Study this example situation:

Tom is looking for his key. He can't find it.

He has Lost his key.
He has Lost his key= He lost it recently, and he still
doesn't have it.
Have/has Lost is the present perfect simple:

finished
1/we/they/you have (=I 've etc.)
Lost
done
he/she/it has (= he's etc.)
been etc.

The present perfect simple is have/has+ past participle. The past participle often ends in -ed
(finished/decided etc.), but many important verbs are irregular (Lost/done/written etc.).
For a list of irregular verbs, see Appendix 1.

When we say that 'something has happened', this is usually new information:
0 Owl I've cut my finger.
0 The road is closed. There's been (there has been) an accident.
0 (from the news) Police have arrested two men in connection with the robbery.
When we use the present perfect, there is a con nection with now. The action in the past has a result now:
0 'Where's your key?' 'I don 't know. I've Lost it.' (=I don't have it now)
0 He told me his name, but I've forgotten it. (= I can't remember it now)
0 'Is Sally here?' 'No, she's gone out.' (=she is out now)
0 I can't find my bag. Have you seen it? (= Do you know where it is now?)

Note the difference between gone (to) and been (to):

0 james is on holiday. He has gone to Italy. (= he is there now or on his way there)
0 Jane is back home now. She has been to Italy. (=she has now come back)
You can use the present perfect with just, already and yet.

just = a short time ago:

0 'Are you hungry?' 'No, I've just had lunch.'
0 Hello. Have you just arrived ?
We use already to say that something happened sooner than expected:
0 'Don't forget to pay your electricity bill.' 'I 've already paid it.'
0 'What time is Mark leaving?' 'He's already Left.'
Yet = until now. Yet shows that the speaker is expecting something to happen. Use yet only in
questions and negative sentences:
0 Has it stopped raining yet?
0 I've written the emai l, but I haven't sent it yet.

You can also use the past simple (did, went, had etc.) in the examples on this page. So you can say:
0 ' Is Sally here?' 'No, she went out.' or 'No, she's gone out.'
0 'Are you hungry?' 'No, I just had lunch.' or 'No, I've just had lunch.'

Present pe rfect ~ Units 8, 11 Been to~ Units 8A, 126A Present perfect co ntinuo u s ~ Units 9- 10
Present perfect and past ~ Units 12- 14 Yet and already~ Unit 111 American Eng l is h ~ Appendix 7
 Unit
Exercises 7
Read the situations and write sentences. Use the following verbs in the present perfect:

arnve
. break fall go up grow 1mprove lose

1 Tom is looking for his key. He can't find it. Tom .....h.~? . Lo~ t. .b ~s..... k~ .:.
2 Lisa can't walk and her leg is in plaster. has broken .her
Lisa .................... leg.
.... ............................................ .
3 Last week the bus fare was £1 .80 . Now it is £2. has gone up to 2.
The bus fa re ........................................ .............. ..
4 M aria's English wasn't very good. Now it is better. has improved.
Her English .............................................................. .
5 Dan didn 't have a beard before. Now he has a beard. Dan has ........grown..... a beard.
...................................... .
6 This morning I was expecting a letter. Now I have it. The letter .....has . arrived.
....................... . ....... ............. ..
7 The temperature was 20 degrees. Now it is only 12. temperature
The ............. has follen.
.................................................................. ..

Put in been or gone.

1 James is on holiday. He's ..gone . to Italy.
2 Hello! I've just been ........... ... to the shops. I've bought lots of things.
3 A lice isn't here at the moment. She's ..... ..........gone ............................ to the shop to get a newspaper.
gone
4 Tom has ..................................... out. He'll be back in about an hour.
5 'Are you going to the bank?' 'No, I've already ..... . ....................... gone ..... to the bank.'

- Complete B's sentences. Make sentences from the words in brackets.

