Hello! To all the office workers who are studying after work today!

Today is the second session on the present perfect tense, and I am going to summarize 'experience' and 'time that has not yet finished.'

I hope today's content is at least a little helpful to you and me. Let’s begin.

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1. ever vs never

One of the most representative uses of the present perfect (have + p.p.) is to talk about "experiences you have had from birth until now." It’s like searching for an 'experience file' on the massive hard drive of life. The words frequently used with this are ever and never.

① ever (at any time in your life, so far)

Mainly used in interrogative sentences to ask, "Have you ever done this in your life?"

• "Have you ever been to Japan?"
• "What's the most beautiful place you've ever seen?"

② never (not at any time in your life)

A strong negation. It gives a much stronger nuance than not, implying "that has never happened throughout my entire life."

• "I've never ridden a horse."

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2. today, this week

This part was the most refreshing point among what I summarized today. As I learned previously, whenever I saw words like today or this week, the simple past tense immediately came to mind.

However, if 'that time (period)' has not yet ended at the moment of speaking, you must use the present perfect. This is because since the time of 'today' is still active, there is still a possibility that the number of actions will increase (a connection to the present).

• "I've drunk four cups of coffee today."
  • Interpretation: I have already drunk four cups of coffee today.
  • Explanation: 'Today' has not ended yet, I have drunk four cups so far, and I might drink more.

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3. "The ~th time in my life"

When using phrases in daily life such as "This is my first time doing this!" or "This is the second time I've eaten this," you must use the present perfect tense.

• Core Structure: It's the first / second time + subject + have / has + p.p.
• "It's the first time he has driven a car."
• "It's the first time he drives a car." (x)

Because it means a 'first (or second) event' on the timeline of my entire life, it is natural to use the present perfect, which encompasses all experiences from the past until now.

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Closing

Distinguishing between the past tense (did) and the present perfect (have done) is not easy at first. However, there is only one standard: "Is that time or that event closely connected to me right now?" Just think about that.

You all worked very hard. Let’s meet again in Unit 9. Fighting!