Unit 8: Mixed conditionals
Stop using the present perfect too much!
Select a unit
- 1 Go beyond intermediate with our new video course
- 2 Reported speech in 90 seconds!
- 3 If or whether?
- 4 5 ways to use 'would'
- 5 Let and allow
- 6 Passive voice
- 7 Unless
- 8 Mixed conditionals
- 9 The zero article - in 90 seconds
- 10 The indefinite article - in 90 seconds
- 11 The. That's right - the! Learn all about it in 90 seconds
- 12 The continuous passive
- 13 Future perfect
- 14 Need + verb-ing
- 15 Have something done
- 16 Wish
- 17 Word stress
- 18 Different ways of saying 'if'
- 19 Passive reporting structures
- 20 The subjunctive
- 21 When and if
- 22 Inversion
- 23 Phrasal verbs
- 24 The future
- 25 Modals in the past
- 26 Narrative tenses
- 27 Phrasal verb myths
- 28 Conditionals review
- 29 Used to - review
- 30 Linking words of contrast
Session 4
Present perfect
The present perfect can be a tricky verb form to get right, even if there is a similar form in your own language. It could be tempting to use it too much but follow Tim's 'perfect' top tips to help you use it correctly.
Activity 1
Stop saying ...
Present perfect
The present perfect is one of those tricky English verb forms. Some languages don't have anything like it. Some have something similar but it is often used in a different way.
Jeonghyeon from Korea wants to know how he can improve his use of the present perfect and stop using it too much. Tim has some top tips to help, as well as a really bad joke.
Watch the video and complete the activity
Summary
Use the present perfect to talk about:
- life experiences:
I've been to Italy.
She's lived in Japan.
I've never eaten meat.
- recent past actions that are important now:
I've lost my keys.
My sister's broken her leg.
I'm sorry, I've forgotten your name. - past situations that are still happening now:
I've been here since January.
We've been married for three years.
It's been snowing since this morning.
- talking about recent past events with 'just', 'yet' and 'already':
I've just finished a great book.
I've already read that one.
Have you eaten yet?
Very important
Don't use the present perfect for activities, states and situations in the past which are completed or finished.
I went to Italy last year.
My sister broke her leg last year.
We got married in 2014.
I ate before I came out.
To do
See how you do with the present perfect in our quiz.
Perfect or not?
5 Questions
For each sentence decide of the use of the present perfect is correct or not, then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Help
Activity
For each sentence decide of the use of the present perfect is correct or not, then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
What is the time of the trip to Spain?Help
Activity
For each sentence decide of the use of the present perfect is correct or not, then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
This is a life experience.Help
Activity
For each sentence decide of the use of the present perfect is correct or not, then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
What does the phrase 'last night' tell you?Help
Activity
For each sentence decide of the use of the present perfect is correct or not, then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
Is this life experience.Help
Activity
For each sentence decide of the use of the present perfect is correct or not, then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
Which of the present perfect tips is this?Question 1 of 5
Yes, this is a correct use of the present perfect.
No, the present perfect is wrong here.
Excellent! Great job! Bad luck! You scored:
Perfect or not?
5 Questions
For each sentence decide of the use of the present perfect is correct or not, then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Help
Activity
For each sentence decide of the use of the present perfect is correct or not, then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
What is the time of the trip to Spain?Question 1 of 5
Help
Activity
For each sentence decide of the use of the present perfect is correct or not, then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
This is a life experience.Question 2 of 5
Help
Activity
For each sentence decide of the use of the present perfect is correct or not, then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
What does the phrase 'last night' tell you?Question 3 of 5
Help
Activity
For each sentence decide of the use of the present perfect is correct or not, then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
Is this life experience.Question 4 of 5
Help
Activity
For each sentence decide of the use of the present perfect is correct or not, then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
Which of the present perfect tips is this?Question 5 of 5
Excellent! Great job! Bad luck! You scored:
End of Session 4
That's the end of this session. We hope you have learnt something!
Thanks to the staff and students of Avalon School of English for their help with this programme.
Next
Now it's time to pop in to the White Elephant, BBC Learning English's comedy restaurant. What's on the menu today?
Session Grammar
Top tips
Use the present perfect:
- life experiences
- recent past actions that are important now
- past situations that are still happening now
- talking about recent past events with 'just', 'yet' and 'already'
Don't use the present perfect for actions and activities completed in the past.