Suggested answers


1 The company hasn’t upgraded the computers since 2008.

2 The company relocated last year but no one likes the new office.

3 There has been a boom in office rents in the last six months.

4 The government deregulated the insurance industry in the middle of last year and your company is
the only one which hasn’t reformed its business because of that yet.

5 The company downsized the workforce six months ago and now there aren’t enough

staff to do all the work.

7 The company updated its software on Monday, but it has already crashed several times since then.

8 The sales staff were retrained in November. Since then half of the staff have left to get

better jobs with other companies.

10 A product was re-launched at the beginning of this month but its sales have been even worse
since then.

13 The market share of one of your competitors has expanded by more than 300% in the last twelve
months.

10 I have changed companies since I saw you last.


1 I had no idea that you and Gregory were friends. How long have you known (know) him?

2 Mr Collins has been waitinghave/has + been + ing form
Use 'has' for he, she, it and for a singular person or noun. (wait)  in the entrance hall for 20
minutes already. (has waited also plausible)

3 Our company has been supplyinghave/has + been + ing form
Use 'has' for he, she, it and for a singular person or noun. (supply)  pumps for almost 20 years.

4 I need a break - I have been replyinghave/has + been + ing form
final 'e' is dropped when adding 'ing'
Use 'have' for I, we, you, they and for plural nouns. (reply) to  emails for three hours now.

5 These customers have been purchasinghave/has + been + ing form
final 'e' is dropped when adding 'ing'
Use 'have' for I, we, you, they and for plural nouns. (purchase)  our machines for over a decade.

6 For the last 30 minutes, I have been trying (try)have/has + been + ing form
Use 'have' for I, we, you, they and for plural nouns.  to get through to Mrs Hanks.

7 Could you check this client's phone number for me? I have been calling (call) her all day but
there's no answer.

8 I have been trying (try) to change the toner cartridge – now my fingers are dirty.

9 I´m going home now. I have finished (finish) all the assignments today.

10 We have already sold (sell) over 80,000 copies of our new computer game this month.