Why is the Present Perfect Tense so Important?
When students prepare for the IELTS exam, they often spend countless hours expanding their vocabulary, perfecting their essay structure, and mastering academic phrases. But there’s one essential element of grammar that gets shockingly little attention – the present perfect tense.
Yep, that one.
In this post, let’s explore why the present perfect tense matters so much for IELTS, how it’s used, and what you can do to avoid common mistakes that could drag down your score.
Why Grammar – and Verb Tense – Actually Matter
When you sit for the IELTS Writing test, your performance is graded on four areas:
- Task Achievement
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
It’s that last one – Grammatical Range and Accuracy – where verb tense plays a starring role.
A well-placed tense can make your sentence clear, fluent, and effective. A poorly chosen one? It can confuse your meaning and show the examiner you haven’t quite mastered grammar. This is especially true when it comes to talking about actions over time – which is exactly where the present perfect comes in.
So… What Is the Present Perfect?
The present perfect is made using have/has + past participle.
- I have finished my homework.
- She has visited London.
- They have worked here for five years.
But knowing how to form the tense isn’t the hard part. The real challenge is knowing when to use it – and that’s where many IELTS candidates get stuck.
3 Ways We Use the Present Perfect
Here’s how native speakers (and high-scoring IELTS candidates) normally use this tense:
1. To talk about past experiences (no specific time)
I have eaten sushi.
He has traveled to Japan.
We’re not saying when it happened – just that it has happened.
2. To describe actions in unfinished time periods
I have drunk three coffees today.
She has been to the office twice this afternoon.
Since “today” and “this afternoon” aren’t over yet, the action might happen again. That’s why we use present perfect.
3. To talk about actions that started in the past and continue now
They have lived in Paris since 2015.
I have worked here for five years.
If an action began in the past and is still true now (or might continue), present perfect is your best friend.
Why Present Perfect Is So Important in IELTS
Let’s imagine you’re writing an IELTS essay on technology. You want to say that the internet has changed communication.
Compare these:
- ✅ The internet has changed the way we communicate.
- ❌ The internet changed the way we communicate.
- ❌ The internet changes the way we communicate.
The first sentence is perfect – it shows change that started in the past and continues today.
The second suggests the change happened only in the past – not really true.
The third makes it sound like this is a repeated or routine action. That’s weird.
This is why mastering the present perfect is key to clearly expressing change over time – which is a major theme in both IELTS Writing Task 2 and Speaking.
The Biggest Mistake Candidates Make
Here’s the most common issue: people try to talk about ongoing situations but use the wrong tense.
Example:
❌ “I live in Canada since 2018.”
✅ “I have lived in Canada since 2018.”
If you use time markers like since or for, chances are you need the present perfect.
A Quick Note on IELTS Writing Task 1
The present perfect isn’t as common in Task 1 (graphs, charts, etc.) because you’re usually describing past data. However, if a chart includes data that reaches the present, then it can be appropriate.
Example:
“Since 2010, the number of visitors has increased steadily.”
If you’re aiming for Band 7 or above, you need to show the examiner that you can use a range of tenses naturally and accurately. And the present perfect is a must-have tool in your grammar toolkit.
Remember: If something began in the past and continues now – or you’re talking about past experiences without saying exactly when – this tense is probably the right choice.
So go ahead… flex your grammar skills.
Start noticing the present perfect in native English – and start using it in your own writing and speaking.