific time expressions like "yesterday," "last year," or "in 2010," which are used with the past simple tense. Instead, we might use time expressions such as "ever," "never," "once," "many times," "several times," "before," or "so far."

- Have you ever gone scuba diving?

- They have climbed many mountains so far.

### Life Experiences and Achievements

Using present perfect to discuss life experiences is particularly common when talking about achievements or milestones:

- She has written three novels.

- They have traveled to every continent.

### To Emphasize Current Relevance

Even though the actions happened in the past, the present perfect suggests that the experiences are still important now. For instance:

- I have learned Spanish. (And now I can speak it)

- He has broken his arm before. (And that experience is relevant to the current conversation perhaps because he broke it again or is discussing injuries)

### Past Experiences Leading to Present Situations

Sometimes life experiences with the present perfect are mentioned to give background information that explains a present situation:

- We've lost our keys, so we can't open the door right now.

- She's visited China several times, which is why she's interested in learning Mandarin.

## Classroom Activity: Talking About Experiences

**Objective:** To practice using the present perfect to talk about experiences.

### Warm-Up

Everyone writes down three things they have done in their lives (I have ...).

### Pair Work

In pairs, students ask each other if they have done various activities, trying to find something they have both done. For instance:

- A: Have you ever been camping?

- B: Yes, I have been camping. Have you ever skydived?

- A: No, I haven't skydived.

### Group Sharing

Pairs share with the class one thing they have both done, using the present perfect tense.

### Conclusion

Using the present perfect to talk about life experiences is a common and important aspect of everyday conversation. It allows speakers to focus on the occurrence of actions without specifying the exact timing, and it also indicates how past experiences are significant in the present. Students should be encouraged to think of the present perfect as a bridge connecting past experiences to who they are today.