The present perfect simple expresses an action that is still going on or that stopped recently, but has an influence on the present. It puts emphasis on the result.

For irregular verbs, use the participle form (see list of irregular verbs , 3rd column). For regular verbs, just add “ ed ” .

§ action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking

have or has

Fill the gaps with 'have' or 'has'.

1. I answered the question.

2. She opened the window.

3. They called us.

4. You carried a box.

5. It rained a lot.

6. We washed the car.

7. He closed the window.

8. Jenny locked the door.

9. The girls visited the museum.

10. John and Sophie helped in the garden.

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Positive Sentences in Present Perfect Simple

Write positive sentences in present perfect simple

The following people have just completed an action.

1. Bob / visit / his grandma

2. Jimmy / play / on the computer

3. Sue and Walter / wash / their car

4. Andrew / repair / his bike

5. Phil / help / Anne with maths

6. Brad and Louise / watch / a film

7. Tamara / talk to / her best friend

8. Bridgette / draw / a picture

9. Carol / read / a computer magazine

10. Tom and Alice / be / to a restaurant

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Negative Sentences in Present Perfect Simple

Write negative sentences in present perfect simple.

The weather was wonderful today. So the children were in the park all afternoon and have not done their household chores:

1. Sarah / not / wash the dishes

2. Anita / not / clean the kitchen

3. Maureen and Gavin / not / water the plants

4. Joey / not / make his bed

5. David / not / buy milk

6. Lisa / not / be to the baker's

7. Aran and Jack / not / do their homework

8. Jane and Ben / not / tidy up their rooms

9. Alex / not / feed the hamster

10. Hazel / not / empty the bin

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Sentences with 'never' in Present Perfect Simple

Write sentences in present perfect simple. Place 'never' before the main verb.

In a contest, people get the chance to do something they've never done before. This is what the participants told the jury:

1. Fergal / never / sail / on the Pacific.

2. Rebecca / never / stay / at a five-star hotel

3. Jason / never / watch / a world-cup final

4. Rachel and Gareth / never / climb / Mount Kilimanjaro

5. Elaine / never / see / a whale

6. Ruth / never / spend / her holiday in Mexico

7. Connor / never / be / to Canada

8. Lisa and Holly / never / cycle / around England

9. Barry / never / drive / a Ferrari

10. Clare / never / meet / Mickey Mouse

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Questions in Present Perfect Simple

Write questions in present perfect simple.

1. you / answer / the question

2. Jenny / lock / the door

3. Walter / call / us

4. you / see / the picture

5. your parents / get / the letter

6. it / rain / a lot

7. how often / we / sing / the song

8. Maureen / watch / the film

9. how many books / Bob / read

10. ever / you / be / to London

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Put the verbs into the correct form (present perfect simple).

1. I (not / work) today.

2. We (buy) a new lamp.

3. We (not / plan) our holiday yet.

4. Where (be / you) ?

5. He (write) five letters.

6. She (not / see) him for a long time.

7. (be / you) at school?

8. School (not / start) yet.

9. (speak / he) to his boss?

10. No, he (have / not) the time yet

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Questions with Interrogative Particles in Present Perfect Simple

Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence.

1. I have been in the garden. -

2. My sister has cooked dinner.

3. Sue has read the book twice. -

4. My computer has crashed. -

5. Jeane has been on holiday for eight days.

6. Fred has done his homework.

7. Gavin has stopped at the corner.

8. Sarah has bought five books. -

9. Jason has talked to his teacher.

10. Catherine has cleaned the house because she is having a party tonight.

Loch Ness

Loch Ness is a lake between the Scottish towns of Inverness and Fort Augustus. The word loch is Scottish for lake . Loch Ness is about 37 km long and extremely deep, the deepest part is 226 m.

Loch Ness is famous for its friendly monster, Nessie. Most people think that this is only a legend, but every year tourists from all over the world come to Loch Ness and hope that they will see the monster.

Grammar Exercise on the Text

Present Perfect Simple

We use the present perfect to express what has (not) happened so far. (Note that no time in the past must be given – otherwise you have to use simple past.)

Write the verbs in present perfect simple.

