tense positive/negative/question usage signal words

• P: He speaks. always, never

present • N: He does not every …,
simple speak. • repeated/regular action normally,
• Q: Does he speak? • general facts often,
seldom,
sometimes

present • P: He is speaking. at the

continuous • N: He is not • action that is happening moment, just,
(present speaking. now just now,
progressive) • Q: Is he speaking? • action limited to a Listen!,
particular timeframe Look!, now,
right now

present • the result is emphasised

perfect • action that lasts to the
simple • P: He has spoken. present moment or has already, ever,
• N: He has not just been completed just, never,
spoken. • completed action with not yet, so
translated • Q: Has he spoken? influence on the present far, till now,
to Polish
• an action that has up to now
past*
never/once/more than
once taken place up to
the time of speaking

present
perfect • P: He has been
• the action is emphasised
continuous speaking.
(not the result) all day, for 4
• N: He has not been
• action that has lasted until years, since
speaking.
the present time non 1993, how
translated • Q: Has he been
stop! long?, the
to Polish speaking?
• completed action with whole week
present*
influence on the present

*usually!
Create a habit of matching a
 tense to the signal word. 90%
of times there’s one tense to this
signal word.

And remember - there’s usually another

(easier?) way to say it (“How to say it
differently” page 6).
Ex. 0 Fill the gaps with the words in the brackets using only present perfect
simple or continuous.
1. How many pages of this book .................................. (you, read)?
2. How long .................................. (you, read) this book?
3. How many books .................................. (you, read) this year?
4. Christina .................................. (write) her essay for three hours.
She .................................. (write) only two pages.
5. My parents .................................. (cook) all day.
They .................................. (cook) this spaghetti, two pizzas and a
stuffed chicken.
6. We .................................. (fish) all day, but we ..................................
(not catch) anything.
7. "Why are you breathing so heavily?" " I .................................. (run) for
15 minutes. Finally I stopped and told the lady I don't want her purse
anymore"
8. Greg .................................. (play) games for six hours.
He .................................. (play) 4 games and he hates them all.

Ex. 1 Choose the correct form of a verb.

1. has been writing / is writing / has written

a. Tina ……………………………….. eleven letters so far.
b. Mr Jones ……………………………….. his new book since last February.
c. Don’t disturb him. He ……………………………….. a report right now.

2. takes / has been taking / is taking

a. Janet is in the bathroom. She ……………………………….. a bath.
b. Frank ……………………………….. part in every meeting of our club.
c. Everybody ……………………………….. photographs since we arrived in the place.

3. haven’t spoken / don’t speak / aren’t speaking

a. I know nothing about what happened. I …………………………….. to anybody yet.
b. Listen to them. They ……………………………….. English at the moment.
c. I ……………………………….. German well. I must learn more.

4. don’t make / haven’t made / aren’t making

a. It’s pretty quiet upstairs. The children ……………………………….. much noise.
b. We ……………………………….. cars in this factory, just spare parts.
c. I don’t know what to do. I ……………………………….. my mind up as yet.

5. has been travelling / has travelled / is travelling

a. Mr Woods ……………………………….. to all countries in Asia.
b. At the moment, our son ……………………………….. to Spain by car.
c. Celine ……………………………….. around Italy since the beginning of July.

6. are you using / do you use / have you used

a. How often ……………………………….. the video recorder in class?
b. How many times ……………………………….. the camcorder since you bought it?
c. ……………………………….. the correction fluid or can I borrow it from you?

7. have enjoyed / am enjoying / enjoy

a. It is a great party Jane. I ……………………………….. it very much.
b. Every time I watch the comedy series I ……………………………….. it the same.
c. I ……………………………….. reading your reports ever since I saw them first.

8. has she been collecting / has she collected / does she collect
a. What else ……………………………….. besides chinaware?
b. How long ……………………………….. these priceless paintings?
c. How many of these coins ……………………………….. so far?

9. rest / are resting / have been resting

a. The tourists ……………………………….. in their rooms since they arrived at night.
b. My parents ……………………………….. in the garden every afternoon.
c. The players are in the dressing room now. They ……………………………….. after the game.

10. do you meet / have you met / are you meeting

a. ……………………………….. any foreigners at the camp yet?
b. What time ……………………………….. tonight?
c. ……………………………….. your best friend everyday?

Ex. 2 Fill the gaps with verbs in correct tense.

1. We ........................................ (never / invite) the Greens to a barbecue yet.
2. ........................................ (Janet / have) much free time after lessons?
3. I am not ready. I ........................................ (still / write) my exercise.
4. ........................................ (you / wait) for us for a long time?
5. The sun ........................................ (always / shine) in this part of the world.
6. How many books ........................................ (Tom Clancy / write) so far?
7. ........................................ (Rita / ever / ask) you for help with maths homework?
8. They are our guests. They ........................................ (stay) with us for five days.
9. ‘What ........................................ (your grandfather / do) ?’ ‘He’s retired.’
10. ........................................ (anybody / see) my passport? I don’t know where it is.
11. Ever since the accident, the man ........................................ (lie) in bed.
12. Look! It ........................................ (snow) outside.
13. How long ........................................ (Alice / study) law now?
14. The doctor ........................................ (examine) seven patients since eight a.m.
15. Tommy says he ........................................ (always / want) to see the Acropolis.
16. Sometimes, our parents ........................................ (let) us watch TV late.
17. The girl ........................................ (miss) her parents since she went on the camp.
18. ........................................ (Nick / return) the money that he owes us yet?
19. Mrs Dalton ........................................ (seldom / forget) to give us homework
20. Take your umbrella. It ........................................ (not rain) now but you never know.
21. Where’s your brother? I ........................................ (not see) him for ages.
22. Whenever she’s tired, she ........................................ (relax) in the garden.
23. Since he came, he ....................................... (talk) about nothing but his girlfriend.
24. The minister ........................................ (be) to Russia at least five times so far.
25. ........................................ (all kinds of turtles / lay) eggs?
26. Our father is in the garage. He ........................................ (repair) the car as usual.
27. There ........................................ (not be) many complaints about the noise as yet.
28. A great number of rare species of animals ........................................ (die) out since the 19th
century.
29. Since when ........................................ (Juliet / study) on university?
30. We ........................................ (usually / not buy) anything from pedlars.

