0% found this document useful (0 votes)
2 views

Perfects tenses

The document is an excerpt from 'English Grammar in Use' by Raymond Murphy, focusing on the present perfect continuous and simple tenses. It explains the differences between these tenses, providing examples and usage rules, particularly in relation to duration and completion of actions. Additionally, it includes exercises for practice on these grammatical concepts.

Uploaded by

Silvia Pimentel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
2 views

Perfects tenses

The document is an excerpt from 'English Grammar in Use' by Raymond Murphy, focusing on the present perfect continuous and simple tenses. It explains the differences between these tenses, providing examples and usage rules, particularly in relation to duration and completion of actions. Additionally, it includes exercises for practice on these grammatical concepts.

Uploaded by

Silvia Pimentel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 23

Cambridge University Press

978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in


Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information

Unit
Present perfect continuous and
10 simple (I have been doing and I
A have done)
Study this example situation:

I’ve been painting my bedroom. I’ve painted my bedroom.

There is paint on Kate’s clothes.


Her bedroom was green. Now it is
She has been painting her
yellow. She has painted her
bedroom.
bedroom.
Has been painting is the present
Has painted is the present perfect simple.
perfect continuous.
Here, the important thing is that
We are thinking of the activity. It does
something has been finished. Has
not matter whether it has been
painted is a completed action. We are
finished or not. In this example, the
interested in the result of
activity (painting the bedroom) has not
the activity (the painted bedroom), not
been finished.
the activity itself.

B Compare these examples:


My hands are very dirty. I’ve been
My bike is OK again now. I’ve
repairing my bike.
repaired it.
Joe has been eating too much
Somebody has eaten all the
recently. He should eat less.
chocolates. The box is empty.
It’s nice to see you again. What
Where’s the book I gave you?
have you been doing since we
What have you done with it?
last met? Where have you been?
Have you ever played tennis?
Have you been playing tennis?

C We use the continuous to say how


long We use the simple to say how much, how
(for something that is still happening): many
How long have you been or how many times:
reading that book? How much of that book have you read?
Lisa is writing emails. She’s been
writing emails all morning. Lisa is writing emails. She’s sent lots of
They’ve been playing tennis emails this morning.
since 2 o’clock. They’ve played tennis three times this
I’m learning Arabic, but I haven’t week.
been learning it very long. I’m learning Arabic, but I haven’t learnt
very much yet.

D Some verbs (for example, know/like/believe) are not normally used in the
continuous: I’ve known about the problem for a long time. (not I’ve
been knowing)
How long have you had that camera? (not have you been having)

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information
For a list of these verbs, see Unit 4A. For have, see Unit 17.
But note that you can use want and mean in the present perfect
continuous: I’ve been meaning to phone Jane, but I keep
forgetting.

Present perfect simple ➜ Units 7–8 Present perfect continuous ➜ Unit 9


2 Present perfect + for/since ➜ Units 11–12
0

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information

Exercises Unit

10.1 Read the situation and complete the sentences. Use the verbs in brackets.
10
1 Tom started reading a book two hours ago. He is still reading it and now he is on page
53.
He has been reading for two hours. (read)
He has read 53 pages so far. (read)
2 Rachel is from Australia. She is travelling round Europe at the moment. She began her
trip three months ago.
She for three months. (travel)
six countries so far. (visit)
3 Patrick is a tennis player. He began playing tennis when he was ten years old. This
year he won the national championship again – for the fourth time.
the national championship four times. (win)
since he was ten. (play)
4 When they left college, Lisa and Sue started making films together. They still make
films.
They films since they left college. (make)
five films since they left college. (make)

10.2 For each situation, ask a question using the words in brackets.
1 You have a friend who is learning Arabic. You ask:
(how long / learn / Arabic?) How long have you been learning Arabic?
2 You have just arrived to meet a friend. She is waiting for you.
You ask: (wait / long?) Have
3 You see somebody fishing by the river. You
ask: (catch / any fish?)
4 Some friends of yours are having a party next week.
You ask: (how many people / invite?)
5 A friend of yours is a teacher. You
ask: (how long / teach?)
6 You meet somebody who is a writer. You
ask: (how many books / write?)
(how long / write / books?)
7 A friend of yours is saving money to go on a world trip.
You ask: (how long / save?)
(how much money / save?)

