Back to: The client is always right
Use the present perfect for actions and states that involve both the past and the present.
- Actions that started in the past and continue into the present (and possibly the future).
Stewart has studied at college for one year. He still has one more year left in his program. - States and actions that happened at an unspecified moment in the past, with emphasis on a result in the present.
Catherine has consulted the emergency procedures, so she knows exactly what to do in case of a fire. - States and actions that happened in the very recent past or unfinished period of time.
I have just sent you an email confirming your appointment. I have not eaten yet today.
| Affirmative form | Negative form | Question form | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I / You | have | worked | have not | worked | Have I / you | worked? |
| He / She / It | has | studied | has not | studied | Has he / she / it | studied? |
| We / You / They | have | spoken | have not | spoken | Have we / you / they | spoken? |
| Liked | Verbs ending in –e add only –d. |
| Studied | Verbs ending in –y preceded by a consonant: change –y to –i and add –ed. |
| Stopped Referred Opened |
Verbs ending in consonant-vowel-consonant (except –w or –x): double the final consonant before adding –ed – only if the last syllable is stressed. |
Many verbs have an irregular past participle form, which you need to study.
- begin → begun
- buy → bought
- know → known
- write → written
The client is always right – Grammar – Part 1