Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Present Perfect Tense: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 3
- ForYear 3
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Present Perfect Tense is a free printable grammar worksheet for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8). Children finish each sentence by choosing have or has and writing the right form of the verb. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Each numbered question is a short sentence with a gap and a verb in brackets. Children choose have or has, then write the verb in the form that fits. The person or thing doing the action changes from sentence to sentence, so children must stop and check who it is. Some verbs only need a small change. Others change more. There is space to write each answer.
- I ___ (eat) my breakfast.
- She ___ (go) to the shop.
- We ___ (finish) our homework.
- He ___ (break) the cup.
- They ___ (see) a fox.
- The dog ___ (run) away.
- I ___ (write) a letter.
- You ___ (draw) a lovely picture.
A worked example
My brother ___ (ride) his bike to school.
This sentence uses a different verb and a different subject from the sheet. It shows two ways to work.
Method 1: take it in two steps- Find who is doing the action. It is my brother, which is one person.
- One person means we use has. I, you, we and they use have.
- Look at the verb in brackets: ride. Ask yourself what form follows has.
- Add the verb form after has.
- Read the sentence with have: "My brother have ridden his bike." It sounds wrong.
- Read it with has: "My brother has ridden his bike." It sounds right.
- Check the verb form by saying "Today I have..." and finishing with the verb.
What is the present perfect tense?
The present perfect tense talks about something that has happened, when the exact time does not matter or the result still matters now. We build it from have or has and a past participle. It is different from the simple past, which belongs to a finished time such as yesterday or last week. Children use it in everyday talk long before they name it, for example when they say they have tidied their room.
Many children find the past participle the tricky part. With regular verbs it looks the same as the simple past, because both add ed. Irregular verbs change in ways that must be learned, such as ride and ridden, or take and taken. Saying sentences aloud helps, because children can hear when a form sounds wrong. The National Curriculum for England introduces the present perfect in Year 3.
Skills and curriculum link
- Present perfect tense
- Using have and has
- Past participles
- Matching verb to subject
- Writing full sentences
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | English | Writing: vocabulary, grammar and punctuation | Year 3 |
What children will be able to do
- I can say what the present perfect tense is.
- I can use have or has with a past participle.
- I can write my own sentences in the present perfect.
Grammar help for grown ups
- Have or hasUse has with one person or thing, such as she, he, it or the cat. Use have with I, you, we and they. Children can check by asking who is doing the action.
- Past participleThis is the form of the verb that follows have or has. It is not a separate tense. It only works as part of the pair.
- Regular verbsMost verbs add ed to make the past participle. Walk becomes walked and play becomes played. Spelling can change a little, so check the ending.
- Irregular verbsSome verbs change in other ways, such as take and taken. There is no rule to apply. Say the sentence aloud and practise them often.
Key words
- VerbA word that tells us what someone or something does or is.
- TenseThe form of a verb that tells us when something happens.
- Present perfectA tense made with have or has and a past participle. It tells us about something that has happened.
- Past participleThe verb form used after have or has. For a verb like walk, it ends in ed.
- Irregular verbA verb that does not follow the usual ed pattern in the past.
- SubjectThe person or thing doing the action in a sentence.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the example together first. Ask your child who is doing the action in it.
- Let your child fill in each gap on their own. Remind them to say each sentence aloud before writing.
- Check against the answers on page 2. Ask, "How did you know whether it was have or has?"
- Come back to the sheet another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Say each sentence aloud with have, then with has, and listen for the one that sounds right. Cover the bracket and ask who is doing the action. Do a few sentences together, then let your child try the next ones alone.
To stretch confident children
Write three sentences of your own about things you have done this week. Underline have or has and circle the past participle. Swap with a friend or grown up and check each other's work.
Make it a game
Take turns saying what you have done today. Start with "I have..." and finish the sentence. The next player reports it back, such as "Mum has..." or "They have...", choosing have or has correctly.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child writes I has or They has because the sentence sounds fine when spoken fast.
Try thisAsk who is doing the action. One person or thing takes has. I, you, we and they take have. Say the sentence slowly both ways.
Watch forA child adds ed to every verb, for example writing have rided.
Try thisSay the sentence aloud and listen. Explain that some verbs change in other ways. Make a small list of those verbs to practise.
Watch forA child writes only the verb, such as The cat jumped, and leaves out have or has.
Try thisPoint to the words before the gap. Ask what two words need to come before the verb in this tense.
Talk about it
- What is something you have done today that you are pleased about?
- How do you decide whether to say have or has?
- Which verbs were hard to change, and why?
- What is the difference between I played and I have played?
- Can you think of a verb that does not just add ed?
- Who in your family has done something interesting this week?
Take it off the page
Today I have diary
Write three sentences each evening starting with I have. Add a picture for each one. Read them aloud at bedtime.
Mime and guess
One person mimes an action. Everyone else says what they have done, such as You have painted a wall. Take turns and use have or has.
Sentence strips
Write sentence starters on strips of paper, one with have and one with has. Children match each strip to a subject card and add a verb.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first few sentences, then let them lead. Short bursts work better than long sessions. If they get stuck, ask them to say the sentence aloud and listen for what sounds right.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity after teaching the present perfect. The mix of subjects suits mixed ability groups. Page 2 gives support, a stretch idea and answers.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider grammar plan and pair it with reading aloud and everyday talk. Because it is free to print, you can use it again for brothers and sisters or for revision a few weeks later.
Where this fits
Before this sheet, children learn to spot verbs and to write simple sentences in the past tense. They also practise saying who is doing an action. Those skills make it easier to choose have or has.
After it, children can compare the present perfect with the simple past in their own writing and reading. They meet more irregular verbs as they move up the school. Short, regular practice helps these forms feel natural.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- How do you know when to use have and when to use has?
- Can you tell me a sentence about something you have done today?
- What is the past participle of the verb eat, and how do you know?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Present Perfect Tense for?
It is written for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8), in Key Stage 2. Some younger children may enjoy it with support, and older children can use it for revision.
- What will children practise?
They practise the present perfect tense. Children finish sentences with have or has and the right verb form, and they think about who is doing each action.
- What if the sheet feels too hard?
Have your child say each sentence aloud with have, then with has, and listen for the right one. Do the first few together, then let them try alone. Come back to it another day.
- Does it give the answers?
Yes. Page 2 is for the grown up and includes the answers, along with notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and it matches the Year 3 English grammar strand.
- Is it a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it suits quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Children read, think and write by hand.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. It is free to print again for brothers, sisters, pupils or revision.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.