Present Perfect: Since and For

Bill Gates and Microsoft

6

Focus on Grammar 3Part IV, Unit 16By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ WellsCopyright © 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Who Is Bill Gates?Who Is Bill Gates?

Bill Gates is one of the richest and most successful business executives in the world. Millions of people have used his computer programs for the past three decades.

Bill Gates has always loved working with computers. In fact, he has programmed computers since his early teens.

He has been the CEO of Microsoft Corporation since 1975. Since then, Bill Gates has written several books and has given billions of dollars to schools. For the last several years, he and his wife Melinda have donated a substanial amount of money to organizations working in global health.

Form 1Form 1

The present perfect is formed with:

Bill Gates has beenhas been the CEO since 1975.

Many people have usedhave used Microsoft’s programs.

+form of have

past participle

Form 2 Form 2

Past participles can be regularregular or irregularirregular.

Gates has always loved loved working with computers.

The regular form of the past participle isbase form of verb + -d or -ed.

The regular form of the past participle isbase form of verb + -d or -ed.

Gates has beenhas been the CEO since 1975.

He and his wife have givenhave given lots of money to schools.

Form 3Form 3

There are many irregular past participles.

There are many irregular past participles.

Past participles can be regular or irregular.

Form 4Form 4

Note these common irregular past participlescommon irregular past participles.

write – written give – given

be – been see – seen

read – read do

– done

Bill Gates has been CEO of Microsoft since 1975.

Present Perfect Present Perfect

Use the present perfect to talk about something that began in the past and continues into the present (and may continue into the future).

future

1975

past

now

since 1975.

has been CEO

Bill Gates has written several books since 1975.

Using Since 1 Using Since 1

Use the present perfect with since + point in time to show when something started.

future

1975

past

now

since 1975.

has written several books

Gates has programmed computers since he was 13 years old.

Using Since 2Using Since 2

SinceSince can also introduce a time clause.

future

age 13

past

now

since he was 13 years old.

has programmed computers

time clausetime clause

Change the sentences to present perfect. Add the since phrase in parentheses and delete any past tense time phrases.

Maria was in the garden yesterday. (since 9 a.m.)since 9 a.m.)

Practice 1Practice 1

Maria has been in the garden since 9 a.m.Maria has been in the garden since 9 a.m.

1. Bill Gates wrote many emails yesterday. (since 1975)since 1975)

2. They gave a lot of books to schools last year. (since 1990)since 1990)

3. I saw many friends last weekend. (since I came home)since I came home)

4. My sister read many articles last night. (since last August)since last August)

5. My friend worked at a pizza place a year ago. (since 2003)since 2003)

Example:

Bill Gates has written many emails since 1975.Bill Gates has written many emails since 1975.

They have given a lot of books to schools since 1990.They have given a lot of books to schools since 1990.

I have seen many friends since I came home.I have seen many friends since I came home.

My sister has read many articles since last August.My sister has read many articles since last August.

My friend has worked at a pizza place since 2003.My friend has worked at a pizza place since 2003.

Millions of people have used Gates’s software for the last three decades.

Using For Using For

Use for + length of time to show how long something has lasted.

futurepast

nowfor the last three decades.

have used Gates’s software

for three decades

Since and ForSince and For

Note the difference between sincesince and for for .

five o’clockyesterday

last summer1996

he was a child

since + point in time

for + length of time

ten minutestwo days

three decadesmany yearsa long time

Complete the sentences with since or for.

Bill Gates has been married to Melinda French Gates ___________ 1994.

Practice 2Practice 2

1. Computers have been used in schools __________ more than a decade.

2. I have had a computer in my office __________ the mid-1990s.

3. Many students have worked with computers __________ many years.

4. My computer hasn’t given me any problems __________ last year.

Example:

sincesince

forfor

sincesince

forfor

sincesince

ReferencesReferences

Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education and its licensors. All rights reserved.