A B

1 Would you like something to eat? No, th anks. .1..\~ j~st. h~ ..W..nQ1..~.
(I I just I have I lunch)
2 Do you know where Julia is? I've just seen her ........................................................ .........................
Yes, ..................................
(I I just I see I her)
He has already left
3 What time is David leaving?
(he I already I leave)
4 What's in the newspaper today? I have not read it yet
I don't know. .. ............................................................. ................................
(I I not I read I it yet)
5 Is Sue com ing to the cinema with us? No, she.......has already.. ..........
seen the film
......
(she I already I see I the film)
they have just arrived
6 Are your friends here yet? Yes, ........................................................................................................................ ~
(they I just I arrive)
7 What does Tim think about your plan ? We haven't told him yet

(we I not I tell I him y et)

Read the situations and write sentences with just, already or yet.
1 After lunch you go to see a fri end at her house. She says, 'Would you like somethi ng to eat?'
You say: No thank you. . 1:.v.e J~.s.t.. .n~ wn<J:J...... . (have lunch)
2 joe goes out. Five minutes later, the phone rings and the ca ller says, 'Can I speak to joe?'
You say: I'm afraid .... he has already gone out
........... .... .... ................................. .. . . ...................... .......... ......... .................. .................................... ..... . (go out)
3 You are eating in a restaurant. The waiter thinks you have finished and starts to take your
plat e away. You say: Wait a minute! I haven't finished yet ................ ..... . .. ................. . (not I finish)
4 You plan to eat at a restaurant tonight. You phoned to reserve a table. Later your friend says,
'Shall I phone to reserve a table?' You say: N o, ............ I have............
already done it
... ...................... ........... .... ....... ................. ...... . (do it)
5 You know that a friend of yours is looking for a place t o live. Perhaps she has been successfu l.
Ask her. You say: Have.. ....... you found a.place
............ yet?
................... .. ..................... ...... ................ ... .... ... . ......... ? (find)
6 You are still thinking about where to go for your holiday. A friend asks, 'Where are you going
for your holid ay?' You say: I haven't ......................
decided yet ... . ........ ..................... . ........................ ..... .... ........... .... . (not I decide)
7 Linda went shopp ing, but a few minutes ago she returned. Somebody asks, 'I s Li nda still out
shoppi ng?' You say: N o, she .... already came back
....................... ..... .. ....... ... . . ..... ................ . (come back)

15
Study this example conversation:

DAVE: Have you travelled a lot, jane?

JANE: Yes, I've been to lots of places.
jane's life
DAVE: Really? Have you ever been to China?
(a period until now)
JANE : Yes, I've been to China twice.
DAVE: What about India?
past now
JANE : No, I haven't been to India.
When we talk about a period of time that continues from the past until now, we use the present
perfect (have been I have traveLLed etc.). Here, Dave and jane are talking about the places jane
has visited in her life, which is a period that continues until now.

Some more examples:

~ Have you ever eaten caviar?
C We've never had a car.
C Have you read Hamlet?' No, I haven't read any of Shakespeare's plays.'
1
I

'= Susan really loves that film. She's seen it eight times!
0 What a boring film! lt's the most boring film I've ever seen.
Been (to)= visited:
Cl I've never been to China. Have you been there?

In the following examples too, the speakers are talking about a period that continues until now
(recently I in the Last few days I so far I since breakfast etc.):
~ Have you heard anything from Brian recently? recently _ __.,
C I've met a lot of people in the Last few days. - in the last few days .....
0 Everything is going well. We haven't had any problems - - since breakfast
so far.
0 I'm hungry. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast. past now
(=from breakfast until now)
0 lt's good to see you again. We haven't seen each other for a Long time.
In the same way we use the present perfect with today I this evening I this year etc. when these
periods are not finished at the time of speaking (see also Unit 14B):
0 I've drunk four cups of coffee today.
0 Have you had a holiday this year? - - - - today \ • --·~
C I haven't seen Tom this morning. Have you? past now
U Rob hasn't worked very hard this term.

We say: lt's the (first) time something has happened. For example:
This is t he first time
0 Don is having a driving lesson . lt's his first one.
lt's the first time he has driven a car. (not drives)
or He has never driven a car before.

0 Sarah has lost her passport again. This is the second

time this has happened. (not happens)
C Bill is phoning his girlfriend again. That's the third
time he's phoned her this evening.

Prese nt perfect 1 _. Unit 7 Present pe rfect+ for/ since_. Units 11- 12

Present perfect and past _. Units 12-14
Exercises
You ask people about things they have done. Write questions with ever.
1 (ride I horse?) .. .H~Y.~... H9.0 .. ever..r.~Y1. ~. rw.r.~.~.?. .. . .... ..... .. .... . . ..... . . . . . . .. ... ................... .. ....................... ..
2 (be I California?) Have ....... you ever
... been to California?
..... ............. .. .. ......... ..... ...................... ...... .............. ..... .......................... ..
3 (run I marathon?) Have you.......
.... ........... ever ran a marathon? ..................... .
4 (speak I famous person?) ............................................
Have you ever spoke to a famous person?
............................................................................................... ...... ............... ..
the most beautiful place you have ever visited?
5 (most beautiful place I visit?) Whafs ............................................................................................... ......... ............................ ..

