have you finished your homework still

What is Present Perfect Tense: How to Use It

Published by

Olivia Drake

The present perfect tense is a fascinating aspect of grammar that often leaves learners perplexed. This versatile verb tense serves to bridge the gap between the past and the present, highlighting a connection that may not be immediately apparent. In this article, you will explore the intricacies of the present perfect tense, its primary uses, and some helpful examples to enhance your understanding.

On this page:

Present Perfect: Definition and Usage

The  present perfect  is an essential aspect of English grammar that deals with verb tense. You can use the present perfect to describe actions or events that have occurred at an unspecified time in the past.

In the English language, the present perfect is a tense that highlights the present consequences of past actions. This powerful tense helps you demonstrate how your previous experiences or actions play a role in your current situation. The key to using present perfect  is to focus on the present consequences of past events. You use ‘has’ or ‘have’ with a past participle to build the present perfect structure. For example:

• You  have studied  three foreign languages.
• She  has traveled  to five continents.

In these sentences,  the emphasis is on what you and she have achieved  as a result of past actions. These achievements are relevant to your present situation.

When you want to express  an ongoing activity that began in the past  and still happening in the present, use the present perfect to convey this connection:

• They  have lived  in this city for ten years.
• I  have been  a teacher since 2015.

In these cases, the present perfect shows that these events have  ongoing relevance to the present .

It’s important to note that present perfect is used when  the exact time of the past action is not specified.  If you mention a specific time, use simple past instead:

• You have met the CEO before. (No specific time mentioned)
• You met the CEO last week. (Specific time mentioned)

Keep in mind that there’s a clear difference between  present perfect  and  simple past , so choose the appropriate tense carefully:

• Present Perfect : You have finished your assignment. (The action is completed, but the highlight is on a result that is relevant to the present situation)
• Simple past : You finished your assignment. (The action happened in the past, focusing on the time when it was finished)

Forming Present Perfect

Auxiliary verbs.

In forming the present perfect tense, you need to use the auxiliary verb “have” or “has” with the past participle of the main verb. The choice between “have” and “has” depends on the subject of the sentence. Use “have” with plural subjects, “I,” and “you,” while use “has” with singular subjects, “he,” “she,” and “it.”

• I  have eaten  breakfast.
• You  have finished  your work.
• She  has left  the building.

You can also use contractions for a more informal tone. The contractions are formed by combining the auxiliary verb with the subject:

• I’ve (I have)
• You’ve (You have)
• He’s (He has)
• She’s (She has)

Past Participles

The past participle is the third form of the verb, and it’s used with the auxiliary verb to create the present perfect tense. There are two types of verbs to consider when forming past participles: regular and irregular.

Regular verbs : To form the past participle of regular verbs, add “-ed” to the base form of the verb. Here are some examples:

Irregular verbs : Irregular verbs have unique past participle forms that you need to memorize. Here are some examples:

Remember to use the auxiliary verb with the past participle when forming the present perfect tense. For example:

• You  have worked  hard.
• He  has gone  to the store.
• They  have sung  a beautiful song.

By combining the correct auxiliary verb and past participle, you can successfully form the present perfect tense in your sentences.

Read how to form  Present Perfect Negative Sentences  with Examples  ->

Questions in Present Perfect

To form questions in the present perfect, use “have” or “has” followed by the subject and the past participle of the main verb. For example:

• Have  you  been  to Italy?
• Has  she  finished  her coursework?

Remember to use the contractions “haven’t” and “hasn’t” when asking about negative actions or situations:

• Haven’t  you  eaten  yet?
• Hasn’t  he  seen  the movie yet?

In the context of questions, the words “ever” and “yet” are often used with the present perfect:

• Have  you  ever  traveled abroad?
• Has  he met her  yet ?

Click here to read more about forming questions in present perfect

Adverbs and Present Perfect

In the Present Perfect tense, you often use adverbs to enhance the meaning of your sentence. These adverbs can provide information about how an action has occurred, its frequency, duration, or the state of the subject.

Just : When you want to express that something has happened very recently or a short time ago, use “just” in conjunction with the present perfect.

For example , “I’ve just finished my homework.”

For : Use “for” to specify the duration of an action, linking the time spent to the subject and verb.

For example:  “She has lived here for 3 years.”

Since : “Since” indicates the starting point of an action or event, giving reference to a specific point in time.

For example:  “We have been friends since elementary school.”

Recently : “Recently” means something has occurred in the not-so-distant past. Use it to convey that a completed action is still somewhat fresh.

For example:  “He has recently changed jobs.”

How long : To ask about the duration of an ongoing action, use the question form “how long”. This often goes with “have” or “has.”

For example:  “How long have you been studying English?”

Still:  This is an adverb that indicates that an action or process that began in the past is continuing at the present time. In the present perfect tense, you can use “still” to emphasize that an ongoing or incomplete action has not yet finished.

For example: “You still haven’t finished your homework.”

Comparing Present Perfect with Other Tenses

Present perfect vs past simple.

When comparing the  Present Perfect  tense with the  Past Simple  tense, it’s essential to understand their distinct functions. The Present Perfect describes an action that happened at an unspecified time before now or an action that started in the past and continues to the present. In contrast, the Past Simple portrays an event that occurred at a specific time in the past.

For example:

• Present Perfect: You  have visited  Paris. (It happened at an unspecified time before now)
• Past Simple: You  visited  Paris last year. (It happened at a specific time in the past)

Click here to read more about difference between present perfect and past simple

Present Perfect vs Present Tense

The  Present Perfect  tense differs from the  Present Tense  in that it connects the past and present. The Present Perfect discourse an action that occurred in the past and has implications in the present, while the Present Tense focuses exclusively on actions happening now.

For instance:

• Present Perfect: You  have learned  English. (The learning process happened in the past and has an impact on your current abilities)
• Present Tense: You  learn  English. (Refers only to the action happening now)

Present Perfect vs Future

The key difference between  Present Perfect  and  Future  tenses is their time frames. Present Perfect concerns actions completed before now or actions initiated in the past and persisting into the present, while Future tense refers to actions or events projected to happen later.

As an illustration:

• Present Perfect: You  have finished  your work. (It’s a completed action before now)
• Future: You  will finish  your work by tomorrow. (The action is expected to happen in the future)

Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous

The Present Perfect Continuous tense , on the other hand, focuses on the duration or experience of actions that began in the past and continue up until now. This tense emphasizes the ongoing nature of an action, and it’s particularly useful for cases where the action is still in progress or has been happening intermittently. For example:

• You  have been working  on this project since last month.
• They  have been playing  tennis every weekend this summer.

With action verbs, using  Present Perfect Continuous  highlights the ongoing process:

• You  have been learning  Italian for two years.

Present Perfect in Passive Voice

When using the present perfect in  passive voice , you focus on the action, not who performed it. The structure is simple: has/have + been + past participle.

For example, instead of saying “She has finished the project,” you would say, “ The project has been finished .” In this case, the emphasis is on the completion of the project.

Here are some examples of how to convert active to passive voice in present perfect:

When to Use Present Perfect Passive

1.  When the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant : If you don’t know who completed the action, or it simply doesn’t matter, use passive voice.

• The cake  has been eaten . (It doesn’t matter who ate it)

2.  When emphasizing the result : If you want to focus on the outcome rather than who did it, use the passive voice.

• The grass  has been mowed . (It emphasizes that the lawn now looks nice)

Remember, the present perfect passive is used to describe:

• A  past event  that has a connection to the present.
• An action that is ongoing or just finished.

Try to use the present perfect in passive voice confidently and with a clear understanding of its purpose. It helps provide a more neutral tone and emphasizes the action rather than the person or people doing it.

If you've read this far, you likely found value in our content. We measure the quality of our articles in various ways, and one significant metric is the number of shares. If you appreciated this piece, please spread the word.

Leave a reply cancel reply, i’m olivia.

Welcome to my virtual classroom! Join me on a journey of language and learning, where we explore the wonders of English together. Let’s discover the joy of words and education!

Let’s connect

• [email protected]

Join the fun!

Stay updated with our latest tutorials and ideas by joining our newsletter.

Type your email…

Recent posts

Modal verbs in conditional sentences with examples, questions in future perfect continuous tense with examples, questions in future perfect tense with examples, questions in future continuous tense with examples, questions in future indefinite (simple) tense with examples, questions in past perfect continuous tense with examples, discover more from fluent english grammar.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

With English, the World is Your Oyster!

• Listening Skills
• TED Talk Lessons
• What are Idioms?
• Visual Idiom Examples
• Idioms Lists
• About Nicole
• Privacy Policy

Using the Present Perfect Tense

Are you wondering when to use the present perfect tense? Or I should say, "have you learned" when to use the present perfect? We use this tense to talk about an action that started in the past and   has a connection to the present.