1. Tourists from all over the world (be) to Loch Ness.

2. Most of them (see / not) Nessie, however.

3. Only very few people say that the Loch Ness Monster (appear) in front of them.

4. Even scientists (come) to Loch Ness to find the monster.

5. And the boss of the Guinness brewery (promise) to pay 500,000 Pounds to the person who catches Nessie.

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

have or has

Fill the gaps with 'have' or 'has'.

1. I have answered the question.

2. She has opened the window.

3. They have called us.

4. You have carried a box.

5. It has rained a lot.

6. We have washed the car.

7. He has closed the window.

8. Jenny has locked the door.

9. The girls have visited the museum.

10. John and Sophie have helped in the garden.

Great, all answers are correct!

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Positive Sentences in Present Perfect Simple

Write positive sentences in present perfect simple

The following people have just completed an action.

1. Bob / visit / his grandma

2. Jimmy / play / on the computer

3. Sue and Walter / wash / their car

4. Andrew / repair / his bike

5. Phil / help / Anne with maths

6. Brad and Louise / watch / a film

7. Tamara / talk to / her best friend

8. Bridgette / draw / a picture

9. Carol / read / a computer magazine

10. Tom and Alice / be / to a restaurant

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Negative Sentences in Present Perfect Simple

Write negative sentences in present perfect simple.

The weather was wonderful today. So the children were in the park all afternoon and have not done their household chores:

1. Sarah has not washed the dishes.

2. Anita has not cleaned the kitchen.

3. Maureen and Gavin have not watered the plants.

4. Joey has not made his bed.

5. David has not bought milk.

6. Lisa has not been to the baker's.

7. Aran and Jack have not done their homework.

8. Jane and Ben have not tidied up their rooms.

9. Alex has not fed the hamster.

10. Hazel has not emptied the bin.

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Sentences with 'never' in Present Perfect Simple

Write sentences in present perfect simple. Place 'never' before the main verb.

In a contest, people get the chance to do something they've never done before. This is what the participants told the jury:

1. Fergal has never sailed on the Pacific.

2. Rebecca has never stayed at a five-star hotel.

3. Jason has never watched a world-cup final.

4. Rachel and Gareth have never climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.

5. Elaine has never seen a whale.

6. Ruth has never spent her holiday in Mexico.

7. Connor has never been to Canada.

8. Lisa and Holly have never cycled around England.

9. Barry has never driven a Ferrari.

10. Clare has never met Mickey Mouse.

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Questions in Present Perfect Simple

Write questions in present perfect simple.

1. Have you answered the question?

2. Has Jenny locked the door?

3. Has Walter called us?

4. Have you seen the picture?

5. Have your parents got the letter?

6. Has it rained a lot?

7. How often have we sung the song?

8. Has Maureen watched the film?

9. How many books has Bob read?

10. Have you ever been to London?

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Put the verbs into the correct form (present perfect simple).

1. I have not worked today.

2. We have bought a new lamp.

3. We have not planned our holiday yet.

4. Where have you been ?

5. He has written five letters.

6. She hasn't seen him for a long time.

7. Have you been at school?

8. School hasn't started yet.

9. Has he spoken to his boss?

10. No, he hasn't had the time yet.

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Questions with Interrogative Particles in Present Perfect Simple

Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence.

1. I have been in the garden. - Where have you been?

2. My sister has cooked dinner. Who has cooked dinner?

3. Sue has read the book twice. - How often has Sue read the book?

4. My computer has crashed. - What has crashed?

5. Jeane has been on holiday for eight days. How long has Jeane been on holiday?

6. Fred has done his homework. What has Fred done?

7. Gavin has stopped at the corner. Where has Gavin stopped?

8. Sarah has bought five books. - How many books has Sarah bought?

9. Jason has talked to his teacher. To whom has Jason talked?

10. Catherine has cleaned the house because she is having a party tonight. Why has Catherine cleaned the house?

Grammar Exercise on the Text

Present Perfect Simple

Write the verbs in present perfect simple.

1. Tourists from all over the world have been to Loch Ness.

2. Most of them haven't seen Nessie, however.

3. Only very few people say that the Loch Ness Monster has appeared in front of them.

4. Even scientists have come to Loch Ness to find the monster.

5. And the boss of the Guinness brewery has promised to pay 500,000 Pounds to the person who catches Nessie.