Present perfect: talking about experience up to now
Short answer: Use have or has plus the past participle to talk about experience up to now, without saying when: I have never seen a tiger. Have you ever been to the sea? Use have with I, you, we and they, and has with he, she and it. Use ever in questions and never to mean not once. Do not add a finished time such as yesterday.
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At a glance
| Use | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| positive | have / has + past participle | I have visited Hue. |
| never | have / has never + past participle | She has never eaten a pear. |
| question | Have / Has + subject + ever + past participle? | Have you ever been to the sea? |
| short answer | Yes, I have. / No, I haven’t. | Yes, I have. |
In short
- have / has + the past form: experience up to now.
- ever in questions, never to say not once.
- Learn special forms: seen, eaten, been, made, gone.
What is the rule for “Have you ever …? Experience”?
The rule
have / has + the past form (seen, eaten, been) tells about experience up to now.
How it looks
I / you / we / they have + past form · he / she / it has + past form
What it means
It says if something has happened in your life. We do not say when.
When to use it
Use it with ever (in questions) and never (to say not once).
How it works
- Think of your life up to now. Has it happened at least once? Use have or has plus the past participle.
- Choose have or has by the subject. Then use the past participle: seen, eaten, been, made, gone.
- Use ever in questions and never in negative meaning. Do not say when it happened.
- If you give the time or details, change to the past simple: I have been to Hue. I went there last year.
Examples of “Have you ever …? Experience”
- I have never seen a tiger.
Not once in my life. - Have you ever been to the sea?
Yes, I have. / No, I haven't. - She has never eaten a pear.
she + has. - We have never made a kite.
make → made. - Have you ever tried durian?
A question about experience: ever. - I have lived here for five years.
Still true now: for + a period. - She has never flown in a plane.
Not once in her life. - We have met before.
Experience up to now, no time given.
Common mistakes with “Have you ever …? Experience”
I have never go to the sea.→ I have never gone to the sea.
After have use the past form: gone.She have never eaten a pear.→ She has never eaten a pear.
she goes with has.Did you ever see a tiger?→ Have you ever seen a tiger?
For experience up to now, use have + the past form.I have seen him yesterday.→ I saw him yesterday.
Yesterday is a finished time, so use the past simple.Have you ever ate sushi?→ Have you ever eaten sushi?
After have, use the past participle: eaten.
Exceptions: watch out
- been
been is the past form of be. I have been to the sea = I went there and came back.
Have been and have gone
Been means you went and came back. Gone means you went and are still away.
| Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| She has been to Paris. | She visited and came back. |
| She has gone to Paris. | She is in Paris now. |
See also: Present perfect or past simple?
Check yourself
- Fill the gap: “She ___ never ___ a pear.” (eat)
Show the answer
has never eaten she + has + past participle.
- Make a question: “you / ever / see / a tiger”
Show the answer
Have you ever seen a tiger? Have + subject + ever + past participle.
- Fix: “I have go to the sea.”
Show the answer
I have been to the sea. After have, use the past participle.
How to practice “Have you ever …? Experience”
The interactive version adds step-by-step help, spoken instructions and a quick check. One rule card, one sound lesson and the first lesson of every stone are free to try; the rest is part of Full Access. See Full Access.
- Practice lesson: Have you ever ...? Present perfect for experience
Questions
What is a past participle?
It is the third form of a verb: go, went, gone; see, saw, seen. For regular verbs it is the same as the past simple: played, played.
Why can’t I say “I have seen him yesterday”?
The present perfect connects past to now and does not use a finished time. Yesterday is a finished time, so use I saw him yesterday.
Is “for” or “since” used with the present perfect?
Yes: I have lived here for five years. I have lived here since 2020. They show a period up to now.
More Texts and Talk rules
- already, yet, just: already, yet and just go with have / has and tell about things that happened a short time ago.
- Present perfect or past simple?: A finished time (yesterday, last week) needs the past simple. Experience up to now needs have + the past form.
- Advice and rules: should, must, have to: should gives advice. must and have to give rules. After them, use the plain action word.
- unless: unless means if not. It says what could stop something.
- as … as, and comparing actions: as … as says two things are the same. not as … as says one is less. For actions use faster or more carefully.
- Linking sentences: also, however, for example, in the end: also, however, for example and in the end connect sentences. They start a new sentence, so put a full stop before them.
Part of the 📘 Grammar tool. Level G6: Texts and Talk. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.
Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.
Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30