We use for and since to say how long something has been happening.

We use for + a period of time (two hours, six We use since + the start of a period
weeks etc.): (8 o'clock, Monday, 1999 etc.):
I've been waiting for tw o hours. I've been waiting since 8 o'clock.

for two hours since 8 o'clock

two hours ago -►now 8 o'clock now

for since
two hours 20 minutes five days 8 o'clock Monday 12 May
a long time six months 50 years April 2001 Christmas
a week ages years lunchtime we arrived i got up

Sally has been working here for six Sally has been working here since April
months. (not since six months) (= from April until now)
I haven't seen Tom for three days. I haven't seen Tom since Monday.

It is possible to leave out for (but not usually in negative sentences):

They've been married (for) ten years, (with or without for)
O They haven’t had a holiday for ten years, (you must use for)
We do not use for + all ... (all day / all my life etc.):
O I've lived here all my life, (not for all my life)
You can use in instead of for in negative sentences (I h ave n't... etc.):
C They haven't had a holiday in ten years. (= for ten years)

Compare when ... ? (+ past simple) and how long ... ? (+ present perfect):

a : When did it start raining?

b: It started raining an hour ago / at 1 o'clock

a : How long has it been raining?

b: It's been raining for an hour / since 1 o'clock.

a : When did Joe and Carol first meet?

a long time ago.
b: They first met
when they were at school.

a : How long have they known each other?

for a long time,
b: They've known each other
since they were at school

We say: It's (= It is) a long time

or It's been (= It has been) six months (etc.)

It's tw o years since I last saw Joe. or It's been tw o years since ...
(= I haven't seen Joe for two years)
It's ages since we went to the cinema, or It's been ages since ...
(= We haven't been to the cinema for ages)
How long is it since Mrs Hill died? or How long has it been since .
(= When did Mrs Hill die?)

How long have you (been) . . . ? - * Unit 11

 Unit
Exercises 12
W rite for or since.
1 It's been raining sir*ce lunchtime.
2 Sarah has lived in Paris 1995.
3 Paul has lived in Brazil ten years.
4 I'm tired of waiting. We've been sitting here an hour.
5 Kevin has been Looking for a job ........ he left school.
6 I haven't been to a party.. ages.
7 I wonder where Joe is. I haven't seen him Last week.
8 Jane is away. She's been away Friday.
9 The weather is dry. It hasn't rained a few weeks.

Write questions with how long and when.

1 It's raining.
(how Long?) How long has ub been raining?
(when?) When d id ,Jb s ta rt raining ?......................................
2 Kate is learning Japanese.
(how Long / Learn?) ..... ............ ......
(when / start?) .....
3 I know Simon.
(how Long/you / know?) .............. .......
(when / you / first / meet?) ...........
4 Rebecca and David are married.
(how long?) .. ............................. .............................
(when?) ........ ........................... ..

Read the situations and complete the sentences.

1 It's raining. It’s been raining since lunchtime. It started raining at lunchtime.
2 Ann and Jess are friends. They first met years ago. They've known each other -for ...years.
3 Mark is ill. He became ill on Sunday. He has ... ................................ . Sunday,
4 Mark is ill. He became ill a few days ago. He has a few days.
5 Sarah is married. She's been married for a year. She got
6 You have a headache. It started when you woke up.
I've .................................................. I woke up.
7 Sue has been in Italy for the last three weeks.
She went ............................................................................................
8 You're working in a hotel. You started six months ago.
I've ....... ...............................................................................................................

Write B's sentences using the words in brackets.

1 a: Do you often go on holiday?
b: No, ...! haven't had a holiday for five years.
2 a: Do you often see Laura?
b: No, I ................... ....... ........ about a month.
3 a: Do you often go to the cinema?
b: No , .......................................................................... a Long time.
4 a: Do you often eat in restaurants?
b: No, ....................... .. ...... ages.

Now write B's answers again. This time use It's ... since ... .
5 (1) No, it’s -five years since- I had a holxday,.................................................
6 (2) No, its ..................... ..................................... .....................................................
7 (3) No, ........ ...................................... ..................... ..................................
8 (4) ...........................................................................................................................................................

25
Unit
13 Present perfect and past 1 (I have done and I did)
Study this example situation:

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

He has lost his key. (presentperfect)
This means that he doesn't have his key now.

