Don’t compare to Portuguese. It’s different!

Affirmative: HAVE / HAS + verb (past participle) Ex: I’ve lived in Rio de Janeiro. (I’ve = I have) She’s been to Canada. (She’s = She has)

The past participle of regular verbs ends in –ED. There are many common IRREGULAR PAST PARTICIPLES. Ex: be – been / go – gone.

Negative: HAVEN’T / HASN’T + verb (past participle) Ex: You haven’t studied French. Kevin hasn’t done his homework.

Question: HAVE/HAS + Subject + verb (past participle) Ex: Have you finished your exercise? Has the car cost $ 200,000?

YES, (SUBJECT = pronoun) HAVE / HAS. NO, (SUBJECT = pronoun) HAVEN’T /

HASN’T.

EX: Have you closed the door? Yes, I have. / No, I haven’t. Has Brenda written a composition? Yes, she has. / No, she hasn’t.

The action happened at AN INDEFINITE PAST.

Ex: I’ve met a lot of famous people. (before now) She has won awards. (in her life) She’s written 20 songs. (up to now)

The action can continue to the present, and probably into the future.

Ex: They’ve lived here for 20 years. (They still live here) Pat has taught English since 1991. (she still teaches English)

It expresses an experience as part of someone’s life.

Ex: I’ve traveled a lot in Brazil.

# EVER and NEVER are common with this use.

Have you ever been in a car crash? My mother has never flown in a plane.

It expresses an action or state which began in the past and continues to the present.

Ex: I’ve known Maria for ten years. How long have you worked as a teacher? # FOR and SINCE are common with this use.

We use FOR with a period of time, and SINCE with a point in the time.

We’ve lived here for eight years. David has liked hot dog since he was a boy.

It expresses a past action with results in the present. It is often a recent past action.

Ex: I’ve lost my wallet. (I haven’t got it now.)

The taxi has arrived. (It’s outside now)

Has the mail carrier been yet? (Are there any letters for me?)

The adverbs JUST, ALREADY and YET are common with this use (recent past action).

* YET is used in questions and negatives. Ex: She’s JUST had some good news. I’ve ALREADY had breakfast. Has the mail carrier been YET? It’s 11:00 and she hasn’t got up YET.