§ 2. The Use of the Present Perfect

We use the Present Perfect to denote:

1. a completed action (result) connected with the present

• Connection with the present can be expressed by the adverbials: just, already, ever, never, yet, lately, of late (formal), recently, at last, finally, so far, thus far (formal), up to now, up to the present, until now, today, this morning, etc.

E.g. He has just come.

Have you ever met him before?

NOTE 1. In this case the Present Perfect is translated into Ukrainian by the past perfective.

E.g. I’ve past my driving test at last.

Я нарешті склав іспит з водіння.

NOTE 2. Mind the use of the following set expressions:

They’ve made it! (=They’ve succeeded)

I’ve had enough! (=I’m fed up)

You’ve had it! (=You’re in trouble)

That’s torn it! (=You’ve done sth that sb will complain strongly about)

Now you’ve done it! (=You’ve done sth seriously wrong)

You’ve got me there! (=Good point: I’ve no idea what the solution is)

2. A series of actions which have happened up to now and can be continued

• with the indication of frequency: once, twice, three times, etc.

E.g. They’ve been to Canada twice.

I have seen him here several times.

NOTE 3. In this case the Present Perfect is translated into Ukrainian by the past (im)perfective.

E.g. Bob Turner has written three novels.

Боб Тернер написав три романи.

She’s heard this opera twice this year.

Вона чула цю оперу двічі цього року.

NOTE 4. Mind the use of the Present Perfect with the following structures: It/This is the first/second/third/only/best/worst … that … .

E.g. It is the first time that he has heard Sarah sing.

That is the fifth time that the teacher has asked the same question.

It is the worst film I’ve ever seen.

3. An action completed before a definite moment in the future

• in adverbial clauses of time and condition after the conjunctions: when, till, until, before, after, as soon as, if, whether, unless, etc.

E.g. I’ll go for a walk only after I have done my homework.

Unless you’ve done it by 5, don’t come.

NOTE 5. In this case the Present Perfect is translated into Ukrainian by the future perfective.

E.g. We’ll leave for Poltava after we’ve passed our exams.

Ми поїдемо до Полтави, коли складемо іспити.

NOTE 6. We generally use verbs of sense perception (to see, to hear, etc.) and verbs of motion (to come, to leave, etc.) in adverbial clauses of time and condition in the Present Indefinite.

E.g. I’ll recognize this man when I see him closer/if he comes closer.

4. An action which began in the past and is still in progress

• This use of the Present Perfect we call the Present Perfect Inclusive.

• The preposition FOR denotes the whole period of duration of the action.

• SINCE denotes the starting point of the action.

NOTE 7. We can treat SINCE as a preposition (since Monday, since 2 o’clock), as a conjunction (since I came home, since I’ve known him) and as an adverb (since = відтоді).

E.g. I haven’t seen him	for two years.
	since 1999.
	since I moved to Uman.
	since.

NOTE 8. In adverbial clauses of time after SINCE we normally use the verb in the Past Indefinite. If the actions in the principal and adverbial clauses are still in progress, we use the Present Perfect in both of them.

E.g. We have been friends since we met in 1999.

We have been friends since we have known each other.

NOTE 9. In this case the Present Perfect is translated into Ukrainian by the present or sometimes the past imperfective.

E.g. Julia is in hospital. She has been ill for two weeks.

Джулія в шпиталі. Вона хворіє два тижні.

I’ve always been fond of music.

Я завжди любив музику.

In the following cases the Present Perfect is not used:

Sentence	Translation
1. What did you say?	Що ви сказали?
2. I didn’t hear your question.	Я не чув вашого запитання.
3. Did you hear what he said?	Ви чули, що він сказав?
4. Did he say anything?	Він щось сказав?
5. I didn’t quite catch what he said.	Я не зовсім зрозумів, що він сказав.
6. Did you sleep well?	Ви добре спали?
7. I slept very well/badly.	Я спав дуже добре/погано.
8. Did you like/enjoy the book?	Вам сподобалась книга?
9. Did you have a good trip/ride/flight?	Добре доїхали?
10. Did you see the accident?	Ви бачили, як це сталось?
11. Sorry! I lost my temper.	Вибачте, я не стримався.
12. Sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you.	Вибачте, я не хотів скривдити вас.
13. Where did you buy the book?	Де ви купили цю книгу?
14. How much did you pay for it?	Скільки ви за це заплатили?
15. I didn’t understand you.	Я вас не зрозумів.
16. Now I understand.	Зараз я розумію.
17. I hear that Mary is in London.	Я чув, що Мері в Лондоні.
18. I am told that Mary is in London.	Мені сказали, що Мері в Лондоні.
19. I forget where he lives.	Я забув, де він живе.
20. I forget the title of the book.	Я забув назву книги.

THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

(THE PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE)