14
To make an interrogative negative statement of verb be, we put has before the subject. The formula is:
Havehas + Subject + Past participle + .....?
Example:
Havehas Subject not
been
Have
I
Not
been At school
Since 7 a.m.?
Have
We
Not
been here
For three
days?
Have
They
Not
been To Malaysia This weekend?
Has
Sarkiyah
Not
been To museum
This holiday?
Has
Zakaria
Not
been In Hospital
Since May?
3. The Usage of Present Perfect tense
Betty S. Azar, “the present perfect expresses the idea that
something happened or never happened before now, at an unspecified time in the past. The exact time it happened is not important. If there is a
specific mention of time, the simple past is used.
10
e.g., I have been here
since seven o’clock. we can conclude the diagram as follow:
10
Betty S. Azar, Understanding and Using English Grammar, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1989, p. 29
15
Time?
She also said, “The present perfect also expresses the repetition of an activity before now.
The exact time of each repetition is not important”. e.g.: I have met many people since I came here in June.
The present perfect also, when used with for or since, expresses a
situation that began in the past and continues to the present. In the
example, notice the difference between since and for: since + a particular
time, for + duration of time. E.g.:
1
I have been here since seven o’clock
2
We have been here for two weeks
In a Practical English grammar, A.J. Thomson and A. V. Martinet state that this tense may be said to be sort of mixture of present and past, it
is always implies a strong connection with the present and is chiefly used in conversation, letter, newspaper, a
nd radio reports”. 11 Michael Swan said “when we want to talk about action or
situations, which started in the past and have continued up to the present, we often use the present perfect to show the connection between past and
present”.
12
11
A.J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet, Op.cit, p.166
12
Michael Swan, Practical English Usage Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987, p. 494
16
The present perfect is very often used with since and for. Since is used to say when something started; it is followed by a reference to a point
of time e.g. Since April 27
th
. For is used to say how long something has been going on; it is followed by reference to a period of time e.g. for three
months. Based on those statements above, it can be concluded that the
present perfect tense is used to express: a.
An action which happened at some unknown time in the past. Examples:
I have already seen that film. I don’t want to see it again It doesn’t matter when I saw it
Have you ever been to Germany? It doesn’t matter when you went, I just want to know whether you
have been there or not. b.
An action or activity happened in the past and was repeated over a period of time.
Examples: I have eaten Chinese food several times.
She has visited Bali Island twice. c.
An action happened in the past and the result of the action continues to or is still true at present.
Examples: I Have closed the door.
17
The result of the action continues to the present, i.e. now the door is still close
d. An action or state happened in the past and continues to the present.
Examples: I have lived in Jakarta for twenty two years.
I started to live in Jakarta twenty two years ago and I still live in Jakarta now.
He has worked at the Bank since 2004. He started to work at the Bank in 1994, and he is still work there now
e. These adverbs are frequently used in present perfect tense: ever,
already, yet, just, never.
13
1. Ever means „at any time’
For example: Have you ever been to the British Museum?
2. Already means „before now’
For example: Have you already been to the British Museum?
3. Yet means „up to now’
For example: Have you visited the British Museum yet?
4. Just refers to the very recent past
For example: I have just visited that Museum.
5. Never means „not any time’
For example: I have never visited that Museum.
13
Elaine Kirn, rt. al., Interactions 1 Grammar 4
th
Edition, New York: Mc Graw-Hill Companies, 2002, p.113
18
The time signal for present perfect tense are indicated by since, for, this week, up to now, so far, not yet, already, often, once, twice, three
times, etc.
14
From the discussion above the present perfect tense focused on the action that happened in the past but related to the present moment. It is
used commonly to show that the action has just been completed, or at least the effect of the action is still felt at the moment if speaking.
D. Learning Difficulty
