Introduction
WELCOME TO THIS WEBQUEST!

Have you ever heard about the Present perfect tense? Maybe you have already used it without knowing.
You've already seen the following tenses:
- Present simple
- Present continuous
- Past simple
- Past continuous
Now it's time to add another one to your collection. In this webquest, you'll learn everything about this fantastic tense.
Task
What do you have to do in this webquest?
- Do all the activities you can find under Process. This includes:
- Listening to the song
- Learning the form and use
- Doing some exercises online.
- Doing the exercises in your workbook.
- Downloading the extra exercises and making them as well.
- Evaluate if you understand the present perfect or not.
Process
DO YOU KNOW U2?
U2 is a popular Irish rock band from Dublin They formed in 1976 and are still active today.
You might recognize Bono, who is the singer. He always wears coloured glasses because of an eye disease (= oogziekte).
One of their most famous songs is called I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. Below, you can find the music video and the lyrics to this song.
Watch the music video and pay attention to the verbs. Next to that, enjoy the good music!
|
I have climbed the highest mountains I have run I have crawled But I still haven't found I have kissed honey lips I have spoke with the tongue of angels |
But I still haven't found I believe in the Kingdom come You broke the bonds But I still haven't found But I still haven't found |
Some verbs are highlighted in this song. These verbs are using the Present perfect tense.
GENERAL RULE
|
The general rule for the present perfect: the verb 'to have' + past participle (verb + ed) |
How do you form the verb 'to have'? A revision...
| positive | negative | questions |
|
I have I've |
I have not I haven't | Have I ...? |
| You have You've | You have not You haven't | Have you ...? |
|
He/She/It has He/She/It's |
He/She/It has not He/She/It hasn't | Has he/she/it ...? |
| We have We've | We have not We haven't | Have we ...? |
| You have You've | You have not You haven't | Have you ...? |
| They have They've | They have not They haven't | Have they ...? |
USE
| We use the present perfect to talk about an action in a period of time that has started in the past and that is still going on. |
FORMATION
Some examples of the present perfect can be found in the lyrics of this song:
- I have climbed the highest mountains
- I have scaled these city walls
- I have kissed honey lips
These verbs (climbed, scaled, kissed) are all regular verbs.
Some verbs in the present perfect don't follow the general rule:
- I have run through the fields
- I haven't found what I'm looking for
- I have held the hand of a devil
Run, found and held are all irregular verbs.
Watch the explanation of the present perfect below.
SUMMARY
The form the present perfect, we use the present simple of 'to have' and the past participle.
The past participle of regular verbs is the same as the past simple.
- to surf Yesterday I surfed. I have surfed this morning.
The past participle of irregular verbs cannot be found in the past simple. Check your grammar summary for this.
- to run Yesterday I ran. I have run this morning.
| We use the present perfect to talk about an action in a period of time that has started in the past and that is still going on. |
Check the grammar box in your workbook on page 267.
EXERCISES
Next up, we'll train our knowledge about the present perfect. Do the activities below.
- https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-perfect-simple/exercises
- https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-perfect-exercise-1.html
- https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-perfect-exercise-4.html
- https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/present_perfect_statements.htm
- https://www.english-4u.de/en/tenses-exercises/present-perfect-questions2.htm
- https://www.english-4u.de/en/tenses-exercises/present-perfect-questions3.htm
Then, you do the activities in your workbook from page 262 - 271.
Finally, download the document below. Print it out and fill it in.
You will find a key on Smartschool soon.
Evaluation
Now that you've finished this webquest, there are two possible outcomes:
1. I think that I understand how to form the present perfect completely.
Great! Keep revising this tense regularly.
2. I think that I still have some trouble forming the present perfect.
No problem: practice makes perfect! Go to the following website: https://www.memrise.com/course/5416630/present-perfect/. There, you will find a couple of memory cards regarding the present perfect. Go through them to improve your knowledge.
Conclusion
After this lesson, you are able to:
- Form the present perfect positive.
- Form the present perfect negative.
- Form the present perfect interrogative.
- Understand when to use the present perfect.
Credits
This Webquest has been made by A. Redant.
Sources
Images
Trouw. (2017, November 8). Bono 'overstuur' door bericht belastingsontwijking, maar hij doet het al jaren. Retrieved from Trouw: https://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/bono-overstuur-door-bericht-belastingontwij…
All other images were found on Pixabay.
Grammar Box
Delbaere, J., De Rycke, C., Jans, L., Morseau, J., Opsomer, L., & Van Hoefs, A. (2017). Ace 2 Leerwerkboek. Kalmthout: Pelckmans.
Videos
English Grammar Spot. (2013, March 25). Present Perfect Tense - English grammar tutorial video lesson. Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vJOJrVIgek
U2. (2016, October 17). U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Official Video). Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3-5YC_oHjE
Links
All links belong to their respective owners.
Students' bundle
The students' bundle is created by and belongs to A. Redant.