[Note: Click here to learn  how to form   the present perfect.]

Use #1:   Describe past situations / things that have a strong connection to the present

We use the present perfect simple to describe an action  or state that started at an unknown or unspecified time in the past  AND has a connection to the present .

Learners are sometimes confused by this. They ask, if this tense is called the "present" perfect, why are we talking about "past" actions? Excellent question.

With this tense we're talking about the past   and the present . These actions or situations may have started and ended in the past but we are focusing on the effect of this action now in the present moment. Let's look at some examples to try to make this clearer:

• Your poor grades have become a problem. (The result now is that there is a problem.)
• Have you seen Selma? (Where is she now?)
• She 's gone to school. (She left home and is at school now.)
• Take off your shoes. I have just cleaned the floor. (A short while ago I mopped the dirty floor and it is clean now.)
• I can't find my keys. Have you seen them? (I lost my keys and can't find them now.)
• Have you done your homework? (Is your homework finished now?)
• I started but I haven't finished my homework yet. (My homework is not finished now.)
• I've been sick all day. (I'm still sick now.)

In each of these examples we are focusing on the result now or why the action is important at this present time.

Use #2: Describe past actions or conditions that continue in the present

It's usually easier for learners to understand the second use which is for actions that started in the past and are still continuing in the present moment.

The tense helps to answer " how long ago " something has been happening (in relation to now) or for how long a period of time  something has been happening. 

FOR / SINCE

We often use the words " since " (after a specific time) or " for " (a period of time) with this usage.

• We have lived here for  25 years.(We came here 25 years ago and still live here.) 
• My parents have been married since   1967. (They're still married.)
• We 've waited 20 minutes already for the bus. (We are still waiting.)
• My daughter has been sick for a week.
• I haven’t slept for two days.
• We haven’t seen each other since high school.
• I haven’t had a drink since the accident.
• He hasn’t dated anyone since his wife left him.
• I haven’t smoked a cigarette for three months now.

Note : we cannot use the present perfect tense with a completed time word. For example:

• Wrong:   We have seen the movie last night.  (Correct: we saw the movie last night.)
• Wrong :  Yesterday, I had worked very late. (Correct: Yesterday, I worked very late.)

With finished time words we use the present simple.

Use #3:  To ask about whether we ever   had past experiences

We frequently use the present perfect tense to ask or talk about whether someone has  experienced something during their life (at any time in the past until this moment).

EVER / NEVER / BEFORE

Often, we use the words " ever " (in questions) and " never ".  We will sometimes also add the word " before ."

• Have you ever   eaten fried insects?
• No, I haven't   tried fried insects and never will.
• Has  Jimmy ever   been this sick before?
• Have you taken private English lessons?
• I ' ve never travelled by train before.
• Have the children  ever   done something like this before?
• Never   in my life have I been so much in love.

Adverbs that are frequently used with the present perfect tense:  Already / yet / just / still

The following words (adverbials) are often used with the present perfect tense:

Just describes something that happened a short time before this moment.

• I 've just   received your email and will read it now.
• He 's just   arrived , I hear the car pulling to the garage.
• I'm so excited. Lady Gaga has just   released her latest album.

Just about means that something that was started is almost finished .

• I 've just about   finished this novel.
• Have you finished the report yet? Just about .
• I 've just about   used up all the milk.

Already has two main meanings:

1. Already = before this time (before now)

• Where's that letter? I 've already   mailed it.
• Can I help you clean? I 've already   swept to the floor but you can vacuum the carpet.
• We 've already   eaten at that restaurant so let's go somewhere else.

2. Already = so soon (something happened quickly or earlier than expected)

• We need to take the trash out. I 've already   taken it out.
• Has my boyfriend arrived already? I'm still getting dressed.
• You don't have to ask. Your mother has already   ironed your shirt.

Yet = at this time , until this time , as soon as this time

Note :  Yet usually comes at the end of the sentence. We use yet with negative statements and questions.

• Have my parents arrived yet?   (They are expected to arrive soon.)
• Have you finished the report yet?   (It should be done or finished soon.)
• He hasn't called yet.   (Until this time he hasn't called but he should call soon.)
• It's 3 o'clock and I haven't had lunch yet .

