ESL Grammar: PRESENT PERFECT TENSE (4) – Already & Not Yet

In this ESL grammar lesson, students practicing using the present perfect tense with “already” and “not yet.” They then practice writing sentences with both constructions.

ESL Grammar: Using “Already” with the Present Perfect Tense

The word “already” is used with the present perfect tense to indicate that an action has been completed earlier than expected or before now. It emphasizes the completion of the action.

Structure:

• Affirmative: Subject + have/has + past participle + already
  • Example: I have already finished my homework.
• Interrogative: Have/has + subject + past participle + already?
  • Example: Have you already seen that movie?

Examples:

• Affirmative: She has already left for work.
• Interrogative: Has he already completed the report?

ESL Grammar: Using “Not…Yet” with the Present Perfect Tense

The phrase “not…yet” is used to indicate that an action has not been completed up to the present moment but is expected to be completed in the future. It emphasizes that the action is still pending.

Structure:

• Negative: Subject + have/has + not + past participle + yet
  • Example: They have not finished their project yet.
• Interrogative: Have/has + subject + not + past participle + yet?
  • Example: Have you not finished your book yet?

Examples:

• Negative: He has not called me yet.
• Interrogative: Have they not arrived yet?

Practical Applications

• Indicating Completed Actions: Use “already” to show that something has been completed before the present time.
  • Example: I have already booked the tickets.
• Expressing Pending Actions: Use “not…yet” to indicate that something is still to be done or completed.
  • Example: She has not decided on a date yet.

The English grammar lesson below teaches students use the present perfect tense with the words “already” and “not…yet”, in a clear and simple manner that is easy for ESL learners to understand. Our series of ESL grammar lessons on subjects and verbs introduce these concepts and reinforce them through helpful and instructive exercises.

This lesson is available for free download, and you can download many more English grammar lessons focusing on advanced aspects of English grammar (past continuous tense, present perfect tense, present perfect continuous tense, passive voice, embedded questions, relative clauses) in our comprehensive, intermediate- to advanced-level ESL grammar textbook Great, Great Grammar! (Book 3: Tenses and More!).