'ilfflll

1 The present perfect simple Getting started

_ Read the newspaper interview with Andrew and Esther and answer the questions.

a) What animals have Andrew and Esther worked with? ........ " ................................................ . b) Would they like to change jobs with each other? ................................................................ .

A ndrew Hayton, 26, has worked at Longleat Safari Park* for more than eight years. He is currently an elephant keeper and has also looked after rhinos.

Why did you choose this job? I had been doing various jobs here. I heard about the rhino vacancy and I thought, 'This is the job for me' - I've always liked animals.

Have you ever thought of working in a zoo? Zoos are very good and have a place, but not for larger animals.

Esther Wenman, 30, has worked at London Zoo for nearly seven years. She is head keeper of reptiles, and before that was a bird keeper.

What made you choose this job? I've always been interested in conservation and ecology.

Have you ever thought of working in a safari park? You don't get such good collections of birds and reptiles in safari parks.

*a safari park is a park where wild animals are kept and in which they can move freely

a rhino

a reptile

2 Underline seven examples of the present perfect simple in the text (have / has + past participle).

3 Look at these sentences: Esther has worked at London Zoo for seven years. Elaine worked at London Zoo for seven years. Who still works at London Zoo now: Esther or Elaine? ............... .

if

Looking at language The present perfect simple Use

We use the present perfect simple when we want to link the past with the present in some way. Compare it with the past simple:

The past simple: The present perfect simple: talks about the past only: links the past with the present:

I knew her when I was a child. I've known her for ten years. (I met her ten years ago, and I still know her now)

is concerned with a specific past time, does not generally refer to a speCific past time. either mentioned or understood. I've been to London.

I went to London.

is used with time expressions to talk is used with time expressions to talk about about finished periods of time: periods of time that are not finished:

I saw Jeremy yesterday. Clare~ been a teacher for five years.

The chart below shows three ways in which the present perfect links the past and present. Note the time expressions that often occur with these three uses.

Use Time expressions Examples

1 We use the present perfect for + period of time Andrew has worked here for simple to talk about since + a moment in eight years / since 2001. something that started in time (he still works here) the past and is still always I've always liked animals. continuing now. (I still like animals)

2 We use the present perfect before He has looked after rhinos simple to talk about ever in questions = at before. something that happened in any time before now Have you ever thought of the past and is part of our never to form negatives working in a zoo? experience. I've never thought of working

in a zoo.

3 We use the present perfect recently = not long ago I've hurt my arm. (and it's simple to talk about just = a short time painful now) something that happened in before now A rhino has escaped from the the past but the result is already = before now zoo. (it's not in the zoo now) important now. It is often yet = not before now I've seen her recently. used to give news. but going to happen He's just returned from

abroad. I've already seen that film. Have you finished yet?

THE PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

Note that the meaning of the present perfect simple changes if there is no time expression. Compare:

Shd lived in Mexico City for six years. (she still lives there now - Use 1) She's lived in Mexico City. (at some time before now, but she doesn't live there now - Use 2)

, fill in the gaps in the phrases with for or since. 1 ................ a long time 7 ............... Wednesday 13 ................ years 2 .............. my last birthday 8 ............... 5 March 1999 14 ............... December 3 ............... ages 9 ................ a few hours 15 ................ a fortnight 4 ................ I last saw her 10 ................ yesterday 16 ................ two o'clock 5 .. New Year's Eve 11 ................ we were children 6 ............... half an hour 12 ................ six weeks

Form

The present perfect is formed with have / has and the the past participle. There are many irregular past participles: go - gone, see - seen, become - become. See Appendix 1 for a list.

Positive statements Negative statements Wh- questions

I / you / we / they have eaten I / you / we / they have not Where have you eaten? (haven't) eaten

she / he / it has eaten she hasn't eaten Where has she eaten?

Yes / No questions Positive short answers Negative short answers

Have you eaten? Yes, we have. No, we haven't. Has she eaten? Yes, she has. No, she hasn't.

Other points

He's been to Mozambique means 'he isn't there now'; it's past experience (Use 2). He's gone to Mozambique means 'he's there now'; it's news (Use 3).

Changes are often described using the present perfect (Use 3). Inflation has risen again in the past few months.

News often starts with the present perfect (Use 3) but changes to the past simple for details:

Have you heard about Sany? She's lost her job. She found out two days ago. This tense change is also true for talking about past experience (Use 2):

A: Have you ever been to Japan? B: Yes, twice actually. I first went in 1996, and then I returned last year.

2 Match each present perfect sentence to a use 0-3) from the boxes on page 36. a) Quick! Get a cloth! I've spilt my coffee .. . b) I love this watch. I've had it for years .... .. c) I've been in a helicopter, but I've never been in a balloon ......

LOOKING AT LANGUAGE _

Getting it right

.. Exercise 1 Thinking about meaning In situations 1-10 below, tick (,.I') the best sentence, a) or b), for the speaker to use.

Example: The baby's a day old and is doing well.

