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DIRECTIONS: Choose the correct tense for each capitalized simple form of the verb.

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MEANINGS OF THE PRESENT PERFECT

a. Jim has already eaten lunch. b. Ana hasn’t eaten lunch yet. c. Have you ever eaten at that

restaurant? d. I’ve never eaten there.

The present perfect refers to activities or situations that occurred or did not occur “before now”, at some unspecified time in

the past.

e. Pete has eaten at that restaurant many times.

f. I’ve been to that theater five

or six times. g. I’ve had three tests so far this

week.

The present perfect refers to the number of times an activity is repeated in life. See that there is

no specific time marker either in

the present or in the past.

h. Erika has lived in this city since 1990.

i. I have known Ben for ten years.

j. We’ve been in class since ten o’clock this morning.

When the present perfect is used with since and for, it refers to actions that began in the past and continue in the present. In this case, the focus is on “duration” or

“period of time”.

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Complete the blanks using the correct forms of SIMPLE PRESENT and

PRESENT PERFECT.

Elmer’s brother, Norbert, (1) ………… (BE) 97 and (2) ………… (LIVE) alone in the city. He (3) ………… (HAVE) an apartment on the top floor of a tall building for the past 20 years. Norbert (4) ………… (BE) a very charming person, so he (5) ………… (HAVE) a lot of friends, and he (6) ………… (LEAD) a busy life. He (7) ………… (ALMOST NEVER – GET OUT) of bed before noon each morning because he (8) ………… (USUALLY – STAY UP) late at night. He also (9) ………… (LIKE) to play cards with his friends in the afternoon. Sometimes, Norbert (10) ………… (GO) to the horse races, and he (11) ………… (ALWAYS –WIN) a lot of money. In the evening, he (12) ………… (USUALLY – TAKE) his girlfriend to an expensive restaurant. He (13) ………… (KNOW) her for over 30 years, but he (14) ………… (NEG – FEEL) that he (15) ………… (BE) ready to get married. Norbert (15) ………… (KNOW) that many people (16) ………… (SPEND) every afternoon in the park, where they (17) ………… (SIT) on a bench and (18) ………… (FEED) the birds. But he (19) ………… (NEVER – GO) into the park since he came to the city because he (20) ………… (THINK) that only elderly people (21) ………… (GO) to parks. Every summer, Norbert (22) ………… (TAKE) a train down to his brother’s farm and (23) ………… (SPEND) some time there. He (24) ………… (BE) there right now. He (25) ………… (ONLY – BE) there for five days, but he (26) ………… (BE) ready to go back to the city. Norbert and his brother Elmer (27) ………… (BE) very different from each other, and they (28) ………… (ARGUE) about everything ever since Norbert arrived on Tuesday. The problem (29) ………… (BE) that Norbert (30) ………… (NEVER – LIKE) the life of a farmer. He (31) ………… (COMPLAIN) for four days

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about getting up at dawn (sunrise) and helping Elmer with the cows. He (32) ………… (FEED) the chickens and gathered eggs all week, but he (33) ………… (NEG – ENJOY) it. The truth (34) ………… (BE) that Norbert (35) ………… (HATE) animals. He (36) ………… (THINK) that horses belong in the races and birds belong in the park and he is sure that people belong in the city! Elmer’s wife, Fiona, (37) ………… (BE) worried about Norbert’s health for many years. She (38) ………… (FEED) him homemade soup and fresh vegetables all week, and she (39) ………… (MAKE) him go to bed at 9:00 every night. She (40) ………… (ALSO TRY) to persuade him to settle down and get married to his girlfriend. Norbert (41) ………… (HEAR) this from her for many years. Every time he (42) ………… (SIGH) and (43) ………… (TELL) her the same thing; that he (44) ………… (BE) a bachelor all his life and he (45) ………… (NEG – WANT) to change now.