We use still in negative sentences with the present perfect to emphasize an action or situation happening or existing before now and continuing into the present:

• I can't believe you still   haven't written your paper.
• He said he sent an email an hour ago but I still  haven't received it.
• We still   haven't decided what to eat for lunch. 

If you need to review how to form   the present perfect tense please check this page. I go over the positive and negative forms, questions, review the irregular past participles and spelling changes and give lots of examples.

• Main Grammar Page
• Using the Present Perfect

Listening | TED Talks |  Speaking |  Grammar |  Vocabulary | Idioms |  Blog

Copyright © 2013-2024  OysterEnglish.com   All rights reserved  |    Privacy policy

• 606-889-173
• [email protected]
• Czech Republic

Present Perfect

For recently finished actions.

Table of Contents

In this grammar section we will have a look at the tense Present Perfect to talk about recently finished/completed actions.

A: How long have you worked there? B: I have worked there for 3 years.

A: How long have you been friends? B: We haven’t been friends for long. We have been friends since 2022

The video gives an overview of to Present Perfect for something recently completed/finished actions.

It shows the meaning/usage: when and why to use the Present Perfect.

For the form and the pronunciation have a look a the different webpages:

• Present perfect form
• Present perfect pronunciation

Usage/ Meaning

How and when do we use the Present Perfect?

Present Perfect is also used to talk about something recently finished.

I have just done my homework: This means not so long ago you finished your homework . It is an unspecified time in the past . We don’t know when the person did it, but it wasn’t so long ago . It is usually used to stress that you finished the action and there it no need to do it anymore or no need to worry about it anymore .

I have already done my homework: This means you finished your homework somewhere before now . It is an unspecified time in the past . We don’t know when the person did it . It is usually used to stress that you finished the action and there it no need to do it anymore or no need to worry about it anymore .

Present Perfect is also used to talk about something that is not finished.

I haven’t done my homework yet : This means you did not finished your homework somewhere before now but that you will do it later . It is usually used to stress that you did not finished the action but you will do it somewhere soon in the future.

• Just: recently finished actions. positive and questions. Between have and the main verb : I have just finished . 
• Already: finished actions. positive and questions. Between have and the main verb : I have already finished .
• Yet: not finished, but will finish it later. Negative and questions. At the end of the sentence: I haven’t finished yet .

Have a look at the questions and write your answers in the comments below . Also give us some more details about when, where, why,….

• What have you already done today?
• What haven’t you done yet today, but must still do today?
• What have you just finished before answering these questions?
• Have you just had some food?
• Have you already finished your homework?
• Have you already studied today?
• Have you just had a phone call?
• Have you already had lunch today?
• Which movie have you already seen more than 2 times?
• Which goals in your life have you already achieved?

Spread the word

Kristof Abrath Teacher, Trainer, Course Designer Teaching in English on 4 different continents since 2006.

More tenses

English courses, additional services.

Grammar Bootcamp Tenses Level 2

€ 99,95

Cambridge Advanced CAE Full Writing correction

€ 24,99

Cambridge Advanced CAE Basic Writing correction

€ 14,99

Cambridge First FCE Full Writing correction

Cambridge first fce basic writing correction.

Phrasal Verb Course 1

€ 11,00

Comments or Questions?

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Kristof.abrath.com is registered under Kristof Abrath IČO: 07420609

• Job interview preparation
• Business English
• Business Communication
• Business Writing
• English Speaking
• English Writing
• English Grammar
• English Vocabulary
• Private English Course
• Teacher Training
• Teacher Training Workshops
• What we offer

Welcome Back

Login to your account.

• Intermediate

Still, Yet, Already and Anymore

• 1.0 Overview
• 2.0 Usage and Examples
• 3.0 Conversation Questions

Below you will find a comprehensive list of questions for English learners to practice using “still, yet, already, and anymore” in English language conversations.

These four words are crucial for effective communication, as they express the speaker’s attitudes towards actions, events, and states.

Each question is designed to help English language learners practice using these words in context and improve their grammatical skills through conversation .

How To Use Still, Yet, Already and Anymore

“Still”, “yet”, “already”, and “anymore” are all adverbs that express the speaker’s attitude towards the completion or continuation of an action, event or state.

“Still” indicates that an action, event, or state continues up to the present moment and may continue in the future. It is used with present simple and present continuous tenses.

Example: “I am still waiting for my friend.”

“Yet” indicates that an action, event or state has not happened so far, but it may happen in the future. It is used in negative sentences and questions in the present simple tense.

