5.34 WARNING

You cannot use adjuncts which place the action at a definite time in the past with the present perfect. You cannot say 'I have done it yesterday'.

You can, however, use an adjunct of duration.

• The settlers have left the bay forever.
• I have often criticized the standards of cleanliness and punctuality on the trains.

Adjuncts of duration are explained and listed in paragraphs 5.123 to 5.142.

You can also use 'since' and 'for' with the present perfect because when they are used in this way they refer to a definite time.

• They have been back every year since then.
• It was the only record to have stayed in the American charts for a full six weeks.

For more information on 'since' see paragraph 5.137. Other uses of 'for' are explained in paragraphs 5.125 to 5.128.