Present Perfect Tense

You already know how to use has and have with past participles to talk about things that started in the past and are still important now. In this lesson, you will learn how to use since and for to say when something started or how long it has lasted, and how to use just and recently to talk about things that happened a short time ago.

What You'll Learn

How to use since to tell the starting point of an action or event
How to use for to tell how long something has lasted
How to use just and recently to describe things that happened very recently
How to choose correctly between since and for

When to Use

Telling when something started -- use "since": "She has lived in Tampines since 2020."
Telling how long something has lasted -- use "for": "He has played football for three years."
Talking about something that happened moments ago -- use "just": "I have just finished my homework."
Talking about something that happened not long ago -- use "recently": "They have recently moved to a new HDB flat."
Asking about duration: "How long have you lived in Singapore?"

How to Form

The formula

Subject + has/have + past participle + since/for/just/recently

Using "since" and "for"

Word	Meaning	What follows it	Example
since	from a point in time	a specific time or date	We have known each other since Primary One.
for	over a period of time	a length of time	We have known each other for four years.

"Since" takes a specific point in time

Since + specific time	Example sentence
since Monday	I have not eaten durian since Monday.
since January	She has attended this school since January.
since 2021	They have lived in Jurong since 2021.
since last week	He has practised the piano since last week.
since I was young	I have loved reading since I was young.

"For" takes a length of time

For + length of time	Example sentence
for two days	She has been away for two days.
for six months	He has studied Chinese for six months.
for a long time	We have waited for a long time.
for ten minutes	The bus has not arrived for ten minutes.

Where to place "just" and "recently"

Word	Position	Example
just	between has/have and the past participle	I have just eaten lunch.
recently	between has/have and the past participle, or at the end	She has recently joined the choir. / She has joined the choir recently.

Key Rules

"Since" needs a specific point in time: Use "since" with a date, day, month, year, or event. "She has lived here since 2019." You cannot say "since three years".
"For" needs a length of time: Use "for" with a number of hours, days, weeks, months, or years. "He has waited for twenty minutes." You cannot say "for Monday".
"Just" goes before the past participle: Place "just" between has/have and the past participle. "They have just arrived." It means the action happened only moments ago.
"Recently" is more flexible: "Recently" can go between has/have and the past participle, or at the end of the sentence. Both are correct: "I have recently finished" and "I have finished recently."
Do not confuse "since" and "ago": "Since" is used with the present perfect tense. "Ago" is used with the simple past tense. Say "I have lived here since 2020" (present perfect), not "I have lived here two years ago."
The action is still relevant now: When you use since, for, just, or recently with the present perfect tense, the action is connected to the present. "She has lived here for five years" means she still lives here now.

Common Mistakes

Wrong	Right	Why
I have lived here since three years.	I have lived here for three years.	"Three years" is a length of time, so use for
She has studied here for 2021.	She has studied here since 2021.	"2021" is a specific point in time, so use since
He has just went to the shop.	He has just gone to the shop.	After has/have, use the past participle (gone), not past tense (went)
They have came recently.	They have come recently.	The past participle of "come" is "come", not "came"
I have lived here since two years ago.	I have lived here since 2022. / I have lived here for two years.	Do not combine "since" with "ago"
She have just finished her work.	She has just finished her work.	Use has with he, she, it (singular subjects)

Clue Words

Words that signal "since" (specific point in time):

Monday, Tuesday, January, 2019, last week, last month, yesterday, this morning, Primary One, I was born, the beginning

Words that signal "for" (length of time):

two days, three weeks, six months, a year, a long time, ten minutes, five hours, ages

Words that signal something happened very recently:

just, recently, lately

Tip: Ask yourself -- "Can I put a number of days/weeks/years after it?" If yes, use for. "Can I put a date or event after it?" If yes, use since. Think of it this way: for = how long, since = starting when.

Practice Tips

The clock test: Look at the word after "since" or "for". Does it answer "when?" (Monday, January, 2020) -- use since. Does it answer "how long?" (three days, a week) -- use for.
The "still now" check: After writing a present perfect sentence with since or for, ask yourself: "Is this still true right now?" If yes, you have used it correctly. "He has lived here for five years" -- does he still live here? Yes!
The "just" placement drill: Practise putting "just" in the right spot. Write a sentence, then add "just" between has/have and the past participle. "I have finished" becomes "I have just finished."
Swap test: Try replacing "since" with "for" or vice versa. If the sentence sounds wrong, you had the right word in the first place. "I have waited since two hours" sounds wrong, so "for two hours" is correct.

Quick Reference

Word	Meaning	Follows with	Example
since	from a specific point in time	dates, days, events	I have known her since Primary Two.
for	over a length of time	numbers + time words	I have known her for two years.
just	a very short time ago	placed before past participle	She has just left the classroom.
recently	not long ago	before past participle or at end	He has recently returned from Penang.

Present Perfect Tense (P4) (Primary 4)