Example: “Have you finished your homework yet?”

“Already” indicates that an action, event or state has happened or been completed before the expected or agreed time. It is used with the present perfect tense.

Example: “I have already eaten breakfast.”

“Anymore” is used to indicate that an action, event, or state no longer occurs or continues in the present or future. It is used in negative sentences and questions in the present simple tense.

Example: “She doesn’t play piano anymore.”

Conversation Questions

• Do you think it's it still necessary for students to memorize multiplication tables?
• Would you say that technology has already replaced the need for traditional libraries?
• Do you think some people are still relying on cash to pay for things?
• Do you think we have already seem the major effects of global warming?
• Has the traditional 9-5 workday already become a thing of the past?
• Do you think face-to-face business meetings will still be a thing in 10 years?
• Do you think physical exercise still necessary for a healthy lifestyle?
• Are paper maps still needed with the widespread use of GPS?
• Is the idea of privacy still relevant in the digital age?
• Do you think the current education system in your country is still effective?

Keep The Conversation Going!

Gregory is a qualified TEFL teacher who has been teaching English as a Foreign Language (ESL) for over a decade. He has taught in-person classes in Spain and to English learners around the world online.

How to use the 'Present Perfect'

'I have been to Boston.'

Have/has + past participle makes the present perfect .

She has lost her bag. They have taken a taxi I have been to Australia

The present perfect tense is used to describe something that happened in the past, but the exact time it happened is not important. It has a relationship with the present.

I have done my homework = I finished my homework in the past. It is not important at what exact time, only that it is now done. I have forgotten my bag. = Exactly when in the past that I forgot it is not important. The important thing is that I don't have it now .

As we do not use exact time expressions with the past perfect, we cannot say: I have done my homework yesterday

In this case we use the past simple tense: I did my homework yesterday.

Using already just and yet with the present perfect

Already , just and yet can are all used with the present perfect.

Already means 'something has happened sooner than we expected: 'The movie only came out yesterday, but I have already seen it.'

Just means 'a short time ago': 'I have just seen your brother going into the bank with a gun!'

Yet is only used in questions and negative sentences. It means 'something is expected to happen': 'Have you finished the report yet?' No, I haven't finished it yet.'

Now choose the best answer to make the present perfect:

• My parents ___. retired yet has retired have retired
• Your sister ___ my car. has borrow have borrowed has borrowed
• Have you ___ the movie yet? have seen looked seen
• Please wait. I haven't finished ___. just already yet
• Water __ found on Mars. has be has been have
• I have ___ all my money. spent spend has spend
• They ___ you a cake. have made have maded have make

• Lesson Index

English language Schools

Present Perfect Quiz

You can do this grammar quiz online or print it on paper. It tests what you learned on the Present Perfect page.

1. Lindsay _____ not been to France.

2. _____ you finished your homework?

3. They___ gone to a rock concert.

4. _____ you been to Japan?

5. We _____ never eaten Mexican food.

6. Andrea has _____ her umbrella.

7. _____ the sun come up?

8. The children ________ the lost puppy.

9. Wiwi's been a vegetarian _____ three years.

10. I haven't worked _____ last December.

Your score is:

Correct answers:

Back to 12 English Tenses page

Grammar Quizzes

Grammar Games

• Adverbs with the Present Perfect Tense

In the last lesson we saw when to use the present perfect tense . Now we will look at more situations of when to use the present perfect tense but now using adverbs .

We often use the adverbs just, ever / never, still, yet and already with the present perfect tense. These adverbs generally refer to a time period between the past and now. Let’s look at each one more in detail.

JUST – Events that recently occurred – Recent past events

We often use the adverb JUST with the present perfect tense. JUST means very recently, a short moment ago. This is a recently completed action with a connection to now. For example:

• Be careful, I have just broken a glass and there are pieces on the floor.

This is a recently completed action. It is a finished event: The glass broke in the past. BUT with a connection to now, the present: Be careful NOW because you might cut yourself.

Notice how the word JUST is positioned between have/has and the Past Participle. Look at this example:

• A: Would you like to go out to dinner with us? B: Thanks, but I ‘ve  just  eaten  an entire pizza. (I ate the pizza recently so now I am not hungry)

Now, something important to know is: In British English , JUST is used with the PERFECT TENSE

• Be careful, I have just broken a glass.

Now look at this sentence.

• Be careful, I just broke a glass.