10.3 Put the verb into the more suitable form, present perfect simple (I have done) or
continuous (I have been doing).
1 Where have you been? Have you been playing (you / play) tennis?
2 Look! (somebody / break) that window.
3 You look tired. (you / work) hard?
4 ‘ (you / ever / work) in a factory?’ ‘No, never.’
5 ‘Liz is away on holiday.’ ‘Is she? Where (she / go)?’
6 My brother is an actor. (he / appear) in several
films.
7 ‘Sorry I’m late.’ ‘That’s all right. (I / not / wait) long.’
8 ‘Is it still raining?’ ‘No, (it / stop).’
9 (I / lose) my phone. (you /
see) it anywhere?
10 (I / read) the book you lent me, but
(I / not / finish) it yet. It’s very interesting.
11 (I / read) the book you lent me, so you can have it back
now.
12 This is a very old book. (I / have) it since I was a child.
21
© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.
University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information

Unit
11 How long have you (been) … ?
A Study this example situation:
Dan and Jenny are married. They got married exactly
20 years ago, so today is their 20th wedding anniversary.
They have been married for 20
2 years. We say: They are married.
We
0
ddi
(present)
t
ng
Anniv
h but How long have they been married? (present perfect)
ersary
(not How long are they married?)
They have been married for 20
years. (not They are married for
20 years)

We use the present perfect to talk about something that began in the past and still
continues now. Compare the present and the present perfect:
Paul is in hospital. present
but He’s been in hospital since Monday. (= He has he is
been ...) (not Paul is in hospital since Monday) do you know
she is waiting
Do you know each other well?
but Have you known each other for a long time?
(not Do you know) present perfect
he has been
She’s waiting for somebody.
have you
but She’s been waiting all morning.
known
Do they have a car? she has been waiting
but How long have they had their car?
past now
B
I have known/had/lived etc. is the present perfect
simple.
I have been learning / been waiting / been doing etc. is the present perfect continuous.
When we ask or say ‘how long’, the continuous is more usual (see
Unit 10): I’ve been learning English for six months.
It’s been raining since lunchtime.
Richard has been doing the same job for 20
years. ‘How long have you been driving?’
‘Since I was 17.’
Some verbs (for example, know/like/believe) are not normally used in the
continuous: How long have you known Jane? (not have you been
knowing)
I’ve had a pain in my stomach all day. (not I’ve been
having) See also Units 4A and 10C. For have, see Unit 17.

C
You can use either the present perfect continuous or simple with live
and work: Julia has been living / has lived here for a long
time.
How long have you been working / have you worked here?
But use the simple (I’ve lived / I’ve done etc.) with always:
I’ve always lived in the country. (not always been living)

D
We say ‘I haven’t done something since/for …’ (present perfect simple):
I haven’t seen Tom since Monday. (= Monday was the last time I
saw him) Sarah hasn’t phoned for ages. (= the last time she phoned
© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.
University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information
was ages ago)

22 I haven’t … since/for ➜ Unit 8B Present perfect continuous ➜ Units


9–10 For and since ➜ Unit 12A

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information

Exercises
11.1 Are the underlined verbs right or wrong? Correct them where necessary. las
1 Ben is a friend of mine. I know him very well. OK 13
2 Ben is a friend of mine. I know him for a long time. I’ve known him
3 Sarah and Adam are married since July.
4 The weather is awful. It’s raining again.
5 The weather is awful. It’s raining all day.
6 I like your house. How long are you living there?
7 Gary is working in a shop for the last few months.
8 I don’t know Tom well. We’ve only met a few times.
9 I gave up drinking coffee. I don’t drink it for a year.
10 That’s a very old bike. How long do you have it?

11.2 Read the situations and write questions from the words in brackets.
1 A friend tells you that Paul is in hospital. You ask him:
(how long / be / in hospital?) How long has Paul been in hospital?
2 You meet a woman who tells you that she teaches English. You
ask her: (how long / teach / English?)
3 You know that Jane is a good friend of Katherine’s. You ask
Jane: (how long / know / Katherine?)
4 Your friend’s brother went to Australia some time ago and he’s still there. You ask
your friend: (how long / be / in Australia?)
5 Tom always wears the same jacket. It’s a very old jacket. You
ask him: (how long / have / that jacket?)
6 You are talking to a friend about Joe. Joe now works at the airport. You ask
your friend: (how long / work / at the airport?)
7 A friend of yours is having guitar lessons. You
ask him: (how long / have / guitar lessons?)
8 You meet somebody on a plane. She says that she lives in Chicago. You
ask her: (always / live / in Chicago?)

