We use the present perfect when we want to show a link between the present and the past. 1. Present perfect simple hhave/has + past participle She's started she assignment, have/has not + past participle I haven’e started the ussignment have/has... + past participle? Have yo starred the assignment? ‘We use the present perfect simple © to talk about a time period that is not finished (€g. today, this week): ve written a rough plan this morning, (it is still morning) ve written a rough plan NOW THIS MORNING” * 10 show that something happened at some point in the past before now, We don't state when it happened: Pve collected plenty of information. (at some point before now and I will use it to write my essay) ‘The following time expressions are often used: ever, never, before, up to now, still, so far. It's the longest I've ever had to write. (at any point before now) A If we state when something happened we must use the simple past: Twasted a lot of time last week. (not Fhave-wasted-«-4ot-of time-last-week) ¢ to talk about a present situation which started in the past, usually with for/since: Tve worked really hard {for the last ewo weeks NOW Inannnnancnnnn | I've worked really hard for the last two weeks. (I've worked hard till now) We use for with a length of time (e.g. for two hours, for three days, for six months) and since with a point in time (€.g. since 2001, since Monday, since ten o'clock, since I was four, since I started the course). ‘ to talk about something that happened at an unstated time in the past but is connected to the present: ve read all the books on the reading list. (I have the notes now) ‘The following time expressions are often used: recently, just, already, and yet with negatives or questions. Pve just gor up. Have you written your assignment yet?Compare the use of the present perfect with the past simple: Present perfect # links the past with the present: Tve made quite a lot of notes. (at some point before now and I may make more notes) does not talk about a specific time in the past: Have you read the leaflet? (at some time before now) + uses time expressions that show the time period is unfinished: Tve read six articles this week. (the week isn’t finished) Past simple ¢ only talks about the past: I made notes on the most important things. (when I did the reading and P've finished making notes) states a specific past time, or the time is understood: Tread the leaflets when I was in the library. (’'m not in the library now and the reading is finished) © uses time expressions that show the time is finished: Tread five books last week. (last week has finished) Note the position of the following time expressions that occur with the present perfect: ¢ between the auxiliary and main verb (e.g. recently, already, always, ever, just, never) Tve already written the notes. ve just finished my essay. Ever is generally used with questions or negatives: Have you ever been to Buenos Aires? + after the main verb (e.g, all my life, every day, yet, before, for ages, for two weeks, since 2003, since I was a child ete.) Te fele tired for weeks. Thaven's flown before. If there is an object clause, the time expression comes at the end Tve gone to bed early every night since then. ‘ve written more than ten assignments since I started this course. 2 Present perfect continuous hhaverhas heen + verb + -ing Tve been studying really hard. hhave/has not been + verb + ing He hasn’s been studying really hard. hhave/has.. been + verb +-ing? Have you been studying really hard? ‘We can use either the present perfect simple or the present perfect continuous to say how long, a situation or activity has been going on (often with for or since): Pve felt tired for weeks. Dve been feeling tired since I started this course. ve worked at the restaurant since I moved here. Pve been working at the restaurant for three years.Compare the different uses of the present perfect simple and the present perfect continuous: Present perfect continuous Present perfect simple + emphasises how long: © says how many times: Te been reading for the past two weeks. Ive read three articles. + focuses on the activity itself (it does not show —¢ focuses on the result or completion of the whether the activity is completed or not): activity: ve been writing my essay. (we don’t know if _'ve written my essay. (the essay is finished the essay is finished or not) but we don’t know when) What have you been doing? (the boy’s What have you done? (the boy's mother is mother is interested in the activity that interested in the result of the action: the made him so dirty now) broken window) State verbs (see Unit 1) do not generally have a continuous form: Pve known them since Fwas a child. (not Pve-heen-knowing-them-sineeFwas-a-child) Grammar extra: This is the first time etc. ‘We use the present perfect tense with the following structures: ie/this/that is the first / the second / the best / the only / the worst . e's the first time Ive ever had to write such a long assignment. Is this the only