3. Present Perfect and Present Perfect Progressive
Present Perfect & Present Perfect Progressive — Grammar + Exercises
Exercises are placed right after each rule. Type your answer, then click Check.
1) Present Perfect
have/has + past participle (V3)Form: subject + have/has + V3
Use Present Perfect when the exact time is not important, or the result matters now, or the situation connects the past to the present.
- Life experience (no specific time): ever, never
- Recent news: just, recently
- Unfinished time / not finished yet: already, (not) yet, so far, still
- Result now (the result is visible/important now): “I’ve lost my key.”
Life experience: Have you ever worked with an international team?
Recent: The company has just announced a new plan.
Not finished: I haven’t finished the report yet.
Result now: I’ve forgotten the password. (I can’t log in now.)
Quick note: Don’t use Present Perfect with a finished time word like yesterday or in 2019. Use Simple Past there.
Practice A — Build the Present Perfect form
1
Researchers
several useful habits. (discover)
2
She
her application. (finish + already)
3
Have you ever
a mentor who changed your goals? (meet)
4
I
an interview. (fail + never)
5
The CEO
the new policy. (announce + just)
2) Present Perfect with for and since
duration vs start pointUse for and since to connect the past to the present.
- for + a period of time: for two weeks, for a long time
- since + a starting point: since 2020, since Monday, since I was a child
- Negative alternative: in + period: I haven’t seen him in years.
I’ve lived here since 2021.
I’ve lived here for three years.
I haven’t seen him in years. (negative)
Practice B — Choose for, since, or in
6
She has worked here
2021.
7
They haven’t spoken
three weeks.
8
I’ve lived in this city
I was a child.
9
Negative: I haven’t had a vacation
months.
3) Present Perfect vs Simple Past
finished time vs connection to nowSimple Past = finished time (the “time box” is closed). Use when you say when it happened.
Present Perfect = time is not specified / not finished / result matters now.
- Simple Past: yesterday, last week, in 2019, two days ago
- Present Perfect: ever, never, already, yet, so far, recently, just
Past: I visited Montreal in 2019.
Perfect: I’ve visited Montreal twice.
Past question: Did you watch the video yesterday?
Perfect question: Have you watched the video yet?
Practice C — Choose the correct tense
10
I
that city in 2019. (visit)
11
I
that city twice. (visit)
12
the new ad yesterday? (you/watch)
13
the new ad yet? (you/watch)
4) Present Perfect Progressive
have/has been + V-ingForm: subject + have/has been + V-ing
Use it to emphasize an activity that started in the past and continues now (or has continued very recently). It often focuses on the process and duration.
- Common with how long, for, since, all day, lately
- Often used for temporary or unfinished activities: “I’ve been working on a new plan.”
- Stative verbs usually do not use progressive forms: know, believe, like, understand, prefer, want
Ongoing activity: I’ve been writing an article. (still working)
Completed result: I’ve written an article. (finished)
Stative: I’ve known her for years. (NOT: I’ve been knowing)
Practice D — Present Perfect or Present Perfect Progressive?
14
She
emails all morning; she hasn’t stopped. (write)
15
He
three emails so far. (write)
16
How long
English? (you/study)
17
I
here since May. (work)
18
I
him for years. (know)
5) Meaning Check: Completed vs Ongoing
focus: result vs activitySometimes both forms are possible, but the meaning changes:
- Present Perfect → result / number / completion
- Present Perfect Progressive → activity / duration / “in progress” feeling
She has painted 30 pictures. (how many)
She has been painting for 10 years. (how long)
Practice E — Choose the meaning
19
She has learned Spanish very well.
(completed / ongoing)
20
They have been learning Spanish this semester.
(completed / ongoing)
21
I have lived here since 2023.
(completed / ongoing)
22
He has written four letters.
(completed / ongoing)
6) Avoid Common Mistakes
quick rules- Subject–verb agreement: He has… / They have…
- Don’t mix forms: use has finished (result) vs has been finishing (usually wrong for “finished result”).
- Don’t forget “been” in the progressive: has been working
- Use perfect progressive for duration (not present progressive): have been studying for 3 hours
Practice F — Fix the sentence (type the correct form)
23
Young people
always had high expectations. (have)
24
She
two books this month. (finish)
25
The definition has
changing over the years. (be)
26
I
for six hours. (study)
Show all answers
- have discovered
- has already finished / has finished already
- met
- have never failed / haven’t ever failed / have not ever failed
- has just announced / has announced
- since
- for
- since
- in
- visited
- have visited / I’ve visited
- did you watch / did you see
- have you watched / have you seen
- has been writing
- has written
- have you been studying / have you studied
- have worked / have been working
- have known
- completed
- ongoing
- ongoing
- completed
- have
- has finished
- been
- have been studying
Not so clearly understandable 21. If «completed» is comsume present perfect tense, then why is answer here «ongoing»?