The present perfect tense is formed using has/have + past participle form of the verb.

Affirmative                 Negative 

I have eaten.          I have not eaten.

She has slept.      She has not slept.

He has given.        He hasn’t given.

You have taken.  You haven’t taken

They have kept.  They haven’t kept

We have left.         We haven’t left.

Interrogative   Negative interrogative 

Have I given?    Have I not given?

Has she eaten?   Hasn’t she eaten?

Has he left?          Has he not left?

Have you taken? Haven’t you taken?

Have they slept? Haven’t they slept?

Have we brought? Have we not brought?

Remember, answer to questions in present perfect tense have to be in present perfect only.

Yes, I have.

No, he hasn’t.

The present perfect tense is a mixture of present and past. It is used for:

* Recent actions whose impact or results are seen in present
e.g. I’ve polished the car. (it is shining)

    The lift has broken down. ( we have to use stairs )

At times, yet is used to convey that the impact is being felt at present.

e.g. They haven’t arrived yet. ( we are still waiting )

      She hasn’t called me yet. ( I’m waiting to be called in )

* Recent actions when the time is not mentioned.

e.g. Have you had your lunch? # No, I haven’t had it yet.

I have read the book but I don’t understand its last chapter.

Note: if these statements are made using simple past, it refers to a definite time.

e.g. Did you have lunch? ( before you left your home)

  I read the book last night. 

* Actions recently completed
e.g. We have just reached.

     He has just left for the office.

The word just is used here to convey the idea that the action has recently ended.

Has he just left?

Have you just arrived?

 

* Present perfect is also used with words like never, ever, always and since.

e.g. I have never spoken a lie.

     He has always been late for rehearsals.

     We haven’t met since January.