It has JUST but not with the present perfect tense. That is because in American English the PAST SIMPLE tense is often used instead of the present perfect tense. So…

• Be careful, I have just broken a glass. (🇬🇧 British English – Perfect Tense)
• Be careful, I just broke a glass. (🇺🇸 American English – Past Tense)

EVER / NEVER – Talking about general experiences

When the adverbs EVER and NEVER are used with the present perfect tense, they usually refer to an event happening (or not happening) at some moment in your life – any time up to now.

EVER is used in the present perfect question: Have you ever …?

• Have you ever fallen asleep at work? (at any moment in your life up to now)
• Has  he ever   tried  a steak and mushroom pie? (in his life)

EVER can also be used with the first time :

• This is the first time I have ever been to Australia.
• It is the first time she has ever done

EVER in these cases emphasizes that it has never happened before in your life. Also, notice the position of EVER between HAVE/HAS and the past participle.

NEVER = at no time in my past. It is considered a negative sentence.

• I ‘ve   never   seen  a UFO. (in my life)
• She ’s never been to Argentina. (in her life – up until this point of her life)

Again, the adverb never is between the auxiliary have or has and the past participle .

STILL – Events that continue to happen after a long time

The adverb STILL can be used with the present perfect tense to express that we have waited a long time for something to happen or be done and it hasn’t happened yet. This situation continues to happen. When used in the present perfect tense, it is normally in negative sentences.

• He still hasn’t finished the report. (It has taken a long time)
• I still haven’t had (I have had to wait to have lunch)
• They still haven’t paid (I’m waiting for it to happen)

Notice how STILL goes before the auxiliary haven’t or hasn’t .

YET – An event has not happened, but it is expected

The adverb YET usually refers to something that has not happened, but you expect it to happen (usually soon). We normally put YET at the end of the sentence. YET is used in negative sentences and questions.

• A: Are Jack and Jill at this event?

B: No, they  haven’t arrived   yet . (they’re not here now, but I expect them to be here soon)

• I’m hungry. I haven’t had lunch yet . (I thought I was going to have lunch before now, but it hasn’t happened. I expect to have lunch soon)
• Have you finished your homework yet ?

Now look at this sentence:

• I haven’t received a letter from her yet .

In British English , YET is used with the PERFECT TENSE Now look at this sentence:

• I didn’t receive a letter from her yet .

It has YET but not with the present perfect tense. That is because in American English the PAST SIMPLE tense is sometimes used instead of the present perfect tense. So…

• I haven’t received a letter from her yet . (🇬🇧 British English – Present Perfect)
• I didn’t receive a letter from her yet . (🇺🇸 American English – Past Simple)

ALREADY – Events that occurred before you expected

The adverb ALREADY can be used with the present perfect tense to express that something has happened early or before expected. This can come as a surprise.

Notice how the adverb ALREADY goes between the auxiliary and the past participle.

• She has   already   finished  the report. (I expected her to finish it later, not so quickly)
• I ’ve already had lunch. (Yes, it happened some time before now. You didn’t expect it.)
• We ’ve already chosen what we would like to eat. (You probably expected us to take more time to choose.)
• He has already taken the trash out. (Earlier than you expected. You probably thought he would do it later)

You can see that ALREADY is used in affirmative sentences. We don’t use ALREADY with negative sentences. Now look at this sentence:

• I have already eaten .

In British English , ALREADY is used with the PERFECT TENSE Now look at this sentence:

• I already ate .

It has ALREADY but not with the present perfect tense. That is because in American English the PAST SIMPLE tense is sometimes used instead of the present perfect tense. So…

• I have already eaten . (🇬🇧 British English – Present Perfect)
• I already ate . (🇺🇸 American English – Past Simple)

Still vs. Yet vs. Just vs. Already

Now compare these sentences and see how there is a difference in meaning between them:

• He still hasn’t finished the report. (It has taken a long time and I continue to have to wait for it)
• He hasn’t finished the report yet . (It has not been done though I expect it to happen soon)
• He has just finished the report. (It was completed a moment ago)
• He has already finished the report. (It has been done sooner than expected)

See our other English lesson about STILL / YET / ALREADY .

I hope you found this lesson about using adverbs with the present perfect tense useful. If you did, please let other people know about it.

• 980k Followers
• 217k Followers
• 126k Followers

English Course

Perfect tense.

