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Learning Objectives

5 minutes reading
✓
Understand when and why to use the present perfect tense
✓
Form present perfect sentences correctly (have/has + past participle)
✓
Use key time expressions: for, since, ever, never, yet, already, just
✓
Talk about professional experience, achievements and recent events
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Key Learning Tip

The present perfect connects the past to the present. Use it for experiences, achievements, and recent changes - very common in job interviews and professional discussions!

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Present Perfect Tense

10 minutes reading

The present perfect connects past actions to the present. Formation: have/has + past participle

Formation

have/has + past participle

I/You/We/They have worked → "I have worked here for 5 years."
He/She/It has worked → "She has managed three teams."
Negative: haven't/hasn't → "I haven't finished the report."
Question: Have/Has + subject → "Have you seen the email?"
Short answers: Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.
Experience

Life & Career Experience

ever (in questions) → "Have you ever worked abroad?"
never (negative) → "I've never missed a deadline."
How many times → "How many times have you visited the office?"
"I've worked in three different companies."
"She's attended many conferences."
Duration

for & since

for + period of time → "I've worked here for 5 years."
since + point in time → "I've worked here since 2019."
for: for 2 hours, for 3 months, for a long time
since: since Monday, since January, since I graduated
"She's been the manager since last year."
Recent Events

just, already, yet

just (very recently) → "I've just finished the meeting."
already (sooner than expected) → "I've already sent the email."
yet (questions/negatives) → "Have you finished yet?"
yet in negatives → "I haven't received a reply yet."
"The client has just called."
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Present Perfect vs Past Simple

Present Perfect: No specific time / connected to now → "I've visited London" (experience)
Past Simple: Specific time in the past → "I visited London last year" (finished event)

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Professional Contexts

5 minutes reading

Job Interviews

💼 Experience: "I've worked in sales for 10 years."
🌍 Travel: "Have you ever worked internationally?"
🏆 Achievements: "I've managed teams of up to 20 people."
📚 Training: "I've completed several leadership courses."

Project Updates

✅ Completed tasks: "We've finished the first phase."
⏳ Pending work: "I haven't received the data yet."
📧 Recent actions: "I've just sent the report to the client."
🔄 Changes: "The deadline has changed."
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Examples - Correct & Incorrect Usage

5 minutes reading
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Correct Professional Usage

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"I've worked in finance for 8 years."

Experience that continues to the present (for + duration)

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"Have you ever managed a remote team?"

Asking about life experience (ever in questions)

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"I've just received the contract."

Very recent action (just = a moment ago)

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"She's already approved the budget."

Completed sooner than expected (already)

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"I haven't finished the report yet."

Not completed, but expected (yet in negatives)

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

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"I have worked here since 5 years."

Wrong! Use "for" with duration. Say: "I've worked here for 5 years."

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"I have visited the client yesterday."

Wrong! Specific past time needs past simple. Say: "I visited the client yesterday."

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"Did you ever work abroad?"

Wrong for experience! Use present perfect. Say: "Have you ever worked abroad?"

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Listening Exercise

10 minutes

Scenario: Anna and Ben discuss a weekly report and recent company updates.

🎙️Audio: Weekly Report Discussion
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Speed:

Audio Transcript: Weekly Report Discussion

Anna: Hi Ben, have you finished the weekly report yet?

Ben: No, I haven't finished it yet. I've been working on it all morning, but I still need to add the sales figures.

Anna: That's okay. Have you spoken to Sarah about the numbers?

Ben: Yes, I've already spoken to her. She's sent me most of the data, but she hasn't sent the final totals yet.

Anna: I see. By the way, have you heard about the new product launch?

Ben: Yes, I have. Marketing have just launched a new campaign. They've put together some really impressive materials.

Anna: That's great. Has anyone from our team seen the presentation yet?

Ben: I don't think so. I haven't had time to look at it, and I don't think the others have either.

Anna: Okay. Let me know when you've finished the report. I need to review it before the meeting.

Ben: Sure, I'll send it to you as soon as I've got all the figures.

Question 1: What structure does Ben use when he says "I haven't finished it yet"?

💡 Hint: "Haven't" is the contraction of "have not" + past participle. "Yet" is used in negative sentences.

Question 2: What is the main topic of Anna and Ben's conversation?

💡 Hint: Listen to what Anna asks at the beginning and what they discuss throughout.

Question 3: Complete the sentence: "Marketing _____ a new campaign."

💡 Hint: Listen for what Marketing has done very recently with the campaign.
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Interactive Quiz

10 minutes

Choose the correct option:

1

"I _____ here for 5 years."

Awork
Bhave worked
Cworked
2

"She's been the manager _____ 2020."

Afor
Bsince
Cduring
3

"Have you _____ worked abroad?"

Aever
Bnever
Cyet
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Practice Exercises

10 minutes

Exercise A - Choose for or since

Complete with the correct time expression:

1.

I've worked here _____ three years.

💡 Hint: "Three years" is a duration/period of time.
2.

She's been in the meeting _____ 9 o'clock.

💡 Hint: "9 o'clock" is a specific point in time.
3.

We haven't received any orders _____ last Monday.

💡 Hint: "Last Monday" is a specific point in time.
4.

He's managed this department _____ a long time.

💡 Hint: "A long time" is a duration/period.
5.

I've known her _____ we started working together.

💡 Hint: "We started working together" is a point/event in time.

Exercise B - Complete with the correct form

Choose the correct verb form (present perfect or past simple):

1.

I _____ (visit) the London office last week.

2.

_____ you ever _____ (work) in Asia?

3.

She _____ (just/finish) the presentation.

4.

The company _____ (grow) a lot since 2015.

5.

We _____ (sign) the contract yesterday.

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Summary

2 minutes

🎓 Key Points to Remember

  • Formation: have/has + past participle (I've worked, She's managed)
  • Experience: Use "ever" in questions, "never" for negatives → "Have you ever...?" / "I've never..."
  • Duration: "for" + period (for 5 years) / "since" + point in time (since 2019)
  • Recent events: "just" (very recent), "already" (sooner than expected), "yet" (questions/negatives)
  • Remember: Don't use present perfect with specific past times (yesterday, last week, in 2010)
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Congratulations!

You've completed Module 5! Take the Module 5 Quiz to test your knowledge of verb structures, phrasal verbs, and present perfect.

Quiz Module 5 →