Practice using the PRESENT PERFECT, look at examples from an interview about ChatGPT, and then see how much you understood by taking a short quiz.

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is a computer program that can answer questions, write papers, take exams, and make up original stories. Does it sound too good to be true? Well, since it first launched, opinions have been mixed. Some people are very enthusiastic about the benefits of ChatGPT in education, healthcare, and business. However, people are also asking if it will create problems, especially in schools where students could use it to cheat on assignments. Let’s look at examples of the Present Perfect related to this topic.

Before we look at the interview about ChatGPT, let’s start with the basics.

How do you form the present perfect tense?

(has/have) + (Past Participle)

Examples:

• She has studied English for five years.

• The students have taken three exams this semester.

• The student has already finished her assignment.

What about the past participle?

If a verb is “regular,” simply add (-ed) to the end of the verb to form the past participle. For example, we added (-ed) to form these past participles. (looked, created, worked, managed, tripped, studied, participated, started)

If a verb is “irregular,” you will have to memorize these-try it!)

Do you know these irregular past participles? Quiz yourself below…

Tip! Tap or scroll to see the Past Participle.

Simple form——-Past Particple

*Be

*Break

*Buy

*Do

*Drink

*Eat

*Get

*Give

*Go

*Have

*Leave

*Make

*See

*Speak

*Take

*Teach

*Write

When do you use the present perfect?

1. Use the present perfect to talk about something that started in the past and continues until now.

Tip!- This is commonly used with the words (for) and (since)

• Ohoud has lived in Chicago for three years. She has been living in Chicago for three years.
• She has lived here since 2020. She has been living here since 2020.
• She’s studied English since she was a little girl.

2. Use the present perfect for events or activities that have or haven’t happened at an unspecified time in the past.

Tip! This is commonly used with (ever) (never) (already) (yet) (still)

• I have never tried ChatGPT.
• The student has already finished her assignment.
• Mari has been to Spain. She went there on a study abroad trip.

3. Use the present perfect when something has happened multiple times in the past, and it may happen again.

• The teacher has assigned three papers so far this semester. I bet we will have more.
• My teacher has already caught four students using ChatGPT to cheat.
• We have had a lot of homework in this class.

4. Use the present perfect to talk about something that just occurred or recently happened

• Carlos has just finished his project.
• You have recently gotten a new job, right?
• My friends have just finished dinner, so they will meet us in five minutes.

Using the present perfect in affirmative and negative sentences:

What is going on in these images? Can you match these pictures with some of the sentences below?

**Tip! The contractions are highlighted in yellow. They are the most common for speaking and informal writing!

Subject	Affirmative Sentences	Negative Sentences
I	I have used the Internet to brainstorm ideas for a paper before. I’ve used the Internet to brainstorm ideas for a paper.	I have never cheated by copying directly from the Internet. I’ve never cheated by copying directly from the Internet before.
You	You have used ChatGPT in the classroom for 3 months now. You’ve used ChatGPT in the classroom for 3 months now.	You have not used a lot of technology in the classroom. You’ve never used a lot of technology in the classroom.
He/She/It (singular nouns)	Lilia has studied Computer Science since 2018. Lilia’s studied Computer Science since 2018.	Lilia has never studied Law. Lilia’s never studied Law.
We	We have been using a Roomba, a cleaning robot, for a long time. We’ve been using a Roomba for a long time.	We have not had time to clean lately. We haven’t had time to clean lately.
They (Plural nouns)	The students have just finished their projects on artificial intelligence. They’ve just finished their projects.	The students have not finished their artificial intelligence projects yet. They haven’t finished their projects yet.

Finally, look at how the present perfect is used in an interview about ChatGPT.

Read through the sentences. Pay attention to the present perfect.

The present perfect tense is highlighted in green.

1. “Some school districts have banned access to the tool [ChatGPT], and not without reason.”
2. “Ethan Mollick of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania has made it a requirement to use the chatbot in his classes.”
3. “How do we teach people to write in a world with ChatGPT? We’ve taught people how to do math in a world with calculators.”
4. “I’m not an educator, but I am a parent, and I have been a student. And the parent and student in me are screaming in protest, saying, does it count as good writing if you didn’t write it? “
5.  “Have you had a problem yet with a student cheating using the software…?”
6. “…Is that a depressing statement from somebody who has devoted their life to higher ed…?”

After reading the quotations, how have some people reacted to the use of ChatGPT?

What do you think?

1. Do you know anyone who has tried ChatGPT before? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of this technology?
2. Do you know anyone who has cheated on a test or assignment? Do you think this software will make it easier for students to cheat? Why or why not?
3. Have you ever written a paper with help from Grammarly or other online programs? What do you use the internet for when it comes to your writing?
4. Why do you think the professor has made ChatGPT a requirement for his classes?
5. Are you surprised that schools have banned access to ChatGPT? Explain.

Got it? Now practice using the present perfect in this short quiz.

Quiz Maker – powered by Riddle

Great job! Keep on improving those grammar skills!

Come back to “www.gorealia.com” every week to practice English and listen to stories that inspire!

Improve your listening skills and hear the Present Perfect used in context. Listen to the full interview about ChatGPT from NPR here!

Continue learning! Learn new academic vocabulary words and expressions in the context of the ChatGPT interview.

What do you think about ChatGPT? Keep practicing English and learn even more new words by joining the conversation and sharing your thoughts with learners from around the world.

Try the complete practice with everything included. Let us take you through the listening, vocabulary, grammar, and joining in the conversation. Here, all English skills are integrated with a real topic! You’ve got this!

Sources

Kelly, Mary Louise, host. “How to Stop Worrying and Love (or at Least Live With) ChatGPT.” All Things Considered, NPR, 24 Jan. 2023, https://www.npr.org/2023/01/24/1151160196/how-to-stop-worrying-and-love-or-at-least-live-with-chatgpt.