Complete B's answers. Some sentences are positive and some negative. Use these verbs:
be be eat happen have have meet play read see try

A B
1 What's Mark's sister like? I've no idea. I \e n~v.~ .. met her.
2 Is everything going well? Yes, we .. h.~v~n~t- bAA...... any problems so far.
3 Are you hungry? haven't eaten ......................................... much today.
Yes. I ..................................
I haven't played it
4 Can you play chess? Yes, but ....... .. .. for ages.
5 Are you enjoying your holiday? Yes, it's the best holiday I have
. ..... . had
... .. .. ................... for a
long time.
6 What's that book like? I don't know. ..I..........................................
haven't read .......................... it.
I have never been
7 Is Brussels an interesting place? I've no idea. there.
8 I hear your car broke down it has happened
Yes, it's the second time ....
again yesterday. this month.
9 Do you like caviar? I don't know. ..I....................................................................
have never tried
it.
10 Mike was late for work again today. Again? He has been
lat e every day this week.
11 Who's that woman by the door? I don't know. I.. have never seen
............................................................ her before.

Write four sentences about yourself. Use I haven't and choose from the boxes.

used a computer travelled by bus eaten any fruit

today
been to the cinema read a book lost anything
this week
recently
2 .....I haven't
.... .been to the cinema for ages
......................................... . for ages
3 I haven't read.....................................
............................. a book this week .. SinCe ...

4 I haven't travelled by bus this year

............................................................................................................................................................................. .... ................... ........... .. this year
5 I haven't eaten any fruit today
...................................................................................................................................................... ..

Read the situations and write sentences as shown in the example.

1 jack is driving a car, but he's very nervous and not sure w hat to do.
You ask: .. .. .H.~Y.e HO.(A....~r.~Y.~Y.I... c&... QA.r.... P.~fo.r~.?.................................................................................................... ........................ .
He says: .....No.). tn.~~.... ~?......t.h ~.. fir.~t. @. ~ !.~v~. clt:~v.~n ...~ . CQ-.f.... ......... .......... .. ...... . . ..... . ... ..... ... .. ................ .
2 Ben is playing t ennis. He's not good at it and he doesn't know the rules.
You ask: Have you .......................
played tennis before? .. . ..................... .... . ..... .... ......... .
He says: No, this is the first I have played tennis
..... ................. .... .... ... . .... . .... .. ......... .. . ........ ...................... ........................... ..
3 Sue is ridin g a horse. She doesn't look very confident or comfortab le.
You ask: ....Have
.. . ......you riding a horse.....before?
.... . .............. ......... ............ .... . .. ........................ . ... . ....................... . .... ... . .................... . . ........................
She says: . No, this is the first time I have riding a horse.

4 M aria is in Japan . She has j ust arrived and it's very new for her.
Have you ever been to Japan?
Yo u ask: ............................................................................... .... .......................................................................................................................................... ..
Yes, I have arrived recently.
She says: ...... .... . .......................... .......... ................................. .............................. ............ ................. .... .. .... ......... .... . .. .........................

17
lt has been raining
Study this example situation:

Is it rai ning?
No, but the ground is wet .
lt has been raining.
Have/ has been -ing is the present perfe ct continuous:
r--
1/we/ they/you
,
have (= I ve et c.)
Ib I doing
..
he/she/it (-- h e,s et c. ) een I waatang
has L .
_ _ ____._I------'--p ayang etc.

We use the present perfect continuous for an activity t hat has recently stopped or just stopped.
There is a connection with now:
0 You 're out of breath . Have you been running? (= you're out of breath now)
0 Paul is very tired. He's been working very hard. (= he's tired now)
C Why are your clot hes so dirty? What have you been doing?
0 I've been talking to Amanda about the problem and she agrees with me.
0 Where have you been ? I've been Looking for you everywhere.
lt has been raining for two hours.
Study this example situation:

lt began raining two hours ago and it is still raining.