11.3 Complete B’s answers to A’s questions.


A B
1 Paul is in hospital, isn’t he? Yes, he has been in hospital since Monday.
2 Do you see Ann very often? No, I haven’t seen her for three months.
3 Is Amy married? Yes, she married for ten
years.
4 Are you waiting for me? Yes, I for the last half
hour.
5 You know Mel, don’t you? Yes, we each other a long
time.
6 Do you still play tennis? No, I tennis for
years.
7 Is Joe watching TV? Yes, he TV all
evening. Would you l
to
8 Do you watch TV a lot? No, I TV for
ages. to
Ne
9 Do you have a headache? Yes, I a headache all
morning.
Ye
10 Adrian is never ill, is he? No, he ill since I’ve known
him. to
11 Are you feeling ill? Yes, I ill all to
day. Ne
12 Sue lives in Berlin, doesn’t she? Yes, she in Berlin for Yo

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information
York one day? (use always / want)
Unit
11
23

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information

Unit
12 For and since When … ? and How long … ?
A We use for and since to say how long something has been happening.
We use for + a period of time (two
We use since + the start of a
hours, six weeks etc.):
period (8 o’clock, Monday,
I’ve been waiting for two hours.
1999 etc.):
I’ve been waiting since 8 o’clock.

for two hours


since 8
o’clock
two hours ago for sinc
two 20 five 8 o’clock e 12 May
8 o’clock now
now a
hours minutes days 50 April Monda Christm
long time six years lunchtim y 2001 as I got
a week months years e up

Sally has been working here


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

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


sentences): They’ve been married (for) ten years. (with
or without for) 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.): I’ve lived here all my life. (not for all
my life)
You can use in instead of for in negative sentences (I haven’t ...
etc.): They haven’t had a holiday in ten years. (= for
ten years)

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

Œ: When did it start raining?


Ž: It started raining an hour ago / at 1 o’clock.
Œ: How long has it been raining?
Ž: It’s been raining for an hour / since 1 o’clock.

Œ: When did Joe and Carol first meet?


⎧ a long time ago.
Ž: They first met⎨⎩ when they were at
school.
Œ: How long have they known each other?

for a long time.
Ž: They’ve known each other ⎨
⎩ since they were at
school.

C We say: It’s (= It is) a long time


since something
or It’s been (= It has six months (etc.)
happened
been)
It’s two years since I last saw Joe. or It’s been two
© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.
University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information
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?)

24 How long have you (been) … ? ➜ Unit 11

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information

Exercises No
wr
B’s
12.1 Write for or since. an
1 It’s been raining since lunchtime. sa
2 Sarah has lived in Paris 1995. Th
tim
3 Paul has lived in Brazil ten years.
us
4 I’m tired of waiting. We’ve been sitting here an hour.

5 Kevin has been looking for a job he left school. sin
6 I haven’t been to a party ages. …
7 I wonder where Joe is. I haven’t seen him last week. 5
8 Jane is away. She’s been away Friday.
9 The weather is dry. It hasn’t rained a few weeks.

12.2 Write questions with how long and when.


1 It’s raining.
(how long?) How long has it been raining?
(when?) When did it start raining?
2 Kate is learning
Japanese. (how long /
learn?) (when /
start?)
3 I know Simon.
(how long / you / know?) 6
(when / you / first / meet?) (2)
4 Rebecca and David are its
married. (how long?) No
(when?) 8
12.3 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
.

12.4 Write B’s sentences using the words in brackets.


1 —: Do you often go on holiday?
™: No, I haven’t had a holiday for five years.
2 —: Do you often see Laura?
™: No, I about a month.
3 —: Do you often go to the cinema?
™: No, a long time.
4 —: Do you often eat in restaurants?
™: No, ages.
© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.
University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information
Unit
12

25

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information

Unit
13 Present perfect and past 1 (I have done and I
A did)
Study this example situation:
Tom is looking for his key. He can’t
find it. He has lost his key.
(present perfect)
This means that he doesn’t have his key now.

Ten minutes later:

Now Tom 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: 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)

B You can use the present perfect for new or recent happenings:
‘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:
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: 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:
Did you know that somebody has invented a new type of
washing machine? Who invented the telephone? (not has
invented)

C We use the present perfect to give new information (see Unit 7). But if we
© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.
University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information
continue to talk about it, we normally use the past simple:
: Ow! I’ve burnt myself.
: How did you do that? (not have you done)
: I picked up a hot dish. (not have picked)
: Look! Somebody has spilt something on the sofa.
: Well, it wasn’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
2 American English ➜ Appendix 7
6

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information

Exercises Unit

13.1 Complete the sentences using the verbs in brackets. Use the present perfect
13
where possible. Otherwise use the past simple.
The office is empty now.
1 2 Everybody
(go) home.

