Unit 14 Present Perfect (I have done) 2

1. Study this example conversation:

Dave : Have you traveled a lot, Nora?
Nora : Yes, I’ve been to 47 different countries.
Dave : Really? Have you ever been to China?
Nora : Yes, I’ve visited China twice.
Dave : What about India?
Nora : No, I’ve never been to India.
When we talk about a period of time that continuous up to the present, we use the present perfect. Nora and Dave are talking about the place Nora has visited in her life (which is a period continuing up to the present).

Here are some more examples:

• ‘Have you read Hamlet?’ ‘No, I haven’t read any of Shakespeare’s plays.’
• How many times have you been to the United States?
• Susan really loves that film. She’s seen it eight time.
• Sam has lived in Belfas all his life.

We often use ever and never with the present perfect:

• Have you ever eaten caviar?
• We have never had a car.

We often use the present perfect after a superlative.

• What a boring film! It’s the most boring film I’ve ever seen.

2. You have to use the present perfect with This is the first time …, it’s the first time …..
Study this example situation:

Ron is driving a car. He is very nervous and unsure because it’s his first time behind the wheel of a car. You can say:
This is the first time he has driven a car or he has never driven a car before.

Here are some more examples:

• Tom has lost his passport again. It’s the second time he has lost it.
• Is this the first time you’ve been in hospital?

3. Use the present perfect to say that you have never done something or that you haven’t done something during a period of time which continuous up to the present:

• I have never smoked.
• I haven’t smoked for three years.
• I haven’t smoked since September.
• Jill hasn’t written to me for nearly a month.
• Jill has never driven a car.

(Taken from Grammar In Use : Raymond Murphy)

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