How long has it been raining?
lt has been raining for t wo hours.
We use the present perfect cont inuous in t his way especially
w ith how Long, for ... and since .... The activity is still
happening (as in th is exam ple) or has just stopped.

0 How Long have you been Learning English? (=you're still learning English)
0 Tim is still wat ching TV. He's been watching TV aLL day.
0 Where have you been ? I've been Looking for y ou for the Last half hour.
0 Chris hasn't been feeling well recently.

You ca n use the present perfect cont inu ous for actions repea t ed over a period of time:
0 Silvia is a very good t ennis player. She's been playing since she was eight.
0 Every morning they meet in t he sa me cafe. They've been going t here for years.
Compare I am doing (see Unit 1) and I have been doing:
I
I am doing I have been doing
present continuous present perfect continuous

•
now
C Don 't distu rb m e now. I'm working. C I've been working hard. Now I'm going
now

t o have a break.
C We need an umbrella. lt 's raining. C Th e grou nd is wet. lt's been raining.
C Hurry up! We're waiting. C We've been waiting for an hour.

Present perfect continuous and simple -+ Units 10- 11 Present perfect+ for/ since -+ Unit s 11- 12
Exercises
What have these people been doing or what has been happening?

CD earlier
noij earlier

~I
They .... ~Y.~....~e:e:~·:t ?.h.O..P..P.Lr\9..~ ...................................................
has been watching TV
She ............................................................................................................... ..

w earlier (1)
earlier now

have been playing tennis

They .......................................................................................................... has been
H e ............... running
......................................... ................ ................ ......... ... ..

Write a question for each situation.

1 You m eet Paul as he is leaving the swim ming pool.
You ask: (you I swim ?) .....H.q._y~_ .~9-~....~-~.... ?.kY~ m.mg ?. .. .................................................................... .......................... .
2 You have just arrived to m eet a friend w ho is w ait ing f or y ou .
You ask: (you I wa it I lo ng?) ..........................
Have you been waiting for so long? .................................................................................. ..
....................................
3 You m eet a fri end in the st reet . His face and hands are very dirt y.
You ask: (w hat I you I do?) What .. ....have...........
you been .... ...doing? .. . .. .... ...........................................................
4 A fri end of yours is now working in a shop. You want t o know how lo ng.
How long have you been working there?
You ask: (how long I yo u I work I there?) .................................................................................. ............................ ....................... ..
5 A fri end t ells you about hi s j o b- he sells m o bile phones. You want t o know how lo ng.
You ask: (how long I you I sell I m obile phones?) .............. How long have you been selling mobile phones? .
...................................................................................

Read the situations and complete the sentences.

1 lt's raining. The ra in st arted t wo hours ago.
lt .. ).?.. l?.~n rW.Lng ..... fo r two hours.
2 W e are waiting fo r the bus. We started wa iting 20 mi nutes ago.
have been waiting
W e ..................... ........ ................... .... . ... .. ............... .... .. for 20 minutes.
3 I'm lea rni ng Spanish. I start ed classes in December.
have been learning spanish
I ................... .............. ......................................... .......................................... ...... ....................................... since December.
4 Jess ica is working in a supermarket. She started w orking t here on 18 Jan uary.
Jessica .....
.... ................ has been working in a supermarket
................... ...................... ... ... ......... .... ............. since 18 January.
5 Our fri ends always spend t heir holidays in It aly. They started going t here years ago.
They have been
.... .......................... to Italy
................................... ... . . ....................... ... . ................................................... for years.

Put the verb into the present continuous (I am -ing) or present perfect continuous
(I have been - ing).
1 ..... M~-~ ..h<AS J?.~.. --~.Y.\4-lg... (M aria I learn) English for two years.
2 Hello, Tom. . ....... .. .......... I was _ looking
.. . . .... ........... ....... (I I look) for you. Where have you been ?
3 are you looking
Why ......................... ............................................................................ (you I look) at me like t hat? St op it !
4 She has been teaching
Linda is a t eacher. .. ............................................................................................ (she I t each) for t en years.
5 I have
...... . ..been
. thinking ...... . . . . . .............. (I I th in k) about w hat you said and I've deci ded t o take
you r advice.
6 'Is Paul on holiday t his week?' 'N o, .................... he ......
is working
........................ ............ ........... ............ (he I work) .'
7 Sarah is very ti red . ....................... She has .......been working . .. ................................ (she I work) very hard recently.
..............................

19