PRESENT PERFECT

WITH FOR OR SINCE

We can use the present perfect for actions

and states that started at one moment in

the past and go on until the present time.

NOW

PAST

THE ACTION

OR STATE

STARTS

HERE

THE DURATION OF THIS ACTION IS EXPRESSED BY

PHRASES WITH FOR (PERIODS OF TIME) OR SINCE

(DATES AND POINTS IN TIME)

One example: Susan got sick two weeks ago.

Now she is still ill.

NOW

PAST

“Susan got

sick”

TWO WEEKS

“Susan has been ill for two weeks.”

Another example: Anne came to live in Spain in 2007.

Now she still lives in Spain.

NOW

PAST

2007

“Anne came to

live in Spain”

5 years

“Anne has lived in Spain since

2007.”

“Anne has lived in Spain for five

years.”

To translate these sentences into Spanish,

we use a PRESENT tense or an expression

with the verb “LLEVAR”.

“Susan lleva dos semanas

enferma.”

“Anne vive en España desde

2007.”

When we want to know the duration of an action

that started in the past and goes on into the

present, we use this structure:

HOW LONG + PRESENT PERFECT +?

How long has Susan been ill?

How long has Anne lived in Spain?

THE

END