I can’t get in.


I ’ve lost (lose) my
key.

3 4

I meant to call you last


night, but I
(forget). Helen
(go) to Egypt for a holiday, but
she’s back home in England
now.

5 Are you OK? 6

Yes, I
(have) a headache, but
I’m fine now.
Can you help us? Our car

(break) down.

13.2 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. grew
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.

13.3 Put the verb into the correct form, present perfect or past simple.
1 It stopped raining for a while, but now it’s raining again. (it / stop)
2 The town where I live is very different now. It has changed a lot. (it /
change)
3 I studied German at school, but most of it now. (I / 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 “: Are you still reading the paper?
•: No, 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)

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information
9 Quick! We need to call an ambulance. an accident. (there / be)
10 “: Have you heard about Ben? his arm. (he / break)
•: Really? How ? (that / happen)
“: off a ladder. (he / fall)
27

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information

Unit
14 Present perfect and past 2 (I have done and I
A 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 What time … ?:
When did your friends arrive? (not have … arrived)
What time did you finish work?
Compare:

Present perfect
Tom has lost his key. He Past simple
can’t get into the house. Tom lost his key
Is Carla here or has she yesterday. He couldn’t
left? get into the house. When
did Carla leave?

B Compare: I have never played golf. (in


my life)
Present perfect (have done)
I’ve done a lot of work today. It’s the last day of your
holiday. You say: It’s been a
We use the present perfect for a really good holiday.
period of time that continues until I’ve really enjoyed it.
now. For example:
today / this week / since 2007.

unfinis
hed
today
past now

It hasn’t rained this week.


Have you seen Anna this
morning? (it is still morning)
Have you seen Tim recently?
I don’t know where Lisa is. I
haven’t seen her. (= I haven’t
seen her recently)
We’ve been waiting for an
hour. (we are still waiting
now)
Jack lives in Los Angeles. He
has lived
there for seven years.

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information
Did you see Tim on Sunday?
‰: Was Lisa at the party on Sunday?
Past simple (did) Š: I don’t think so. I didn’t see her.
I did a lot of work yesterday.
We use the past simple for a We waited (or were waiting) for
finished time in the past. For an hour. (we are no longer
example: waiting)
yesterday / last week / from 2007 to 2010.
Jack lived in New York for ten
unfinished years. Now he lives in Los
yesterda Angeles.
y I didn’t play golf last summer.
past now
After you come back from
It didn’t rain last week. holiday you say: It was a
Did you see Anna this really good holiday.
morning? (it is now I really enjoyed it.
afternoon or evening)

28 Past simple ➜ Unit 5 Present perfect ➜ Units 7–8 Present perfect and past 1 ➜ Unit 13

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information

Exercises Unit

14.1 Are the underlined parts of these sentences right or wrong? Correct them where
14
necessary.
1 I’ve lost my key. I can’t find it anywhere. OK
2 Have you eaten a lot of sweets when you were a child? Did you 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?

14.2 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 weather
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?)

14.3 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 (I / not / be) there.’
2 When (I / get) home last night, (I / be)
very tired and (I / go) straight to bed.
3 ’: (you / see) Lisa recently?
”: 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) in a bank 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 ’: (you / go) to the cinema last night?
”: 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.’

14.4 Write sentences about yourself using the ideas in brackets.


1 (something you haven’t done today) I haven’t eaten any fruit today
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 (something you’ve done a lot recently)

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information
➜ Additional exercises 2–4 (pages 303–04), 14–15 (pages 310–11) 29

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information

Unit
15 Past perfect (I had done)
A Study this example situation:

at 10.30 at Sarah went to a party last week. Paul went to


11.00 the party too, but they didn’t see each other.
Paul left the party at 10.30 and Sarah arrived at
Bye! Hi! 11 o’clock. So:
When Sarah arrived at the party, Paul wasn’t
there. He had gone home.
Had gone is the past perfect (simple):
gon
I/we/they/ (= I’d etc.)
had e
you (= he’d
see
he/she/it etc.)
n
finished
etc.