Ten minutes later:

NowTom has found his key. He has it now.

Has he lost his key? No, he has found it.
Did he lose his key? Yes, he did.
He lost his key (past simple)
but now he has found it. (present perfect)

The present perfect (something has happened) is a present tense. It always tells us about the
situation now. 'Tom has lost his key' = he doesn't have his key now (see Unit 7).

The past simple (something happened) tells us only about the past. If somebody says Tom lost his
key', this doesn't tell us whether he has the key now or not. It tells us only that he lost his key at some
time in the past.

Do not use the present perfect if the situation now is different. Compare:
O They've gone away. They'll be back on Friday, (they are away now)
They went away, but I think they're back at home now. (not They've gone)
It has stopped raining now, so we don't need the umbrella, (it isn't raining now)
It stopped raining for a while, but now it's raining again, (not It has stopped)

You can use the present perfect for new or recent happenings:
O ‘I've repaired the washing machine. It's working OK now.' ‘Oh, that's good.’
‘Sally has had a baby! It's a boy.' 'That's great news.'

Usually, you can also use the past simple:

O I repaired the washing machine. It's working OK now.

Use the past simple (not the present perfect) for things that are not recent or new:
G Mozart was a composer. He wrote more than 600 pieces of music.
(not has been ... has written)
My mother grew up in Italy, (not has grown)

Compare:
G Did you know that somebody has invented a new type of washing machine?
Who invented the telephone? (not has invented)

We use the present perfect to give new information (see Unit 7). But if we continue to talk about it,
we normally use the past simple:
a : Owl I've burnt m y s e l f .

b : How did you do that? (not have you done)

a : I picked up a hot dish. (not have picked)

a : Lookl Somebody has spilt something on the sofa.

b: Well, it w asn 't me. I didn't do it. (not hasn't been ... haven't done)

Past simple ^ Unit 5 Present perfect Units 7-8 Present perfect and past 2 -> Unit 14
26 American English Appendix 7
Exercises
Complete the sentences using the verbs in brackets. Use the present perfect where possible.
Otherwise use the past simple. _________________________
The office is empty now.

I can't get in.

I ve lo s t (lose) my
key.

Yes, I .........
(have) a headache, but I'm
fine now.

Are the underlined parts of these sentences right or wrong? Correct them where necessary.
1 Did you hear about Sue? She's given up her job. OK
2 My mother has grown up in Italy.
3 How many poems has William Shakespeare written? ........ ....................
4 Ow! I've cut my finger. It's bleeding. ...........................................................
5 Drugs have become a big problem everywhere. ..
6 Who has invented paper? ..... ...................
7 Where have you been born? ..........
8 ELlie isn't at home. She's gone shopping. ...........................................................
9 Albert Einstein has been the scientist who
has developed the theory of relativity. .................................................. ......

Put the verb into the correct form, present perfect or past simple.
1It stopped raining for a while, but now it's raining again, (it / stop)
2 The town where I live is very different now. It haschavigect a lot. (it / change)
3 I studied German at school, but ....... most of it now. (1 / forget)
4 The police . . three people, but later they let them go. (arrest)
5 What do you think of my English? Do you think ? (it/improve)
6 a : Are you still reading the paper?
b: N o , with it. You can have it. (I / finish)
7 for a job as a tourist guide, but I wasn't successful. (I / apply)
8 Where's my bike? outside the house, but it's not there now. (it/be)
9 Quick! We need to call an ambulance. an accident, (there / be)
10 a : Have you heard about Ben? . ..........his arm. (he / break)
b : Really? How ....... ? (that / happen)
a: off a ladder, (he/fall)

27
Unit
14 Present perfect and past 2 (I have done and I did)
Do not use the present perfect (I have done) when you talk about a finished time (for example,
yesterday / ten minutes ago / in 2005 / when I was a child). Use a past tense:
It was very cold yesterday, (not has been)
Paul and Lucy arrived ten minutes ago. (not have arrived)
Did you eat a lot of sweets when you were a child? (not have you eaten)
I got home late last night. I was very tired and went straight to bed.

Use the past to ask When ... ? or W h at time ... ?:

When did your friends arrive? (not have ... arrived)
O W h at time did you finish work?

Compare:

Present perfect Past simple

Tom has Lost his key. He can’t get Tom lost his key yesterday.
into the house. He couldn't get into the house.
Is Carla here or has she left? G W hen did Carla leave?

