What problems do Japanese people have learning the Present Perfect Tense in English?

Question

How do Japanese learners of English feel about the Present Perfect?

Answer 1

I don't even understand what that is to ask Japanese people about it. When it comes to grammar and such nomenclature, I truly must have been absent that day. I just do my best explaining things in practical terms and give examples of sentences one is likely to use in real life. Personally I notice Japanese have trouble with articles (a, an, the) because it doesn't exist in Japanese. Other difficulties are spelling and oral contractions. For example we might say some words that slur together and Japanese have difficulty with this. Japanese do the same thing though, desu becomes des, Asuka becames Aska, etc.

Answer 2

Many Japanese feel it very confusing because Japanese language does not strictly distinguish past tense and present perfect tense.

I finished homework.

I have finished homework.

There's no difference between two sentences when translated into Japanese.

A bestseller book in Japan written by an American professor pointed out that the "degree of completion of the action or condition" is the most important for Japanese language, while for English it is the "timing of the action or condition". For Japanese, "finished homework" is important but "when" is not so important grammatically. So Japanese have some difficulties understanding English concept of have/have been/had/had been/will have etc. However, translating these are relatively easy.

Answer 3

I've never met one to ask.