Study this example situation:

Tom is looking for his key. He can't find it.

He has Lost his key.
He has Lost his key= He lost it recently, and he still
doesn't have it.
Have/has Lost is the present perfect simple:

finished
1/we/they/you have (=I 've etc.)
Lost
done
he/she/it has (= he's etc.)
been etc.

The present perfect simple is have/has+ past participle. The past participle often ends in -ed
(finished/decided etc.), but many important verbs are irregular (Lost/done/written etc.).
For a list of irregular verbs, see Appendix 1.

When we say that 'something has happened', this is usually new information:
0 Owl I've cut my finger.
0 The road is closed. There's been (there has been) an accident.
0 (from the news) Police have arrested two men in connection with the robbery.
When we use the present perfect, there is a con nection with now. The action in the past has a result now:
0 'Where's your key?' 'I don 't know. I've Lost it.' (=I don't have it now)
0 He told me his name, but I've forgotten it. (= I can't remember it now)
0 'Is Sally here?' 'No, she's gone out.' (=she is out now)
0 I can't find my bag. Have you seen it? (= Do you know where it is now?)

Note the difference between gone (to) and been (to):

0 james is on holiday. He has gone to Italy. (= he is there now or on his way there)
0 Jane is back home now. She has been to Italy. (=she has now come back)
You can use the present perfect with just, already and yet.

just = a short time ago:

0 'Are you hungry?' 'No, I've just had lunch.'
0 Hello. Have you just arrived ?
We use already to say that something happened sooner than expected:
0 'Don't forget to pay your electricity bill.' 'I 've already paid it.'
0 'What time is Mark leaving?' 'He's already Left.'
Yet = until now. Yet shows that the speaker is expecting something to happen. Use yet only in
questions and negative sentences:
0 Has it stopped raining yet?
0 I've written the emai l, but I haven't sent it yet.

You can also use the past simple (did, went, had etc.) in the examples on this page. So you can say:
0 ' Is Sally here?' 'No, she went out.' or 'No, she's gone out.'
0 'Are you hungry?' 'No, I just had lunch.' or 'No, I've just had lunch.'

Present pe rfect ~ Units 8, 11 Been to~ Units 8A, 126A Present perfect co ntinuo u s ~ Units 9- 10
Present perfect and past ~ Units 12- 14 Yet and already~ Unit 111 American Eng l is h ~ Appendix 7
 Unit
Exercises 7
Read the situations and write sentences. Use the following verbs in the present perfect:

arnve
. break fall go up grow 1mprove lose

1 Tom is looking for his key. He can't find it. Tom .....h.~? . Lo~ t. .b ~s..... k~ .:.
2 Lisa can't walk and her leg is in plaster. Lisa .................... ..... ............................................ .
3 Last week the bus fare was £1 .80 . Now it is £2. The bus fa re ........................................ .............. ..
4 M aria's English wasn't very good. Now it is better. Her English .............................................................. .
5 Dan didn 't have a beard before. Now he has a beard. Dan ........ ..... ...................................... .
6 This morning I was expecting a letter. Now I have it. The letter ..... . ....................... . ....... ............. ..
7 The temperature was 20 degrees. Now it is only 12. The ............. .................................................................. ..

Put in been or gone.

1 James is on holiday. He's ..gone . to Italy.
2 Hello! I've just ........... ... to the shops. I've bought lots of things.
3 A lice isn't here at the moment. She's ..... .......... ............................ to the shop to get a newspaper.
4 Tom has ..................................... out. He'll be back in about an hour.
5 'Are you going to the bank?' 'No, I've already ..... . ....................... ..... to the bank.'

- Complete B's sentences. Make sentences from the words in brackets.

A B

1 Would you like something to eat? No, th anks. .1..\~ j~st. h~ ..W..nQ1..~.
(I I just I have I lunch)
2 Do you know where Julia is? Yes, .................................. ........................................................ .........................
(I I just I see I her)
3 What time is David leaving?
(he I already I leave)
4 What's in the newspaper today? I don't know. .. ............................................................. ................................
(I I not I read I it yet)
5 Is Sue com ing to the cinema with us? No, ....... .. .......... ......
(she I already I see I the film)
6 Are your friends here yet? Yes, ........................................................................................................................ ~
(they I just I arrive)
7 What does Tim think about your plan ?
(we I not I tell I him y et)

Read the situations and write sentences with just, already or yet.
1 After lunch you go to see a fri end at her house. She says, 'Would you like somethi ng to eat?'
You say: No thank you. . 1:.v.e J~.s.t.. .n~ wn<J:J...... . (have lunch)
2 joe goes out. Five minutes later, the phone rings and the ca ller says, 'Can I speak to joe?'
You say: I'm afraid .... ........... .... .... ................................. .. . . ...................... .......... ......... .................. .................................... ..... . (go out)
3 You are eating in a restaurant. The waiter thinks you have finished and starts to take your
plat e away. You say: Wait a minute! ................ ..... . .. ................. . (not I finish)
4 You plan to eat at a restaurant tonight. You phoned to reserve a table. Later your friend says,
'Shall I phone to reserve a table?' You say: N o, ............ ............ ... ...................... ........... .... ....... ................. ...... . (do it)
5 You know that a friend of yours is looking for a place t o live. Perhaps she has been successfu l.
Ask her. You say: .. ....... ............ . ................... .. ..................... ...... ................ ... .... ... . ......... ? (find)
6 You are still thinking about where to go for your holiday. A friend asks, 'Where are you going
for your holid ay?' You say: ...................... ... . ........ ..................... . ........................ ..... .... ........... .... . (not I decide)
7 Linda went shopp ing, but a few minutes ago she returned. Somebody asks, 'I s Li nda still out
shoppi ng?' You say: N o, .... ....................... ..... .. ....... ... . . ..... ................ . (come back)

15