SparkEnglish - Present Perfect - Affirmative - Aula de inglês

Summary

This video explains the Present Perfect tense in English, emphasizing its use to describe actions that occurred in the past but still have relevance or consequences in the present. The Present Perfect differs from the Simple Past, as it does not specify a time and focuses on experiences and results. Key points include the use of the auxiliary verb 'have' and the past participle form. The video offers examples, clarifying common mistakes, such as translating 'have' as 'ter' in Portuguese, and discusses its application in everyday contexts like personal experiences and achievements.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Present Perfect tense in English is used to describe actions that started in the past and have consequences or relevance in the present.
• 😀 The term 'Present Perfect' can be confusing because, although it’s called ‘present’, it refers to actions that occurred in the past but still affect the present.
• 😀 Unlike Simple Past, which refers to a specific event in the past with a definite time, Present Perfect is more about experiences or actions with no specific time frame.
• 😀 'I have worked' is the structure for Present Perfect, and it is not the same as 'I have been working' (Present Perfect Continuous).
• 😀 The auxiliary verb 'have' in the Present Perfect tense is not translated as 'ter' in Portuguese; it indicates the completion of an action with ongoing relevance.
• 😀 In English, 'Have you worked?' doesn't mean 'Do you work?', but 'Have you had the experience of working?'
• 😀 Present Perfect is used for actions that happened at some point in the past and have some impact on the present moment. For example, 'I have eaten Thai food' means the experience of eating Thai food has occurred at some point in the past.
• 😀 The key difference between Present Perfect and Simple Past lies in the relevance or consequence of the past action in the present.
• 😀 The structure of Present Perfect is subject + auxiliary verb (have/has) + the past participle of the verb (regular verbs end in 'ed'; irregular verbs require special forms).
• 😀 For regular verbs, the past participle is the same as the past simple form, e.g., 'I have worked' (regular verb: work). For irregular verbs, you need to know the specific past participle form, such as 'eaten' for 'eat'.

Q & A

What is the key difference between the Present Perfect and the Simple Past?

The key difference is that the Present Perfect describes actions that occurred in the past but still have relevance or consequences in the present, while the Simple Past refers to actions that happened at a specific time in the past without connecting them to the present.

Why is the Present Perfect tense called 'perfect'?

The term 'perfect' in Present Perfect refers to something that is completed or finished in the past but has an impact or result in the present, not necessarily indicating ongoing actions.

How do the Present Perfect and the Simple Past differ in terms of time reference?

The Simple Past is used with a specific time reference (e.g., yesterday), while the Present Perfect does not specify a time and focuses on the connection between the past and the present.

What does the structure of a Present Perfect sentence look like?

A Present Perfect sentence consists of a subject, followed by the auxiliary verb 'have' or 'has' (depending on the subject), and the past participle of the main verb.

What is the role of the auxiliary verb 'have' in the Present Perfect tense?

In the Present Perfect, 'have' is an auxiliary verb used to indicate that the action is completed and has consequences in the present, not to be confused with the meaning of possession.

Can you give an example of a regular verb in the Present Perfect tense?

Sure! An example is 'I have worked'. The verb 'work' is regular, and its past participle is formed by adding '-ed' ('worked').

How is the Present Perfect tense used to express experiences?

The Present Perfect is often used to talk about experiences that someone has had at some point in their life, without specifying when. For example, 'I have eaten Thai food' implies an experience of eating Thai food at some time in the past.

What is the significance of 'experience' in the Present Perfect tense?

The concept of 'experience' is important in the Present Perfect because it relates to actions or events someone has lived through, with ongoing consequences or relevance in the present, such as having gained a skill or learned something.

How does the use of 'have' differ between the Present Perfect and Simple Present tenses?

In the Simple Present, 'have' is used as a main verb to indicate possession (e.g., 'I have a book'). In the Present Perfect, 'have' is an auxiliary verb used to indicate completed actions with present relevance (e.g., 'I have finished my work').

Can you explain the difference between 'I have worked' and 'I have been working'?

'I have worked' refers to a completed action in the past with a result in the present, while 'I have been working' (Present Perfect Continuous) emphasizes the duration of the action, showing it started in the past and may still be ongoing.