In Smrt 120 Grammar 7-1, we saw that the Present Perfect is used to connect the past with the present. This connection can have many reasons, which will be explored in this unit. This lesson will focus on the Indefinite Past for experiences that did or didn't happen at an indefinite, or unknown, time in the past.
This Present Perfect Simple grammar structure is:
| have / has | past participle |
We use the Present Perfect Simple to describe an experience that has or has not happened. However, we use the Present Perfect Continuous to describe an experience that has been happening over a duration of time or a repeated action over a duration of time and not finished. For both structures, the specific time of the experience is not important, but the experience is.
- I have never been to a wedding.
- You have been married four times.
- She has just got a promotion!
- We have not given all of our money to charity yet.
- He has been reading.
- They have been studying a lot recently.
You can see in the examples above, we sometimes use adverbs in this grammar structure. Look at the sentences below to see how they are used to focus on the Indefinite Past.
- Recently
- I have been seeing Susan recently.
- Lately
- I've been going to that new taco restaurant a lot lately.
- Before
- Have you ever been married before?
- Yet
- I haven’t had any children yet.
- Never
- She has never taken Latin.
- Ever
- Have you ever smoked?
- Just
- I have just met one of my cousins for the first time.
- Still*
- I still haven’t received my refund from Revenue Canada.
- Already
- He has already left for college.
*adverbs are highly movable, but with "still", it is usually used before "have/has".
Been Vs. Gone
Both “be” and “go” are used when talking about the Indefinite Past, but the meaning is different. When talking about the Indefinite Past, we use “be” to focus on a past experience that did or didn’t happen. When talking about Present Results, which will be studied in Grammar 5-2, we use “go” to focus on the Present Result. Both verbs are used in the simple structure only.
- He has been there many times. (Indefinite Past = past experience)
- I have never been to college. (Indefinite Past = past inexperience)
- She has gone home. (Present Result = She is not here. She is at home)
- They have gone to the bank. (Present Result = They are not here. They are at the bank.)
Present Perfect Simple + Superlative of Adjectives
Similar to the grammar structure in Grammar 3-3, using superlative adjectives, we can combine this with the Present Perfect Simple to describe superlative experiences.
This Present Perfect Simple grammar structure is:
| superlative adjective | noun | have/has | (ever) | past participle |
Examples
- She is the tallest grade 8 student I have seen.
- They are the smartest class we have had at this school.
- She is the rudest person I have ever met!
You can add ever for emphasis. When writing, you can add an exclamation point for even more emphasis.