The past perfect simple is had + past participle


(gone/seen/finished etc). Sometimes we talk about something that
happened in the past:
Sarah arrived at the party.
This is the starting point of the story. Then, if we want to talk about things that happened
before this time, we use the past perfect (had …):
When Sarah arrived at the party, Paul had already gone home.
Some more examples:
When we got home last night, we found that somebody had broken into the
flat. Karen didn’t want to go to the cinema with us because she’d already
seen the movie.
At first I thought I’d done the right thing, but I soon realised that I’d made a big
mistake. The man sitting next to me on the plane was very nervous. He hadn’t
flown before.
or … He had never flown before.

B Compare the present perfect (have seen etc.) and the past perfect (had seen etc.):
Present
perfect Past
perfect
have
seen had seen
past no pa now
w st
Who is that woman? I’ve seen
I wasn’t sure who she was. I’d seen
her before, but I can’t remember
her before, but I couldn’t remember
where. We aren’t hungry. We’ve
where. We weren’t hungry. We’d
just had lunch.
just had lunch.
The house is dirty. They
The house was dirty. They hadn’t
haven’t cleaned it for weeks.
cleaned it for weeks.

C Compare the past simple (left, was etc.) and the past perfect (had left, had been etc.):

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information
‹: Was Tom there when you
arrived? Ž: Yes, but he left soon ‹: Was Tom there when you
afterwards. arrived? Ž: No, he had already
left.
Kate wasn’t at home when I
phoned. She was at her mother’s Kate had just got home when I
house. phoned. She had been at her
mother’s house.

30 Past perfect continuous ➜ Unit 16 Irregular verbs (gone/seen etc.) ➜ Appendix 1

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information

Exercises Unit

15.1 Read the situations and write sentences from the words in brackets.
15
1 You went to Sue’s house, but she wasn’t
there. (she / go / out) She had gone
out.
2 You went back to your home town after many years. It wasn’t the same as
before. (it / change / a lot)
3 I invited Rachel to the party, but she couldn’t
come. (she / arrange / to do something else)
4 You went to the cinema last night. You got to the
cinema late. (the film / already / start)
5 It was nice to see Daniel again after such a long
time. (I / not / see / him for five years)
6 I offered Sue something to eat, but she wasn’t
hungry. (she / just / have / breakfast)

15.2 For each situation, write a sentence ending with never … before. Use the
verb in brackets.
1 The man sitting next to you on the plane was very nervous. It was his
first flight. (fly) He’d never flown before.
2 Somebody sang a song. I didn’t know it.
(hear) I

before.
3 Sam played tennis yesterday. He wasn’t very good at it because it was his
first game. (play) He
4 Last year we went to Mexico. It was our first time
there. (be there) We

15.3 Use the sentences on the left to complete the paragraphs on the right.
These sentences are in the order in which they happened – so (a)
happened before (b), (b) before (c) etc. But your paragraph begins with the
underlined sentence, so sometimes you need the past perfect.
1 (a) Somebody broke into the office during ⎫ We arrived at work in the morning and
the night. ⎪ found that somebody had broken
(b) We arrived at work in the ⎬
into the office during the night. So

morning.
(c) We called the ⎭ the police.
police.
2 (a) Laura went out this morning. ⎫ I went to Laura’s house this morning and
(b) I rang her doorbell. ⎪
rang her doorbell, but no
(c) There was no ⎬
⎭⎪ answer.
answer.
3 (a) Jim came back from holiday a few
days ago. ⎫ I met Jim a few days ago.

(b) I met him the same
day. ⎬just holiday.

⎭ very well.
(c) He looked very well.
4 (a) Kevin sent Sally lots of emails. ⎫ Yesterday Kevin from
(b) She never replied to ⎪ Sally. very surprised.
them.
(c) Yesterday he got a phone call from ⎬
⎪ lots of emails,
her.
(d) He was very ⎭ but .
surprised.
Put the verb into the correct form, past perfect (I had done) or past simple (I did).
15.4
1 ‘Was Paul at the party when you arrived?’ ‘No, he had gone (go) home.’
© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.
University Press org
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in
Use Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
More information
2 I felt very tired when I got home, so I (go) straight to bed.
3 The house was very quiet when I got home. Everybody (go) to bed.
4 Sorry I’m late. The car (break) down on my way here.
5 We were driving along the road when we (see) a car which
(break) down, so we (stop) to help.

➜ Additional exercises 5–8 (pages 304–07) 31

© in this web service Cambridge www.cambridge.


University Press org

You might also like