Present Perfect Tense

 

Read the Following text and pay attention to word in bold. Then answer the questions
 
Graduates are Immature, Skills Minister Suggests As She Urges
Youngsters to Do Apprenticeships
 
University graduates are immature, irresponsible, and cannot communicate effectively when they enter workplace, the skills minister has suggested as she urged more people to do apprenticeships instead.
Anne Milton MP, a former nurse, said that many employers have been reducing their graduate programs, and in some cases axing them completely.
She told how business leaders are "always moaning about people who came out of university", saying  that their degree was not relevant to the workplace and so it can take 18 months to two years to get them "up to speed".
"Businesses have said for a long time, 'it's all very well you churning out these graduates but we need skills'-a degree isn't necessarily transferable into the workplace."
Meanwhile, she said that 18-year-olds who enrol on "degree apprenticeship" programs can study while gaining workplace experience at the same time.
"What you gain in your first year of employment [as an apprentice] is maturity, communication skills, you grow up a lot-not least because you are mixing with a huge age range of people in the workplace," Ms. Milton told the Daily Telegraph.
"Even in the first year, they have matured, they are more responsible, they have taken on a completely different attitude to life than they would have done if they went to university. In a way going to university puts all that off for three years."
(Adopted from: https:/www.telegraph.eo.uk/edueation/2019/03/08/graduates-immature-skills-minister-suggests-urges-youngsters/ (April 8, 2019)
 
1.    What are the words in bold called?
 
2.    What precedes the words?
 
3.    What do you call the tense using this words?
 
4.    When do we use such tense?
 
5.    Can you make one sentence using the tense? What is it?
 
The present perfect tense
The present perfect tense is a tense used in present to indicate the action that has taken place at some specific time.
 
 
Definition of Present Perfect Tense
S+ have/has + the past participle.
Present Perfect Sentences for Describing
We use present perfect tense to describe:
1.      An action or situation which began in the past and is continuing to the present.
I have lived in Mumbai since 1995. (It means you are still living in Mumbai)
2.      An action performed during a period that has not finished yet.
He has been to the zoo thrice this month. It means the month is not over yet.
3.      A repeated action in an unspecified period between the past and present. They have visited London multiple times.
4.      An action that was completed in the very recent past, expressed by ‘Just’ We have just completed our assignment.
5.      An action when the time does not carry much importance. She has read ‘Harry Potter’. Here, the result of her reading carries importance.
 
Examples of Present Perfect Tense
Unspecified Time Before Now
We make use of the present perfect tense to say that an action took place at an unspecified time before now. Thus, the exact time is not of that much importance. Do NOT use the present perfect with particular time expressions like yesterday, two years ago, last month, when I was a kid, when I lived in Gujarat, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. You can use the present perfect with unspecific expressions like ever, once, several times, never, already, many times, so far, yet, and more.
Examples –
·         We have seen that video ten times.
·         I think I have met her once before.
·         There have been many wildfires on Amazon.
·         Astronauts have traveled to the Moon.
·         They have not traveled to Jupiter.
·         Have you read the thesis yet?
·         Nobody has ever visited that haunted house.
Q. Has there ever been a wildfire in California?
A. Yes, there has been a wildfire in California.
 
Rules for using the Present Perfect
We understand that the concept of ‘unspecified time’ can be very confusing to English learners. Thus, it will help in associating present perfect with the following topics:
1.    Experience
We can make use of the present perfect for describing our experience. For instance, ‘I have the experience of…’Similarly, this tense can also be used to say that you have never had a particular experience. We do not use the present perfect for describing a particular event.
Examples –
·         I have been to New York.
·         Through this statement, you are telling me that you have had the experience of visiting New York. It may be that you visited it once or multiple times.
·         I have been to New York five times.
·         The number of times can be added at the end of the sentence.
·         I have never been to New York.
·         Through this sentence, you will say that you have not had the experience of visiting New York.
·         I think I have seen that video before.
·         She has never traveled by car.
·         Tina has studied four foreign languages.
Q. Have you ever met her?
A. No, I have not met her.
2. Change Over Time
Present perfect is also used to denote the change that has occurred over a certain period of time.
Examples –
·         You have grown since the last time I saw you.
·         The school has become more interested in extra-curricular activities.
·         French has become one of the most popular courses at the school since the Foreign Language program was established.
·         My Telugu has significantly improved since I moved to Telangana.
3.Achievements
The use of the present perfect is also done to list the achievements of people and humanity. But, you cannot mention a particular time.
Examples –
·         Man has walked on the Moon.
·         Scientists have split the atom.
·         Our daughter has learned how to dance.
·         Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.
4. Uncompleted Action You are Expecting
We use the present perfect to tell about an action which we are expecting but has not happened yet. Using the present perfect will suggest that you are still waiting for the action to occur.
Examples –
·         Rahul has not completed his project yet.
·         Priya hasn’t mastered Bengali, but she can communicate.
·         Pete has still not reached.
·         The rain hasn’t stopped.
Multiple Actions at Different Times
The present perfect tense is also used to talk about multiple different actions that have happened in the past at different times. It suggests the process is not complete and there is a possibility of more actions.
Examples –
·         The army has attacked the neighboring country two times.
·         We have had two competitions and five events so far this year.
·         I have had a lot of problems while teaching junior classes.
·         He has talked to multiple doctors about her problem, but nobody can figure out the reason for her illness.
 
https://www.toppr.com/guides/english/tenses/present-perfect-tense/