Grammar Tip 24: This is the first time....

Which of these sentences sounds OK to you?

1. This is the first time I visit France.
2. This is the first time I have visited France.

well done if you said 'sentence 2' is correct.

Time phrases like 'this is the first time...' are followed by the present perfect tense. Here are some more examples:

This is the first time I have done a presentation.
This is the second time my car has broken down.
This is the sixth time we have had to remind them about their obligations.

Each sentence uses present perfect tense.

Note that it is possible to use present tense in a slightly different way with a noun:

This is my first visit to France.
This is my first presentation.