Present Perfect Simple – Use

We use the present perfect tense when we talk about:

1. An undefined point in time
I have been to New York once.
(I went to New York at some unspecified point in the past.)

When we specify the time something happened we use the past simple:
I went to New York in 2016.

2. Something that happened in the past and has a result in the present
I’m on sick leave. I’ve broken my arm.
(This happened in the past but has a present result.)

3. General experience, especially with ever and never
I have been to many job interviews. (general experience with no specific past time expression)
Has he ever been to Paris? (in his life)
She has never been to a conference before. (in her life)

4. Recent events with recently and just
I’ve just finished the report.
We’ve recently reconsidered our marketing strategy.

5. Events that occurred up till now in questions and negative sentences with yet
Are Jenny and Adam here? No, they haven’t arrived yet.
Have you sent the email yet?

6. Things that happened before they were expected with already
Tom has already finished his presentation. (We expected his presentation to last longer.)

7. Things that began in the past and haven’t changed with for and since
We use for when we measure the duration – when we say how long something lasts.
Ann has worked in our company for five years. (She still works here.)

Since gives the starting point of actions, events or states. It refers to when things began.
Paul has been a member of our team since October. (He still is a part of our team.)