• Present Perfect Tense in English
• When to use the Present Perfect Tense
• Still - Yet - Already
• Been To vs. Gone To
• Do - Does - Did - Done
• 101 Irregular Past Participles in English

Pin It on Pinterest

Stack Exchange Network

Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.

Q&A for work

Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.

"After you finish" vs. "After you have finished"

Is there any difference in meaning in the following sentence?

After you finish your homework, call me. After you have finshed your homework, call me.

I pretty often hear natives use after and the present perfect when referring to the future, but I am not aware of the difference between the present simple and perfect when talking about the future.

• present-perfect
• present-simple

• See Michael Sawn's Practical English Usage (ed. 2019) - chapter 23, section 249 for a comprehensive but concise answer on the usage of 'after' and the differing time indications. –  JoHKa Commented Jun 21, 2022 at 16:16

2 Answers 2

When the runner finishes the race, the runner crosses the finish line. When the runner has finished the race, the runner is across the finish line.

In American football, the player scores a touchdown when any part of the ball breaks the (imaginary) plane of the goal-line (the plane is perpendicular to the playing surface). The player has scored a touchdown when that action is deemed to have taken place.

The difference is merely in how the event or action is understood. The facts "on the ground" are the same. We can understand the action as one in which a boundary is crossed or one in which a boundary has been crossed. It simply involves a shift of a virtual vantage point.

• 1 Sorry, I cannot get it. My both sentence is in future tense. We cannot say "after you will finish your homework, nor can we say "after you will have finished your homework" because when we use "when" we have to use the present tenses. I cannot see the difference. –  Dmytro O'Hope Commented Nov 25, 2018 at 15:33

I think they both mean the same, first you finish your homework, then you call me. The word "after" clarifies the sequence.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for browse other questions tagged grammar tense present-perfect present-simple ..

• The Overflow Blog
• Attribution as the foundation of developer trust
• Ongoing community data protection
• Featured on Meta
• Preventing unauthorized automated access to the network

Hot Network Questions

• What are the characteristics of God's elect ? Is this how we will know that we are 'elect'?
• Why are sportsmen not desirous to have others of their persuasion move in?
• How to use unordered_set::contains() with a custom class?
• Determine what numbers must be filled into the shaded squares to make the grid (now with ten squares filled in) puzzle-ready
• What is this biplane I saw two weeks ago?
• Why did Boeing shrink the bottom of the engine casing instead of the whole casing?
• How do I handle guilt after yelling at my child?
• How does Pashalik Mons deal damage when it dies?
• How can I compute the conjugate of an integer partition?
• When did "the US presidential plane" land on Diego Garcia for refueling, and which if any president was on board? (circa 2000's)
• Where is the first pin when a chip has a bar and not a dot
• Create environment for figures
• What is meant by the phrase ' sat at meat '?
• Can Antimagic Field negate Demilich's Damage Reduction?
• How do I justify a society where people have two permanent homes: a summer home and a winter home?
• Do any hobbits ever use "Sie" in German translations of The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings?
• What are the naming schemes used for geographical features in other planets/moons?
• How to implement rule based transitive closure?
• Can you identify these two characters from the Mario Kart 8 loading screen?
• Can you have a mixed settled population and nomads?
• In a perfect vacuum, shouldn't every solid be above its sublimation point, since its vapor pressure must exceed the atmospheric pressure?
• Can image 2 be obtained by rotating image 1 by 72 degrees each time
• "I’m not sure that I’ll go, but I may do." — Why does "may do" sound unnatural here in American English?
• Was I right to insist I be listed as a co-author if my contribution was to be included?

Have you ______ finished your homework?

A. Already B. Yet C. Just

Select your answer:          

Next Quiz >

Other quiz:

They usually go swimming __________ the summer.

Sumariadi___in this job and be happy.

A. Will have been accepted

B. Will has been accepted

C. Will had been accepted

D. Will have be accepted

Trending Topics

How to use : Read the question carefully, then select one of the answers button.

GrammarQuiz.Net - Improve your knowledge of English grammar, the best way to kill your free time.

Quality Point(s): 64

• English (UK)
• English (US)

What is the difference between Have you finished your homework? and Did you finish your homework? ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.

• Report copyright infringement

Quality Point(s): 44

Answer: 101

they mean the same thing, as far as I know

Was this answer helpful?

• Why did you respond with "Hmm..."?
• Your feedback will not be shown to other users.

Quality Point(s): 788

Answer: 601

Both are good sentences and mean the same thing.

