I know that he has tried hard but his work is just not good enough. (present perfect)
Why does the sentence above use 'has tried'(present perfect) instead of tried(simple past)?
Is there any nuance between 'has tried' and 'tried'?
What is present perfect tense?
The present perfect tense is one of the common verb tenses in English, used to show an action that happened in the past that is directly related to the present, such as actions that are still continuing or that indicate a change over time.
Don’t let the name confuse you—even though the word present is there, the present perfect tense deals with actions that happened or started in the past. In fact, the present perfect tense is often used interchangeably with the simple past tense, although there are some special situations in which you can only use one or the other, also explained below. […]
First-person: I have come a long way.
Second person: You have come a long way.
Third-person plural: They have come a long way.
Third-person singular: He/she/it has come a long way.
The present perfect tense for statements
For general statements, the most common use of the present perfect, use have or has plus the past participle form of the main verb.
6 examples of when to use the present perfect tense
Below, we explain the six main uses of the present perfect tense, including examples.
- An ongoing action that started in the past, but has not yet been completed This is the main usage of the present perfect tense, which demonstrates the relationship between an action started in the past and its effects on the present.
- The professor has taught here for two decades.
- They have played piano since the age of three.
[…]
What about an action started in the past that has already been completed? For that, you can use the simple past.
- She worked there for five years but was fired last week.
- A series of the same action completed multiple times in the past, likely to happen again in the future
When the same action has happened a few times already, you can use the present perfect tense if the action will likely happen again in the future. If the action probably won’t happen again, you can use the simple past tense.
- I’ve seen the movie six times! [probably will see it again]
- I saw the movie six times! [probably will not see it again]
- An action that was completed very recently (often used with just or now)
If an action was only completed very recently, you can describe it with the present perfect tense. Even though the action happened in the past, it was so recent that it’s directly connected to the present. These cases usually use adverbs like just or now to show that the action happened not long ago.
- I shouldn’t eat anymore because I’ve just brushed my teeth.
- We’ve finished practice now, so let’s go home.
- A change over time
The present perfect tense is often used to emphasize a change that happened over an extended period of time.
- My cousin has grown so much since I saw her two years ago.
- Thanks to the many months of playing, I have become an expert at Wordle.
- An uncompleted action that is expected to be finished (in the negative)
If an action started in the past but was not completed, you can describe it with the present perfect tense if it’s likely to be completed in the future. This situation uses the negative form to show that the action is still unfinished and often uses the adverb yet.
- The jury has not reached a verdict yet.
- I haven’t finished my paper, but it’s due in an hour!
- To add significance to a completed action Last, you can use the present perfect tense to make any past action sound more important. The present perfect tense is often used with great achievements or accomplishments, as well as dramatic or rare events. This makes it appropriate for newsworthy events or major life experiences.
- Macbeth has killed the king.
- I’ve met the love of my life!
When not to use the present perfect tense Now that you know when to use the present perfect tense, let’s talk about when to avoid it.
A lot of times, the difference between the present perfect tense and the simple past tense is a matter of emphasis or whether or not the action is truly finished. However, there’s one rule in particular that should be mentioned: Do not use the present perfect tense with a specific time.
- I have gone for a walk on Tuesday. ❌
- I went for a walk on Tuesday. ✅
This might be confusing, however, because you can use the present perfect tense with a broad time period. The present perfect tense is only incorrect if used with one specific time. Using the present perfect tense with a general time range is perfectly acceptable.
- I have gone for a walk every Tuesday this year. ✅
When is the present perfect used?
The present perfect tense is commonly used with events that started in the past and continue into the present. However, it has a few other uses too, including events that happened very recently in the past.