Compare:

Present perfect (have done) Past simple (did)

I've done a Lot of work today. I did a lot of work yesterday.

We use the present perfect for a period of time We use the past simple for a finished time in
that continues until now. For example: the past. For example:
today / this week / since 2007. yesterday / last week / from 2007 to 2010.

- unfinished - r unfinished -
today yesterday

past now past now

It hasn't rained this week. _ It didn't rain last week.

Have you seen Anna this morning? Did you see Anna this morning?
(it is still morning) (it is now afternoon or evening)

Have you seen Tim recently? Did you see Tim on Sunday?

1 I don't know where Lisa is. I haven't a : W as Lisa at the party on Sunday?
seen her. (= I haven't seen her b: I don't think so. I didn't see her.
recently)

We've been waiting for an hour. We waited (or were waiting) for an
(we are still waiting now) hour, (we are no longer waiting)

O Jack lives in Los Angeles. He has lived Jack lived in New York for ten years.
there for seven years. Now he lives in Los Angeles.

1have never played golf, (in my life) I didn't play golf last summer.

It's the last day ofyour holiday. You say: After you come back from holiday you
It's been a really good holiday. say: It was a really good holiday.
I've really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed it.

Past simple Unit 5 Present perfect Units 7-8 Present perfect and past 1 Unit 13
j
 Unit
Exercises 14
Are the underlined parts of these sentences right or wrong? Correct them where necessary.
1 I've lost my key. I can't find it anywhere. OK....................... ...................
2Have you eaten a lot of sweets when you were a child? DiA yow eat ...
3 I've bought a new car. You must come and see it.
4 I've bought a new car last week. .......... ..... ........
5 Where have you been yesterday evening? .........................................................
6 Lucy has left school in 1999. .............................. .........
7 I'm looking for Mike. Have you seen him? .........................
8 'Have you been to Paris?' ‘Yes, many times.' ....
9 I'm very hungry. I haven't eaten much today. ......................................................
10 When has this book been published? ............................. .................

Make sentences from the words in brackets. Use the present perfect or past simple.
1 (it / not / rain / this week) It Hasn’t rained, this week .............. ..
2 (the weather / be / cold / recently) The w eather......................................................................
3 (it / cold / last week) It ... ........... ........................... ........ ..........
4 (I / not / read / a newspaper yesterday) I
5 (I / not / read / a newspaper today) .
6 (Emily / earn / a lot of money / this year) ..... ..
7 (she / not / earn / so much / last year) ........................... ........ ........
8 (you / have / a holiday recently?) .....

Put the verb into the correct form, present perfect or past simple.
1 ‘What's Madrid like?' ‘I don't know I Haven’t been (| / not / be) there.'
2 When (I / get) home last night, . (I / be)
very tired and (I / go) straight to bed.
3 a: (you/see)Lisa recently?
b: Yes, ...... (I / saw) her a few days ago.
4 I'm tired. .. . . (I/ not / sleep) well last night.
5 The bus drivers were on strike last week. (there / be) no buses.
6 Mr Lee (work)inabank for 15 years. Then (he / give)
it up.Now he works as a gardener.
7 Mary lives in Dublin.............................. (she / live) there all her life.
8 a: (you / go) to the cinema last night?
b: Yes, but (it / be) a mistake. The film (be) awful.
9 My grandfather (die) before I was born. . ...
(I / never / meet) him.
10 I don't know Karen's husband. (I/never/meet)him.
11 It's nearly lunchtime, and (I / not / see) Martin all morning.
I wonder where he is.
12 ‘Where do you live?' 'In Boston.'
'How Long ................................... (you / live) there?' 'Five years.'
‘Where (you / live) before that?' ‘In Chicago.'
‘And how Long (you / Live) in Chicago?' ‘Two years.'

Write sentences about yourself using the ideas in brackets.

1 (something you haven’t done today) ...) Haven’t eaten any -fruit todaxj.....
2 (something you haven't done today)
3 (something you didn't do yesterday)
4 (something you did yesterday evening) ...
5 (something you haven't done recently) ...........................................................................
6 (somethingyou've done a lot recently) ..... .......

-> Additional exercises 2-4 (pages 303-04), 14-15 (pages 310-11) 29