Verbs

15 'Did you do the washing-up?' 'Yes,

16 'Were you doing your homework when I phoned?' 'Yes,
17 'Was your father washing the car?' 'Yes,
18 'Did you understand what he was saying?' 'No,
19 'Was she leaving when you got there?' 'Yes,
20 'Did your sister lose her purse yesterday?' 'Yes,

41 Present Perfect
FORM

has/have + past participle

Positive Question Negative

I I I
We have Have we We have not
You ('ve) you You (haven't)
They finished. they finished? They finished.
He he He
She has Has she She has not
It ('s) it It (hasn't)

USE
• The present perfect describes the indefinite past:
I've been to Paris.
I've seen this film before.
They've met my parents.
The past is indefinite because the time it happened is not important, or
because we do not know when it happened. Note the difference between:
7 went to Paris last year, (definite time - past simple)
I've been to Paris, (at some time in my life - indefinite time - present perfect).
• The present perfect is often used to describe personal experience:
I've been to Berlin.
She's met a lot of famous people.
I've heard this music before.
• The question form is often Have you ever ...?(= in your life?)
Have you ever been to Paris?
• The present perfect is not used with past time words (last night, yesterday, in
1984, etc). It is not possible to say I've seen him yesterday.

Note the difference between:

She's gone to Sweden. (= and she's there now)
She's been to Sweden. {= but she isn't there now)

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Practice
41a Write the correct form of the present perfect to complete these sentences.
1 to Rome? (you ever be)
2 this film before. (I see)
3 in an office, (she never work)
4 in an aeroplane. (I never be)
5 to Germany? (he ever be)
6 my parents? (you met)
7 in the theatre? (you ever work)
8 to all the capital cities of Europe.
(she be)
9 this book. (I read)
10 that new film about aliens? (you see)
11 abroad, (we never be)
12 a British policeman before.
(they never see)
13 in a foreign country? (they ever live)
14 the President, (they meet)
15 to Brazil. (I never be)

• 's in a verb can be short for is or has:

He's tired. / It's dead. / She's thirsty. (= is)
He's gone. / It's disappeared. / She's left. (= has)

Practice
41 b Are these contractions is or hasl
1 He's tired. (= is) 6 She's worried
2 She's arrived 7 He's left the country
3 It's escaped 8 She's stopped working
4 She's ill 9 He's had a cold
5 He's eaten 10 It's died

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42 Present Perfect/Past Simple

Check
Write these sentences, putting the verbs into the present perfect or past simple.
1 I (read) that book three times.
I've read that book three times.
2 She (go) home three days ago.
She went home three days aqo.

3 I (meet) Mr and Mrs Shelley.

4 She (start) school in 1984.

5 I (leave) the office early last night.

6 He (see) the film before.

7 (You be) to Austria?

8 (You see) the film on TV last night?

9 When (you arrive) in London?

10 John (be) to Germany before.

11 (You read) this book before?

12 I (not see) him yesterday.

13 I never (go) anywhere by plane until now.

14 (You hear) their new record? It's the best they've ever made.

15 I (not know) about the disco last night.

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43 Present Perfect + for/since

USE
• The present perfect + for/since is used when something started in the past
and is continuing now.
I've worked here for six years, (and I'm working here now)
He's lived here since 1990. (and he's living here now)
NOTES
• for + period of time:
I've lived here for six years.
I've worked here for two months.
They've been married for a long time.
• since + a point in time in the past:
I've lived here since 1987.
I've worked here since February.
We've been friends since we started college.
• Note the difference between the present perfect and the past simple:
He's worked here for six months. (= he's working here now)
He worked here for six months. (= he's not working here now)
• It is not possible to say He worked here since 1990.

Practice
43a Circle for or since in each sentence.
1 I've worked here t(fori/since) six years.
2 I lived here [for/since) three months.
3 I've worked in the factory {for/since) 1982.
4 He's been abroad [for/since] five years.
5 I studied French [for/since) twelve years.
6 I've known her [for/since] 1982.
7 I've lived here {for/since) I was a child.
8 We've been in Paris [for/since) we were married.
9 I've known them [for/since) years.
10 We practised {for/since) months.

43b Write these sentences, choosing for or since and putting the verb into the
past simple or present perfect as necessary.

1 I (study) medicine [for/'since) three years but then I stopped.

/ studied medicine for three years but then I stopped.
2 She (work) for me [for/since) she left school.
She's worked for me since she left school.

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3 I (work) in the restaurant {for/since) six months but then it closed.