• Portuguese (Brazil)

Quality Point(s): 5012

Answer: 4282

"Have you finished your homework?" has an impact in the present, whereas "Did you finish your homework?" has no impact in the present and the homework was done in the past.

I personally like "have you..." but you can say either one.

Quality Point(s): 300

Answer: 192

they have the same meaning, just a different way to say it

• What is the difference between studing and studying ?
• What is the difference between please check it out. and please check it. ?
• What is the difference between check it and check it out ?
• What is the difference between speak and speaks ?
• What is the difference between is it ok for you? and is it ok with you? ?
• What is the difference between Have you finished your homework? and Did you finish your homework...
• What is the difference between Did you finish your homework? and Are you done with your homework? ?
• What is the difference between Did you finish your homework ? and Are you done with your homework...
• What is the difference between Have you finished your homework already? and Have you finished you...
• What is the difference between Did you finish your homework? and Have you finished your homework? ?
• What is the difference between consecutive and consistant ?
• What is the difference between This work was supposed to have been done and This work was suppose...
• What is the difference between I don't cook very well. and I'm not good at cooking. ?
• What is the difference between investigation and survey and research ?
• What is the difference between night and nighttime ?
• What is the difference between suggestion and proposal ?
• What is the difference between I wasn't me. and It wasn't me. ?
• What is the difference between Notable and Noticeable ?
• What is the difference between The book I ordered. and The book that I ordered. ?
• What is the difference between I got better grades than him. and I got better grades than he did. ?
• What is the difference between At the same time and In the same time ?
• What is the difference between You'll need an umbrella if you go out now. It's been raining. and...
• What is the difference between On which channel is the movie in USA? and Which channel is the mov...
• What is the difference between Put an arrangement/meeting off and put an arrangement/meeting back ?
• What is the difference between toward and approach and forward ?
• What does めっちゃ美人！！わかいね！ mean?
• How do you say this in English (UK)? mere sar me bohat dard he

The Language Level symbol shows a user's proficiency in the languages they're interested in. Setting your Language Level helps other users provide you with answers that aren't too complex or too simple.

Has difficulty understanding even short answers in this language.

Can ask simple questions and can understand simple answers.

Can ask all types of general questions and can understand longer answers.

Can understand long, complex answers.

Show your appreciation in a way that likes and stamps can't.

By sending a gift to someone, they will be more likely to answer your questions again!

If you post a question after sending a gift to someone, your question will be displayed in a special section on that person’s feed.

Ask native speakers questions for free

Solve your problems more easily with the app!

• Find the answer you're looking for from 45 million answers logged!
• Enjoy the auto-translate feature when searching for answers!
• It’s FREE!!

• What is the difference ...

• Rules/Help/FAQ Help/FAQ
• Members Current visitors
• Interface Language

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

• English Only

Have you finished your homework yet?

• Thread starter james0228
• Start date Sep 21, 2022

Senior Member

• Sep 21, 2022

1) Have you finished your homework yet? 2) Haven't you finished your homework yet? 3) Have you finished your homework? 1) what is the dictionary meaning of 'yet' in 1) and 2)? 2) What's the difference in meaning among 1)~3)  

Florentia52

Modwoman in the attic.

Please give us some context. Is the speaker irritated with the person s/he is talking to? Has the person been slow in doing his/her homework?  

Florentia52 said: Please give us some context. Is the speaker irritated with the person s/he is talking to? Has the person been slow in doing his/her homework? Click to expand...

JulianStuart

yet adv (usually used with a negative or interrogative) so far; up until then or now: they're not home yet, is it teatime yet? Click to expand...

• Sep 23, 2022

Have you finished your homework yet? Is there a negative sense in the word 'yet' ?  

Edinburgher

james0228 said: Is there a negative sense in the word 'yet' ? Click to expand...

Edinburgher said: Not really, although we do tend to use the word in negative answers: -- Have you finished your homework? --No, not yet , but almost. I think I'll be finished in 10 minutes. In case 1, the speaker expects the person to finish their homework, and is asking whether it is already finished. In case 2, the speaker probably already knows the person hasn't finished yet (perhaps because the work is obviously still in progress), and seems to be expressing surprise or exasperation that the person hasn't finished yet. Case 3 is neutral about time. The homework may have been finished hours ago, or it may not even have been started. Click to expand...

james0228 said: In case 1, Is 'yet' the same as and interchangeable with 'already'? Click to expand...