Topics

Present

Past

Past to Present

Future

Abilities - Responsibilities

Asking Questions

Choosing the Right Phrase

Combining Verbs

Explaining Ideas

Describing Your World

Complex Ideas

Relating Ideas, People, Objects

Speaking about Objects

Wondering about Situations

Recent Events

Present Perfect

Present perfect for recent events:

The present perfect connects the past to the present moment. It is used to express an effect on the present moment. The time expressions 'just', 'yet' and 'already' are often used to express this relationship to the present moment in time.

Example:

The commercial account hasn't been closed.

The interest accrual hasn't increased yet.

The company's accountant has already finished the debt-to-income ratio report for the meeting.

Already

Place 'already' directly before the past participle. 'Already' is used in positive sentences.

Subject + have + already + past participle + (object(s))

Sue has already written the contract for the fixed term sale.

Yet

Place 'yet' at the end of a negative sentence or question.

Subject + have + not + past participle + (object(s)) + yet

We have not yet gotten the price at a discount

Have + subject + past participle + (object(s)) + yet?

Have they returned your market research call yet?

Just

Place 'just' directly before the participle form to express that something has occurred recently. 'Just' is used in positive sentences.

Subject + have + just + past participle + (object(s))

They've just announced the new procedures for a proxy vote.