The verb to slay · Conjugation
Present Perfect of slay
The answer: have / has slain
B1
A past action with a link to the present.
Quick answer
The Present Perfect of the verb to slay is have / has slain.
Example: I have already slain the dragon.
Full conjugation in the Present Perfect
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | have slain | I've slain |
| You | have slain | You've slain |
| He / She / It | has slain | He's / She's / It's slain |
| We | have slain | We've slain |
| You (pl.) | have slain | You've slain |
| They | have slain | They've slain |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I have seen him yesterday ❌
Do not use the Present Perfect with a finished time (yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago). Use the Past Simple: I saw him yesterday. With slay, use slew with a finished time and have slain without one.
2. I live here since 2020 ❌
Some situations started in the past and are still true now. For them, use the Present Perfect: I have lived here since 2020, I have known her for three years. Use since + a starting point (since Monday, since 2020). Use for + a length of time (for two weeks, for a long time).
3. I have slew ❌
After have or has, use the past participle, not the Past Simple: I have slain. The Past Simple of slay is slew, and the past participle is slain. Learn the three forms together: slay, slew, slain.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate slay in the Present Perfect?+
Use have or has + the past participle slain. Use has with he, she and it. Use have with I, you, we and they: I have slain, she has slain. Short forms: I've slain, she's slain.
What is the past participle of slay?+
The past participle of slay is slain. You use it after have, has and had. It is different from the Past Simple. Learn the three forms together: slay, slew, slain.
When do you use the Present Perfect of slay?+
Use it for a past action that is connected to now, with no exact time. Use it for experiences in your life: Have you ever slain…? Use it for a recent action with a result now, often with just: I have just slain… Use it also for a situation that started in the past and continues: I have lived here since 2020.
What is the difference between I slew and I have slain?+
I slew (Past Simple) goes with a finished time: yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago. I have slain (Present Perfect) has no finished time, and the result is important now. Signal words: ever, never, already, just, yet.
How do you make the negative and the question of slay in the Present Perfect?+
Negative: I haven't slain, she hasn't slain. Question: put have or has before the subject: Have you slain…?, Has she slain…? The word yet often goes at the end of a negative or a question: Have you finished yet?
Related pages: slay Present Perfect
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Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/slay/present-perfect
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.
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