How to Teach the Present Perfect – Dr TEFL Guides

Teaching English grammar: the present perfect

Hello everyone,

I’m Dr. TEFL, back again with my weekly TEFL teaching tips. I hope you enjoyed the previous ones. Today I’m going to talk about the present perfect tense.

Here are some tips:

Some tips for teaching the present perfect tense

Resources for teaching English: “For” / “since” (with the present perfect).

English level: B2

Aim: Practice the present perfect tense as an oral game

Introduction

It’s essential to learn a very important grammatical structure: the present perfect. To achieve a better level of English, you need to practice spoken grammar exercises because they are the most useful. They are also the most challenging.

Activity 1: Oral practice of for/since

We use FOR to talk about a duration, a period of time. We use SINCE to talk about a point in the past, a specific moment in time.

Interrogative words How long? and since when? and prepositions for and since They are used with the present perfect to express that something started in the past and is still true. How long? and for They refer to a incomplete time period, while when? and since They refer to a point in time:

have lived here for two months.
Yo have lived here since January.
“How long have you known Joe?” “For ten years.”
“Since when have you known Joe?” “Since the early 1990s.”

The point in time after of since It can also be expressed with a clause containing a verb in the simple past tense:

I have lived here since I was born. I’ve known José since we were young.

Most teachers of English as a Second Language reach this harsh conclusion. The majority of students who have learned English as a second language only use three verb tenses: present, past, and future. And they will most likely make themselves understood, but only by resorting to these three. The present perfect is one of those tenses that is quickly forgotten, easily replaced by the simple past tense.

But students don’t realize how important it is to master it. To prevent the present perfect from being forgotten, it must be learned correctly. Dr. TEFL will provide you with the steps that will help you learn the present perfect.

Let’s introduce the verbs in the regular present perfect tense

Here is an example in the simple past tense: Yesterday, I had a busy day. I received lots of emails.
Here is an example of the present perfect: I have received only a few today.

This is how the present perfect tense is formed: Have/has plus the past participle. The past participle of regular verbs ends in -ed, just like in the simple past.

Contrast completed and unfinished time. One of the best ways to ensure you understand when to use the present perfect is to contrast completed and unfinished time. Did it finish yesterday? (You should say it is finished.) Is it finished today? (You should say no.)

On the board, draw two columns. In the left column, write examples of sentences that use completed time: yesterday, last week, last month, last year, 1990, etc. In the right column, write examples of sentences that use unfinished time: today, this week, this month, this year, etc.

Make sure they notice the differences, and then give examples (using only regular verbs) with both tenses:

This month, I have only visited her once. But this month is not finished so I may visit her again before the month is over.

Give as many examples as necessary, in all persons, and then ask the students to do the same with other regular verbs. Contrast the simple past and the present perfect as much as needed.

The present perfect tense – Irregular verbs

I’ve had two cups of coffee today.

I’ve spoken to Mike this week.

I’ve read all seven of the Harry Potter books.

The present perfect – Negative forms

I saw my grandmother last week. I haven’t seen her this week.

I went to Brussels last year, but I haven’t been there this year.

A statement in the simple past tense and an example in the negative present perfect tense.

I was at the gym earlier today.

I haven’t been to the gym this week.

The present perfect – Interrogative forms

Have you seen the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone?

Have you been to Brussels?

Practice this exercise by thinking of questions that use when, where, and why, although you need to make sure you use the simple past tense because you are referring to something specific in the past. Make sure your questions refer to all people, both singular and plural. Use both singular and plural forms.