To talk about an event that started in the past and is still happening now, we use a present perfect tense. The present perfect doesn’t talk about the past so it doesn’t talk about the start of the action. It talks about the situation now. It is an update of something that started in the past.
- I have worked here for two years.
(action started in the past/work – situation now/for two years) - It has been raining for three hours.
(action started in the past/raining – situation now/for three hours) - I have lost my keys.
(action started in the past/lost my keys – situation now/keys are still lost)
When you talk about things from your whole life you should use a present perfect tense.
- I have never met him.
(action started in the past/my life started – situation now/never met him) - She has never seen that film.
(action started in the past/her life started – situation now/never seen that film) - He has written three books.
(action started in the past/his life started – situation now/written three books)
The present perfect talks about the present. It doesn’t talk about the past. It doesn’t talk about the future.