sine you've travelled abroad? That's the sixth cup of coffee you've had today.EB tick ) the correct underlined verbs, and correct the verbs that are wrong. would ike to be considered for your degree course in Zoology, Blanting, in October next year I fee! | am a good candidate for this course os I ‘Thave alwetys been interested in natural history and even os a chil T 2 have exyoyed studying crimals andinsects in my gorden Your science fracuty has @ good reputation ard T would very mich fke to be pant oP As you 3 dready saw is Section A of this appteation havea good academic record ard | 4 just received the resalts of my recent exerts, of which 5 have been excolent In edcttion, your university attracts me because | enjoy sports and I S tene read n your prospactos cbour Te lenge nuniber of sports on offer Les! yoor 17 have sepresented ny school at badtnnton and | 8 played footbal teams sive Twas eleven. 19 have recently joined a basketbe! team Which competes at a nationedievel, 110 ddirot travel abroad mich yet although as a young chid T 11 bave been 40 Singenone crc! Hong Kong with ny fri Srecine that 1 12 hewerot spent sich Fine cwee Srore home Up to rect ar keen te become more independent —— eeu Aakene 10 1 12 [BB Look at the chart and fill in the gaps with the past simple or present perfect simple of the verbs in brackets to make true sentences,1 The chart shows the percentage of British adults who ....jnave.usd.... (use) the Internet since 1995, 2 The number of women who have ever used the Internet soon (Enerease) by more than 60% since 1995. 3 The percentage of men who have accessed the Internet (rise) to 60% in 2005. 4 The number of women to have accessed the Intermet wo. soon (Pise) each year. 5 The percentage of men who used the Internet (be) greater than the percentage of women from 1995 to 2005, 6 However, British women... (overtake) British men in Internet usage since 2005. 7 The total number of people accessing the Internet (grow) each year although the most significant Tse... cum (o6cur) between 1995 and 2000. [EX underline the correct form of the verbs. 8e8 2 ‘To: | Paul Johnson From: Sunita Son Subject: Seminar presentation on Friday Dear Paul 1 I've just received / I've just been receiving your message to us all about the seminar on Friday. 2 I’ve worked / I've been working on my presentation for the iast week, and 3 have now finished / now finished it, 50 I am nappy to be one of the first to present it. However, 4 I’ve made / I made an appointment to see the university careers advisor immediately after the seminar, so I will need to leave on time. 1'6 like some advice about my presentation. At last week's lecture 5 you've said / you said that we should use visual aids as much as possible. 6 I haven't found / I didn’t find anything to use. Is it essential? 7 I've done / I did lots of presentations before, and I feel OK about this one. In my last presentation 8 J used / 1 have been using the overhead projector, and 1 want to do this again - does this count as 9 visua) ald? One last question: 9 I've been / I went to Professor Russell’s lecture yesterday, and 10 have been jearning / learnt quite a jot that is relevant to this course. Is it okay to refer to another course in my presentation? 11 I've been wondering / I wondered about this ~ maybe it is better to stick to the materials and references 12 you've given / you've been giving us. 1 nope you can let me know. Thanks for your help. sunita[Ey Fil in the gaps with a verb from the box in the present perfect simple or present perfect continuous. You will need to use some verbs more than once. be do feel have live pass study start. take travel want work Interviewer: How long ..oave..vau. bean. ina. (1 you) here? Student: I (2) in London for the past three years. I come from Japan originally. T (3) at a college here since I arrived Interviewer: (4 you) any travelling over the past three years? Student: Yes, I. . (5) really lucky. I have long holidays so 1 uu. (6) all over Europe. I especially liked Spain. Interviewer: What is the most interesting thing you (2) recently? Student: Well, seve (8) C0 play temnis, AME Tacs 9) singing lessons for a few months now too. But the thing that Lam most proud of is that I (10 just) my driving test. It's the first time I . (11) it so I'm really pleased but 1 ~ (12 never) so nervous in all my life! Interviewer: How do you think English willbe useful in your life? Student: 1, .. (13) a Hospitality and Tourism course over here, so I need English for my studies and my job. 1 vo (14 always) to work in the tourist industry because I . son (15 aways) interested in history and cultural sites, and I (16 already) as a tour guide in my home town. Now answer these questions about yourself, 17 How long have you been studying English? 18 Have you studied any other languages? (Which ones? For how long?) 19 Have you travelled very much? (Where have you been to?) 20 what have you been doing to prepare for this exam? 21 How has your life changed over the past ten years?