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Present Perfect Simple - Continuous

The document explains the Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous tenses in English grammar, detailing their forms and uses. It highlights how the Present Perfect relates past actions to the present, while the Present Perfect Continuous emphasizes the duration of ongoing actions. Additionally, it provides examples and contrasts these tenses with the Past Simple tense.

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6 views

Present Perfect Simple - Continuous

The document explains the Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous tenses in English grammar, detailing their forms and uses. It highlights how the Present Perfect relates past actions to the present, while the Present Perfect Continuous emphasizes the duration of ongoing actions. Additionally, it provides examples and contrasts these tenses with the Past Simple tense.

Uploaded by

hamzaeledrissi55
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Present Perfect

Grammar 1 Semester 1
Present Perfect Simple
• As a general rule, the present perfect expresses a relationship between
past and present. It describes actions/ situations that started in the past
but are continuing to the present.
• FORM: have/has + past participle.
have/has done
Present Perfect Simple: Use
• 1. To describe actions that happened at an unspecified time before now.
Because the time is unspecified, the exact time/ date in which it happened is
unknown and unimportant.
• - I have done my homework (I finished my homework in the past. It is not
important at what time; what is important is that it is now done).

- I have forgotten my bag with all my documents at home. (Exactly when in the
past I forgot my bag is not important. The important thing is that I don't have
it now).
Present Perfect Simple: Use
• 2. To indicate periods of time that haven’t finished (this month, this week, today,
lately, of late, up to now, since last week, for, since….). The period of time is still
continuing.
• I haven't seen her this month.
• She has drunk three cups of coffee today.
• I have already moved house twice this year!
Present Perfect Simple: Use
• 3. To describe general life experiences
You can use the present perfect to describe your experience. You can use this tense
to say that you have had or you haven’t had an experience before.
• I have been to France. (This sentence means that you have had the
experience of being in France. Maybe you have been there once, or several
times).
• I have been to France three times. (You can add the number of times at the
end of the sentence).
• I have never been to France. (This sentence means that you have not had the
experience of going to France).
Present Perfect Simple: Use
• 4. With « just » to indicate a recently completed action
He has just left; you can catch up with him downstairs
if you hurry.
Present Perfect Simple: Use
• 5. To indicate change that happened over time

• You have grown since the last time I saw you.


• The government has become more interested in
education.
Present Perfect Simple: Use
• 6. For actions that took place in the past, but the evidence is still
present and clear.

• He has had a shower. His hair is still wet


• You have baked a cake. The smell is filling the air.
Present Perfect Simple: Use
• 7. With the verb « to be » in the present+ an ordinal number or a superlative

• It’s the first/ second/ third… time I’ve been to a theater.


• He is the most active person I have ever known.
Present Perfect Simple: Use
• The present perfect CANNOT be used with specific time expressions such as
yesterday, a year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that
moment, that day, one day, etc.
• It can only be used with unspecific expressions such as ever, never, once, many
times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, up to now, up to this point, just,
lately, recently, for, since, etc.
• «since» is used to indicate the beginning of an action or situation ; it is followed
with a particular time or date (ex since last year, since 2 o’clock...)
• «for» is used to describe the duration of an action or situation ; it is followed with
the total number of minutes, hours, days, years… an action or situation lasted (ex
for two 2 hours, for years, for 3 weeks…)
Present Perfect Simple: Use

• "Last year, last summer, last semester, …" and "in the last year/ the last
summer/ the last semester" are very different in meaning.
• "Last year" means the year before now ; and it is considered a specific time
that is finished now and thus requires the simple past tense.
• "In the last year…" means from 365 days ago until now. It is not considered a
specific time; the period of time is not finished so it requires the present
perfect tense.
Present Perfect Continuous: Form

This tense is formed with the present perfect of the auxiliary verb
be + the present participle: has/have + been + present participle
eg. Have/has has been doing
Present Perfect Continuous: Use
1. Duration of an activity that started in the Past and continues to the present (to
now). This tense is used for an action which began in the past and is still continuing.
"For five minutes", "for two weeks", "since Tuesday", "all day", "the whole
morning", are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect Continuous.
• I have been waiting more than an hour for the doctor and he still hasn't turned up.
• She has been working at that hospital for five years.
• What have you been doing for the last 15 minutes?
• It has been raining all day.
Present Perfect Continuous: Use

