PRESENT PERFECT 1. It expresses an action which began in the past and still continues. We have lived in the same house for twenty-five years. How long have you known each other? We use for with a period of time and since with a point in time. for two years, tor a few minutes, for ages, for a month since 1970, since the end of the lesson, since August, since 8.00 2. It expresses an experience that happened at some time in one's life. I have been to the States. She has written poetry, children's stories, and biographies. Have you ever had an operation? How many times has she been married? We use past simple when the time of the action is expressed in the sentence. When did you go to the States? I saw him yesterday. He met his second wife in the dry cleaner's. 3. It expresses a past action that has a present result. I have lost my wallet. (I haven't got it now.) Peter has shaved his beard off, (He looks different.) Have you heard? The Prime Minister has resigned. I have already done my homework. Details about the event will be in the past time. The Prime Minister has resigned. She resigned because she lost.... Susan has had a baby. She had a baby boy this morning. It was a difficult birth. NOTES: 1. been x gone He has been to America. (= experience - he isn't there now.) She has gone to America. (= present result - she is there now.) 2. Compare a) I have lived in Paris for six years. (I still live there.) I lived in Paris tor six years, (Now I live somewhere else.) b) Shakespeare wrote thirty plays. (He can't write any more.) I have written several books. (I can still write some more.) c) Have you seen Billy this morning? (It's still morning.) Did you see Billy this morning? (It's the afternoon or evening.) EXERCISES 11.1 11.2 Are the underlined verbs, right or wrotlg? Correct them if they are wrong. 1 Bob is a friend of mine. I know him very well. ...RIGHT 2 Bob is a friend of mine. I know him for a long time. .. WRONG:.IVe.known, him.. Sue and Alan are married since July. ............................................................................. The weather is awful. It's raining again....................................................................... The weather is awful. It's raining all day..................................................................... I like your house. How long are you living there?..................................................... Graham is working in a shop for the last few months............................................. 8 I'm going to Paris tomorrow. I'm staying there until next Friday........................ 9 'Do you still smoke?' 'No, I gave it up. I don't smoke for years.'.................... 10 That's a very old bicycle. How long do you have it?................................................ 3 4 5 6 7 Read the situations and write questions from the words in brackets. 1 John tells you that his mother is in hospital. You ask him: (how long / be / in hospital?)...How .lona ha s .your, m other been.i.rt.hpsplta!?. 2 You meet a woman who rells you that she teaches English. You ask her: {how long / teach English?).....................................................................................................,.....'................... 3 You know that jane is a good friend of Carol's. You ask Jane: (how long / know / Carol?)............................................................................................................................ 4 Your friend's brother went to Australia some time ago and he's still there. You ask your friend: (how long /be/in Australia?)......................................................................................................... 5 Tim always wears the same jacket. Its a very old jacket. You ask him: (how long / have / that jacket?).......................................................................:.............................................. 6 You are talking to a friend about Alan. Alan now works at the airport. You ask your friend: (how long / work / at the airport?)............................................................................................................... 7 A friend of yours is having driving lessons. You ask him: (how long / have / driving lessons?).............................................................................................................. 8 You meet somebody on a train. She tells you that she lives in Glasgow, You ask her: (always / live / in Glasgow?)........................................................................................................................... 11.3 Complete B's answers to A's questions. _^ i 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 S _XL Amy is in hospital, isn't she? Do you see Ann very often? Is Margaret married? Are you waiting for me? You know Linda, don't you? Do you still play tennis? Is Jim watching TV? Do you watch TV a lot? Have you got a headache? George is never ill, is he? Are you feeling ill? Sue lives in London, doesn't she? Do you still go to the cinema a lot? Would you like to go to New York one day? Yes, she ...has teen in hospital since Monday. No, I... I haven't seen., her for three months. Yes, she...........................................married for ten years. Yes, I..............................................for the last half hour. Yes, we..............................................each other for ages. No, I..............................................tennis for years. Yes, he..............................................TV all evening. No, 1..............................................TV for a long time. Yes, I...........................................a headache all morning. No, he........................................ill since I've known him. Yes, I..............................................ill since I got up. Yes, she..............................................in London for the last few years. No, I..............................................to the cinema for ages. Yes, 1..............................................to go to New York. (use always/want) EXERCISES 10.1 Read the situations and write two sentences using the words in brackets. 1 Tom started reading a book two hours ago. He is still reading it and now he is on page 53. (read / for two hours) .„kktMMJ^IKfí.l^l^i^.1llĚ^Í^Amt... (read / 53 pages so far) ...He has read 53 pages so far... 2 Linda is from Australia. She is travelling round Europe at the moment. She began her tour three months ago. (travel /for three months) She........................................................................................................................ (visit / six countries so far) .............................................................................................................................. 3 Jimmy is a tennis player. He began playing tennis when he was ten years old. This year he is national champion again - for the fourth time. (win / the national championship four times) ........................................................................................... (play/ tennis since he was ten}....................................................................................................................... 4 When they left college, Mary and Sue started making films together. They still make films. (make / ten films since they left college) They........................................................................................... (make/ films since they left college)............................................................................................................ 10.2 For each situation, ask a question using the words in brackets. ■ 1 You have a friend who is learning Arabic. You ask: (how long / learn / Arabic?) ...i^m.k^fímiXm.kmŘi.hmí^.řini^M... 2 You have just arrived to meet a friend. She is waiting for you. You ask: (how long /wait?)............................................................................................................................................ 3 You see somebody fishing by the-river. You ask: (how many fish /catch?).................................................................................................................................. 4 Some friends of yours are having a party next week. You ask: (how many people / invite?)............................................................................................................................ 5 A friend of yours is a teacher. You ask: (how long /teach?) ............................................................................................................................................ 6 You meet somebody who is a writer. You ask: (how many books / write?) ............................................................................................................................. (how long / write / books?) ............................................................................................................................. 7 A friend of yours is saving money to go on holiday. You ask: (how long /save?)................................................................................................................................................ (how much money / save?).............................................................................................................................. 10.3 Put the verb into the more suitable form, present perfect simple (I have done etc.) or continuous (I have been doing etc.). 1 Where have you been? ...Hayeyp.u.been.piay.iri^... (you/play) tennis? 2 Look! Somebody............................................................................(break) that window. 3 You look tired.............................................................................(you/work) hard? 4 '............................................................................(you/ever/work) in a factory?' 'No, never.' 5 'Jane is away on holiday.' 'Oh, is she? Where....................................................................(she/go)? 6 My brother is an actor. He...........................................................................(appear) in several films. 7 'Sorry I'm late.' 'That's all right. I............................................................................(not/wait) long.' 8 'Is it still raining?' 'No, it............................................................................(stop).' 9 I.........................................(lose) my address book...........................................(you/see) it anywhere? 10 I.......................................................(read) the book you lent me but I...................................................... (not/finish) it yet. 11 I..............................................................(read) the book you lent me, so you can have it back now.