Ex. 3 Rephrase the following sentences, using the present perfect tense with for or since:
I last read a newspaper on June 2.
I haven't read a newspaper since June 2.

It is two years since I saw Tom.

I haven't seen Tom for two years.

1. It's two years since I had a puncture. _________________________________________

2. It's two months since he earned any money. _________________________________________
3. He last shaved the day before yesterday. _________________________________________
4. I last drank champagne at my brother's wedding.
_________________________________________
5. It's two years since I was last in Rome. _________________________________________
6. I saw Tom last on his wedding day. _________________________________________
7. I last ate raw fish when I was in Japan. _________________________________________
8. It's years since Mary last spoke French. _________________________________________
9. It's ten weeks since I last had a good night's sleep.
_________________________________________
10. He last paid taxes in 1970. _________________________________________
11.I last ate meat five years ago. (Omit ago.) _________________________________________
12. It's three months since the windows were cleaned.
_________________________________________
13. It's years since I took any photographs. _________________________________________
14. I last watched TV on New Year's Day. _________________________________________
15. It's three months since he wrote to me. _________________________________________
16. I was last paid six months ago._________________________________________
17. The last time I was abroad was in the summer of 1978.
___________________________________
18. It's ten years since that house was lived in. _________________________________________

More exercises:
http://www.focus.olsztyn.pl/en-present-perfect-continuous-for-since.html#.Xo0KQsgzZPY

How to say it differently? (mixed tenses)

He hasn't been out for two months.

I've never read such a good book.
The last time he went out was two months
It's the best book I've ever read.
ago.

He started studying Spanish two years ago.

It's a long time since we went out.
He has been studying Spanish for two
We haven't been out for a long time.
years.

When did he start work?

I've never eaten Chinese food before.
How long is it since he started work?
It's the first time I've ever eaten Chinese food.
How long ago did he start work?

They haven't reached Madrid yet. He started cleaning as soon as the guests
They still haven't reached Madrid. [had] left.
They are still flying to Madrid. He didn't start cleaning until after the guests
had left.
He started cleaning when the guests [had]
 left.
He waited until the guests had left before he
started cleaning.

Other exercises
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yghIZbPohrcy-FcWWss05BPPSGSsZXsf/view?usp=sharing

Ex. 4 Complete the sentences using the words in bold. Use two to five words.

1 She didn’t go out until after Philip had called.

before She waited until Philip ...had called before she went... out.

2 She started taking lessons ten years ago.

been She ................................................................................................................................. ten
years.
3 How long ago did he move to Canada?
moved How long ..................................................................................................................... to
Canada?
4 I’ve never driven such a fast car!
ever It’s the ..................................................................................................................................
driven.
5 We haven’t been abroad for two years.
time The last ................................................................................................................... two years
ago.
6 How long is it since you visited Spain?
visit When ...................................................................................................................................
Spain?
7 She has never eaten lobster before.
time It’s the first ..........................................................................................................................
lobster.
8 He hasn’t turned up yet.
still He ..............................................................................................................................................
up.
9 The last time I saw Emily was six months ago.
for I .................................................................................................................................... six
months.
10 When did Patricia finish writing her essay?
since How long .......................................................................................................... writing her
essay?
11 She took up knitting five years ago.
been She ................................................................................................................................. five
years.
12 They have never been outside Britain before.
first It’s the .................................................................................................................... outside
Britain.
13 He can’t speak Italian yet.
still He .........................................................................................................................................
Italian.
14 How long is it since they met?
ago How ......................................................................................................................................
meet?
15 They waited until sunrise before they got up.
get They ........................................................................................................................... after
sunrise.
16 I haven’t eaten meat for six months.
since It’s ..........................................................................................................................................
meat.
17 I’ve never seen such a pretty girl.
ever She’s the ................................................................................................................................
seen.

Ex. 5 Transform the following sentences in English using the following tenses: Present Perfect
Continuous, Present Perfect and Past Simple.

1. Tom started learning the guitar a month ago.

Tom has ............................................... the guitar for a month.
2. I haven't been to a Chinese restaurant for ages.
It's ages ............................................... to a Chinese restaurant
3. When she heard the results, Mary began to feel more self-confident.
Since hearing the results Mary ............................................... more self-confident.
4. The last time Nancy came here was in 2005.
Nancy hasn't ............................................... here since 2005.
5. This is my first visit to London.
This is the first time I ............................................... to London.
6. How long have Helen and Robert been married?
When ............................................... married?
7. Jack bought those trousers last month, and has been wearing them ever since.
Jack has ............................................... those trousers ever since he bought them last month.
8. It's a long time since our last conversation.
We haven’t ............................................... a conversation for a long time.
9. Thanks, but I had something to eat earlier.
Thanks, but I ................................................
10. This is my first game of golf.
I haven’t ............................................... golf before.