4 I (live) here [for/since] I was a little girl.

5 He (be) in prison now [for/since] three years.

6 I (not see) him [for/since] he left the office.

7 I (not see) her [for/since] several years and then I met her again.

8 We (be) in Vienna [for/since) 1960.

9 I (work) here (for/since) seven years but it's time to leave now.

10 I (live) in England [for/since) 1993.

44 Present Perfect
USE
The present perfect is used to show a connection in the speaker's mind between
the past and the present. This occurs in two main ways:
a) the unfinished past
- by referring to something that started in the past and is continuing now:
I've lived here for seven years, (and I live here now)
I've worked here since 1994. (and I work here now)
Exercise 43.
- or describing something that happened in an unfinished time period:
I've read two books this week.
I've seen him twice today.
She's telephoned three times this morning.
b) the indefinite past: referring to the past with no definite time
(>• Exercise 41). It is connected to the present in some way, and is often used
in the following situations:

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describing something that happened in the past, when the result can be seen
in the present:

He's painted his house.

Someone's taken my wallet.

She's bought a new car.

- describing something that happened recently, often when giving 'news':

Two men have escaped from prison in London.
The prime minister has arrived in Australia.
- with certain words [just, yet, already):
He's just gone out.
I've already told her.
Have you done your homework yet?
- describing personal experience:
I've been to Paris.
He's never been abroad.
- describing personal experience with superlatives or ordinals:
She's the most intelligent person I've met.
This is the third time we've complained.

Practice
The sentences below belong to one or more of the categories above. Complete
these sentences by putting the verbs into the present perfect.

1 She .'?.P.?en...\\\ for several months, (be)

2 This is the nicest restaurant I (see)
3 Three people the company this week, (leave)
4 I three letters already, (write)
5 We two holidays this year, (have)
6 There a revolution in San Serife. (be)
7 I that film, (see)
8 Someone your front gate! (knock down)
9 It's the first time I (be) here.
10 Indonesian food? (you ever eat)
11 your homework yet? (you do)
12 This is the fourth time he my car. (damage)
13 You a shave! (have)
14 She's got the best voice I (ever hear)
15 He here since eight o'clock, (be)

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16 The Prime Minister for a meeting with the

President, (ask)
17 She (just go out)
18 I (never smoke)
19 This is the first time the children on a
plane, (be)
20 already Mary?
(you see)

45 Present Perfect with just, yet, and already

Notes
• Note the position of just, yet, and already:
just:
He's just gone. / Has he just gone?
yet:
Has she gone yet? / Have you written that letter to Paul yet?
already:
She's already left. / She's left already. / She's left the house already. Has she already left? /
Has she left already? / Has she left the house already?
• yet is used only with negatives and questions:
She hasn't phoned yet.
Has she phoned yet?

Practice
In your notebook, write these sentences putting the words in brackets in the
correct place. If two answers are possible, write them both.

1 I'm sorry, she's gone - she went some time ago. (already)
I'm sorry, she's already gone - she went some time ago.
I'm sorry, she's gone already - she went some time ago.
2 Have you finished? It's time to go. (yet)
3 I haven't done my homework, (yet)
4 I've told her several times that I can't come, (already)
5 You've missed her - if you hurry, you'll catch her in the street, (just)
6 Have you finished painting the house? (yet)
7 I've said that I'm not going to be here tomorrow, (already)
8 I haven't explained, (yet)
9 Have you got your passport? (already)
10 He's told me that I've got the sack, (just)

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46 Present Perfect Continuous

FORM

has/have + been + verb-ing

Positive Question Negative

I I I
We have Have we We have not
You ('ve) you You haven't
They been waiting. they been waiting? They been waiting.
He he He
has has not
She Has she She
('s) (hasn't)
It it It

USE
• Frequently used with how long, for and since (>• Exercise 43 for difference
between for and since).
I've been studying English since I was a child.
How long have you been waiting?
• To describe activities which were happening until this moment or a very short
time ago:
'You look tired.' 'Yes, I've been working all night'
"Why are you so dirty?' 'I've been playing football'

Note: this tense is not used with to be or with verbs that do not normally take the continuous.

Practice
Write these sentences, putting the verbs into the present perfect continuous.
1 'What (you do) today?' 'I (play) tennis.'
'What have you been doing today?' I've been playing tennis.'

2 'How long (you study) English?'

3 'Oh, David! I (look) for you!'

4 'Pat (live) here for twenty-five years.'

5 'I'm tired. We (walk) all day.'

6 'How long (you learn) to drive?'

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7 'I (wait) here for ages. 5

8 'She's bad-tempered because she (work] too hard.

9 'They (watch) football since three o'clock.'

10 'Why (you see) your parents so much recently?'

11 'The children look exhausted. What (they do)?'

12 'She should pass the exam. She (study) for weeks.'

13 'Your mother sends her love. I (just speak) to her on the phone.

14 'I (work) here since I was eighteen.'

THE FUTURE TENSE

47 Present Continuous + time word

FORM
Present continuous ( Exercise 29) + time word {tomorrow, next week, on
Saturday, in two weeks, etc.):
on
this Saturday
in three days
I'm seeing them in two weeks' time
this week/Friday
next week/Friday

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