PAST TIME

Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Continuous

Formation rules: Formation rules:
The present perfect simple is formed with the The present perfect continuous is formed with
present tense of the auxiliary verb have, and the the present perfect tense of the auxiliary
past participle. The past participles of regular verbs verb be, and the present participle.
have the same form as the regular past simple. I've been waiting here all morning.
I have decided
Questions are formed by inverting the verb
They have written
have.
Questions are formed by inverting the verb have.
What have you been doing lately?
Have you read?
What has she done?
Negatives are formed with the verb have +
Negatives are formed with the verb have + not not.
I haven’t visited I haven’t been writing
He hasn’t been You haven’t been listening
Meaning:

It generally describes past events which are Meaning:

connected to the present. Present perfect continuous, like present
perfect simple, generally describes events
We use present perfect when we describe which are connected to the present. The
experiences in the past, and an exact time is not continuous form gives a number of different
mentioned. meanings.
Helen has broken her pencil.
It can emphasize the length of time of the
action.
A state or repeated event lasting until the present,
and still happening. There is a time expression, I've been waiting here all morning.
describing how long or how often something has The person speaking is not happy about this
situation!
happened.
It can emphasize that the action is recent.
I've lived here for ten years.
I've often seen Jim with his dog in the park. You're very dirty! What have you been doing?
I've been fixing my bike.
Common time expressions: This action is recent, because we can see the
Ever, never result.
Yet, already, so far It can emphasize that the action is temporary.
Just
I've been staying in a hotel for the past month.
Frequency adverbs: always, often
Here present perfect continuous emphasizes
For and since
that this is only temporary.
▪ ever, never
We use ever and never when we ask or talk about
our experiences in life.
Have you ever eaten Japanese food?
No, I've never eaten it.

▪ yet and already, so far

We use yet in questions and negative sentences.
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We use so far in positive sentences. Common uses
Have you finished this book yet?
Recent activities
No, I'm on page 56.
What have you been doing lately?
How many pages have you read so far?
I've been working a lot.
I've read 56 pages.
I've been feeling ill for weeks.
We use already to describe an action which
Continuing actions
happened before.
How long have you been living here?
When are you going to finish your letter?
Carlos has been studying English for two
I've already written it.
years.
▪ just
Repeated actions
We use just when we describe a very recent event.
I've been phoning her for days, but she's
Cathy has just phoned from the airport.
never at home.
▪ Frequency adverbs: always, often
We can use frequency adverbs with present perfect. Time expressions with present perfect
He has always loved you. (a state) continuous
We have often visited Spain. (a repeated event)
▪ for and since all day, all morning, etc.,
for describes a period of time. for days, for ages, etc.,
Tom has worked here for three months. lately, recently
since describes when the period of time started.
Tom has worked here since July 10th.

Contrasts -
Present perfect simple often emphasizes that an action is finished, but present perfect
continuous can emphasize that it is still going on.
I've written five letters. (present perfect simple)
The number stresses that the action is completed.
I've been writing letters. (present perfect continuous)
This suggests that the writer has not finished.
▪ Confusions with other tenses
Present simple
We use present simple to describe habits or states in the present, but we use present perfect to
describe the time until the present.
I live in Prague. (present state)
This means that I always live there. It's my home.
I have lived there for two years. (time until the present)
This means that I arrived there two years ago and I live there now.
Past simple
Past simple describes a definite event in the past.
When did you arrive in Prague?
I arrived here in September two years ago.
▪ have been and have gone
have been
Mary has been to China.
This means that she has visited China but is not there at the moment.
have gone
Mary has gone to China.
This means that Mary is not here at the moment because she is visiting China.
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Practice
1. Put a time word or phrase from the list into each space.
yet for since often ever never already so far just always
a) Carlos has lived in the city centre ________1996.
b) Thanks for the present! I've ________ wanted a pet goldfish!
c) Have you ________ drunk pineapple juice? It's fantastic!
d) I've ________ heard some fantastic news! I've passed my exams!
e) Hurry up! Haven't you finished ________? You are a slowcoach!
f) Nina has worked in this company ________ five years.
g) I've ________ been on a big ship before. It's an interesting experience!
h) We're very busy today. ________ we’ve sold over a hundred bikes.
i) I’ve ________ passed this building, but this is the first time I've been inside.
j) Can I have a different book? I’ve ________ read this one.

2. Complete each mini dialogue using the verbs given, in either present perfect simple or
present perfect continuous.
1- A: Terminator 2 is on at the Rex? (you see) Have you seen it?
B: No, not yet. Shall we go? I (look forward to) have been looking forward to seeing it.
2 - A: What's the matter? You look really tired!
B: I am. I (study) ____________________ all day, and I (not finish) ___________________ yet.
A: Oh well, time for a break.
3 - A: I (phone) _________________________ Carol all day, but there's no reply.
B: I expect she (go) _________________________ swimming with her friends.
4 - A: (you hear) _________________________ the news?
B: What news?
A: Someone (rob) _________________________ the bank at the end of the road.
5 - A: Why is your leg in plaster?
B: That's a silly question! I (break) _________________________ it, of course.
A: Someone (write) _________________________ 'Time for a break' on the plaster!

3. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence.

a) We started working here three years ago.

We _____have worked here for_____ three years.
b) Is this your first visit to South America?
Have ______________________________ before?
c) I came to live here three months ago.
I ______________________________ for three months.
d) This is the first time I've been on a plane.
I ______________________________ before.
e) That s strange! My pen isn't here!
That's strange! ______________________________ disappeared!
f) Nicky and Jan aren't at this school anymore.
Nicky and Jan ______________________________ this school.
g) I saw a friend of yours a few moments ago.
I ______________________________ a friend of yours.
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h) I'm still writing my letters.
I ______________________________ my letters yet.
i) Oh bother! My wallet is still in the car.
Oh bother! I ______________________________ my wallet in the car.
j) It's a long time since we spoke to your sister.
We ______________________________ to your sister for a long time.
k) Is Anna still asleep?
Has ______________________________ up yet?
l) Mary is out at the shops at the moment.
Mary ______________________________ to the shops.
m) I have had French lessons since March.
I ______________________________ French since March.
n) I'm still reading this book.
I ______________________________ reading this book yet.
o) Paul left the room a moment ago.
Paul has ______________________________ the room.
p) Ten of the letters are ready.
I ______________________________ ten letters so far.
q) It’s ages since I last went to the cinema.
I ______________________________ to the cinema for ages.
r) This is the first time I’ve eaten snails.
I ______________________________ snails before.
s) I don’t remember Helen’s phone number.
I ______________________________ Helen’s phone number.
t) David has a different opinion now.
David ______________________________ his mind.