Grammar

Present perfect s i m p l e, present pe rfect cont i n uo u

Pre sent perfect simple

have/has + past participle
• statement negative question
Vyou/we/they have ('ve) learnt . . . Vyou/we/they have not (haven't) learnt . . . Have Vyou/we/they learnt . .

Use Example Helpful hints

Situations that started Mrs Jenkins has been The present perfect simple is often used with the following
in the past and are still the head teacher words and phrases:
true for three years. • for She's taught German here for over five year5
Completed actions at a I've already read that • since Mr Gray has taught French here since 2006.
time in the past which is book. • just We've just done this exercise.
not mentioned • already We've already done this exercise.
Completed actions where They've all done their • yet We haven't checked the answers yet.
the important thing is the homework. • ever Have you ever had guitar lessons?
result now • never I've never understood why they give us so
much homework!
• it's the It's the first time we've watched a video in
first time class.
Q • We don't use the present perfect simple when we want to say when something happened in
\,t9 the past. We use the past simple.
✓ I did my homework last night.
• We don't use the past simple when we want to show that something happened before now or is still
important now. We use the present perfect simple.
✓I've finished! Can I go home now?
��---- • Some verbs have irregular past participle forms. See page 182.

Present perfect continuous

have/has + been + -ing
• statement negative question
Vyou/we/they have ('ve) I/you/we/they have not (haven't) Have Vyou/we/they been
been studying . . . been studying . . . studying . . . ?
He/she/it has ('s) been studying . . . He/she/it has not(hasn't)been studying . . . Has he/she/it been studying . .

Use Example Helpful hints

Actions continuing We've been doing grammar The present perfect continuous is often used with the
up to now or just exercises for over an hour. following words:
before now Can we have a break now? • for I've been learning English for over three years.
They're having a break now because • since He's been learning Chinese since 2004.
they've been working so hard. • just I've just been reading the school newspaper.

Q • The present perfect simple often emphasises the result of an action:

\t9 ✓ She's written an article for the school newspaper. ( = She's finished it.)
• The present perfect continuous often emphasises the action, and the time spent on the action, rather
than the result:
✓ She's been writing an article for the school newspaper. ( = She's started, but she hasn't finished
it yet.)
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 --------- --· - Present perfect simple, present perfect continuous Unit 4

0j Complete using the correct present perfect simple form of the verbs i n brackets.

1 I ................................................ (see) this film already.

2 John and Julie ................. .................. ............. (had) their car for about a year.
3 She ............. ....................... ............ (not / ta ke) her drivi ng test yet.
4 Sue ................................................ (be) a tour guide since she left university.
5 ................................................ (you I ride) into town on your new bike yet?
6 This new computer .... ......................... ................... (make) my life a lot easier.
7 We .............. ................... ............... (not I decide) what to get Mark for his birthday yet.
8 ........... ..... ................................ (Pau l / ever / meet) a famous person?

[[}J Choose the correct answer.

1 .......................... never played this game before. 5 It's the first time .......................... our flat, isn't it?
A I've BI A you've visited B you visited
2 Adam .......................... his room last night. 6 They .......................... the baby a name yet.
A has tidied B tidied A haven't given B didn't give
3 .......................... here since 2005? 7 .......................... to New York when you went to
A Have you lived B Did you live the States last summer?
A Have you been B Did you go
4 Carol and I .......................... to the cinema three
nights ago. 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . an e-mail before?
A have been B went A Have you ever sent B Did you ever send

Look at the picture and use the prompts to write sentences. Use the correct
form of the present perfect simple.

1 lesson / not / start / yet

2 teacher / already / write / on the board

3 Joe and Tim / just / come / into the classroom

4 Tony / not / finished / getting / books ready 6 Dave / drop / pen / on the floor

5 Christi ne / already / open / book 7 he / not / pick it up / yet

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 Unit 4 Grammar

Com plete using the correct present pe rfect conti nuous form of the verbs in
brackets. Use s hort forms where poss i b le.

M andy: Hi Matt. How are you?° What (1) ..... : ................................ , ......... (you I dofreeently?

'= ·
Matt: Oh, hi Mandy! Well, (2) .......... : ............................ ......... (I / study) for my exams. ·
M andy: That sounds boring! (3) ....... : ....... ....... , ......................... (you I wo r-k ) hard? :
Matt: Very! Basically, (4) ··········:: .................................... (I / just I sit) at my desk 111. my bedroom for
the past three· weeks and (5) ............... , ......... ....................... (.I / not -/ go) out at all: .
(6) ....... : ............. : .................. : ....... (I / work) with Michael, my best friend, some of· the time,
though, so at least I've had some company. How about you?
Mandy: Well, my. mum and (7) ........................'........................ (I / pai nt} my bedroom for the last tew days.
That has been fun! And (8) : ............ .-. ............... . ................. (we / al's o I plan) our summer ho1iday.
M att: Great! Where are you going?
M andy: Well, we haven't decided yet. (9) .........................._...................... (We I look) at different places
to see which we like best.
Matt: · I'm sure you'll have a great time, wherever you go. Oh, by the way,
(10) .... : ............ ,: ................ ........ .... .. (1 1 think) of having a party when I finisti niy exams. Would
you like to come?
Mandy: Sure! That wOuld be great! :

[I] C i rcle the cor rect word or phrase.

1 I think I've heard I been hear ing that song before.

2 They haven't arrived I been arriving yet, but they should be here soon.
3 You've written I been writing that e-mail for over an hour. How long is it going to take you?
4 Have you tal ked / been ta lki ng on the phone since eight o'clock?
5 Jo has already i nvited I been i nviting Shirley to dinner.
6 I've read / been read i ng an interview with Brad Pitt, but I haven't finished it yet.
7 Have the boys played / been playing computer games since this morning?

[rJ Comp l ete u s i ng the words i n the box.

already • ever • for • just • never • since • yet

1 I haven't listened to their new CD .......................... . Is it any good?

2 We've been waiting for you .......... ................ over an hour. Where have you been?
3 Have you .......................... been to the UK before?
4 I'm afraid we've ................. ......... made plans for this weekend, so we won't be free.
5 Pedro has been having English lessons .......................... he was five years old.
6 It's strange that you mention the film Crash . I've .......................... been reading about it in the paper.
7 I've ................ .......... heard of a 'sudoku'. What is it?

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