2. An action which was in progress quite recently; the action


explains the present situation; you can still see the evidence
• A: “Your shoes are wet”. B: “I have been walking in the rain.”
• You look tired. Have you been sleeping properly?
• I have a stiff neck. I have been working too long on the computer.
Present Perfect Continuous: Use

3. Present perfect continuous can refer to an action


that hasn’t finished
• I have been learning Spanish for three years and I still can’t
speak it fluently.
• I have been taking these pills for three weeks and I can’t see
any improvement.
COMPARISON BETWEEN THE PRESENT PERFECT
SIMPLE AND THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Present perfect simple Present perfect continuous
1. With stative verbs 1. With dynamic and mixed verbs
- I have had this car for 5 years. - I have been driving for 6 hours.
2. Stresses how many, how much, how often 2. Stresses how long (duration)
- I have read three books this semester. - I have been living in London for 10 years.
- I have visited my grandmother twice this week. 3. Temporary actions/ situations
3. Permanent situations/ states - You have been spending too much time at
- I have had this mole since I was born. work recently.
4. We are interested in the result of the activity 4. We are interested in the activity itself, its
(the important thing is that something has been continuity.
finished) - My hands are dirty; I have been repairing my
- My bike is OK. I have repaired it. bike.
- There is paint on Kate’s clothes; she has been
painting
Present perfect simple or continuous:
1. ……… you …………………………. anything I've said to you ? (understand)
2. Sorry, I …………………………. my homework. (forget)
3. How long ……… Jack …………………………. English ? (study)
4. How many new words ………..you ………………. this week ? (learn)
5. How many times ……. you ……………. at this restaurant ? (eat)
6. You look exhausted ! What ……… you …………………. ? (do)
7. Look at the weather ! It …………………………. all day ! (rain)
8. I need a holiday! I …………………….one for two years. (have/not)
9. I…………………………. a sport car ! (want/ always)
10. Ooh, that woman. I ……………………………. her. (Like/never)
Present perfect simple or continuous:
1. have you understood anything I've said to you ? (understand)
2. Sorry, I have forgotten my homework. (forget)
3. How long has Jack been studying English ? (study)
4. How many new words have you learnt this week ? (learn)
5. How many times have you eaten at this restaurant ? (eat)
6. You look exhausted ! What have you been doing ? (do)
7. Look at the weather ! It has been raining all day ! (rain)
8. I need a holiday! I haven’t had one for two years. (have/not)
9. I have always wanted a sport car ! (want/ always)
10. Oh, that woman. I have never liked her. (Like/never)
Use the past simple / present perfect:
1) I (never/go) ……………… to Vienna.
2) My great grandfather (have) ……………… five sisters.
3) He (live) ……………… in Manila for a year when he was a student.
4) Oh no! I (lose) ……………… my wallet!
5) (you/see)…………….. Julie?
6) Last weekend, they (play) ……………… football, then they (go)………………
to a restaurant.
7) I (read) ……………… six books this week.
8) Amy (live) ……………… in Portugal when she was young.
PRESENT PERFECT / Continuous OR PAST SIMPLE?

1. Tom (go)__________ to the cinema yesterday.

2. John is playing a game of tennis. He (play)______________ for 2 hours.

3 I (book)__________ the tickets two weeks ago for the concert in Vienna.

4. The teacher (speak)____________ English since the beginning of this lesson.

5. In your life, how many countries (you-visit) _______________?

6. The Bank (open)__________ a branch in the new shopping centre last month.

7. The bus is late and Julie is cold. She (wait)__________ for 10 minutes.

8. So far today, I (learn) ____________ several new words in English.


• Complete the sentences with the present simple, present perfect or past simple tense
1. “(you ever be) ___________________________ to the USA?” “Yes, I (go) __________ there last summer.”

“How long (you stay) _____________________?”

2. “(you take) _______________________ the dog out yet?” “Yes, I (take) ____________ him out when I
(come) _________________ home.”

3. I’m not very well. I (eat and drink) ___________________________ too much.

4. “My son (not start) ________________________ work yet, he is still at University.” “How long (he be)
_____________________ at University?”

“He (be) ____________________ there three years. Before that he (spend) __________________ five years at
the High School in Park street”.

5. “(you ever be) _____________________ to Disneyland?”

“Yes, I (go) ___________ there last year when I (spend) ______________ a week in Paris with my children. It
(be) _____________ fantastic.”

6. “I (just make) _____________________ some tea. Would you like some?”


“No, thanks. I (have) ___________ two cups an hour ago and I (just have) ___________________

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