1 It's 7.30 a.m. The postman usually comes between 7.15 a.m. and 7.45 a.m.

2 I'm talking about my trip around Eastern Europe last year.

3 Alice is a good friend of mine.

4 I'm telling you this just after I heard the news.

5 He is back with his family now.

6 My knee is much better now.

7 I'm giving a friend recent news about Alexander.

8 Mike didn't get the job.

9 I'm still studying maths with the same teacher.

10 The drug was never used because it was dangerous.

I> Exercise 2 Learning from learners

a) My sister's had a baby. . .t. b) My sister had a baby. ..... a) The postman hasn't come yet. ..... b) The postman didn't come this morning ...... a) I haven't been to Prague ..... . b) I didn't go to Prague ..... . a) She's known me since we were children ..... . b) She knew me when we were children. a) A large shark has attacked a swimmer on

Australia's western coast. ..... b) A large shark attacked a swimmer on

Australia's western coast ..... .

a) No one has seen him for ten days b) No one saw him for ten days ...... a) I've hurt my knee ..... . b) I hurt my knee ..... . a) Alexander has given up smoking. b) Alexander gave up smoking ..... . a) Mike's applied for a new job ..... . b) Mike applied for a new job .. a) I've learnt a lot from my maths teacher. b) I learnt a lot from my maths teacher ...... a) Scientists have found a new drug .. b) Scientists found a new drug ......

A learner completed a present perfect / past simple gap-fill exercise which is a conversation between two old friends. Check the answers, and write right or correct them.

A: IJ!l-V~. you~e.?:-r1. (see) William recently? He ~~ (grow) a beard! ,

B: Yes, actually. I 1 Ve..s~l). (see) him last week in the supermarket. I think the beard suits him.

A: Yes, it's OK. He 2 's .Io.st, (lose) a lot of hair in the past few years though. B: Oh, poor William! All of us 3ch~ (change) quite a lot. Look at

Marsha. She 4 .I.o~t. (lose) so much weight since she was a teenager.

III!!. l'''1lT 7 THF PRF''f''1T PFRFECT Slll1Pl F

~"i,9.h.t .................. . h0.5 .J.roUJ.n .......... ..

1 ......................... .

2 ......................... . 3 ........................ .. 4 ......................... .

A: Yes. I 5 hlJ.:~~ never .~r. .Qk/E?, :1:0. (be able to) lose weight. Anyway, the reason I 6 'YR--.~~?4, (ask) you about William was that he 7 :$d~c;(d.l;d. (decide) to have a college reunion next month and we're all invited. He's only inviting people he 8 ~~.~t (meet) at college.

B: That sounds fun. I 9 .1>lR--.{ (meet) William on my first day of college. We were only 17 and he seemed really shy. He 10 ch~ (change) a lot since then, that's for sure.

. \: Look, I'd better go. I'm going to a friend's house, but I 11 hO-YE?I')J*~1') (not be) there before and I don't want to get lost and be late. She 12 j~t. !I':IOY~. (just move) house and is having a party to celebrate.

[> Exercise 3 Getting the form right

5 ........................ .. 6 ........................ .. 7 8 ......................... . 9 ........................ ..

10 ......................... . II ........................ .. 12 ......................... .

Read the letter to a newspaper travel advice column and fill in the gaps with a verb from the box in the present perfect tense.

be be give go up have have hear like read return visit

Dear Susie

I hqy!!. not hqd a holiday for a very long time, but this summer my company 1 ............... me four weeks' holiday, so I want to go somewhere really exciting.

I 2 ............... always .............. travelling and 3 ............... lots of

exciting trips in the past. This year I'm not sure where I want to go.

I 4 already ................ to Africa and Asia but I 5 ............. ..

never .... South America so maybe that's where I should go.

A friend of mine 6 ................ recently ............... from Brazil and she has some

wonderful photographs of the carnival in Rio. However, I 7 .............. ..

that a trip to Brazil is quite expensive and the cost of airfares 8 ............... .

just ................ . Can you give me any advice about a good place to go? 19 .. ............. your travel

page every week for the past year, and really respect your advice. 10 ................ you

ever ........... .. ... to Brazil yourself?

GETTING IT RIGHT _

t> Exercise 4 Writing a text from notes Complete the profile of Sarah Murray, international chef, using the notes in italics and the present perfect. What is the one factual mistake?

~~>Sarah Murray was born in 1962 in Canada and got her first job as a hotel chef in 1989. .... ......... ...i.,,':.C??fLf.l.f'y

:he present perfect continuous

Getting started

1 Read the article about some unusual Christmas cards. Why are they unusual?

II C ~ath'ri", Wild b" b,,,,, ,,,civing Christmas cards from the same family

for the past 17 years. This year the usual card dropped through her letter box from 'Pat and Roger and family' with an extra card they want passed on to Auntie Muriel. Mrs Wild, aged 67, has no idea who is sending the cards. She started receiving the cards after she bought her home in Worcester from a woman called Dawn. She spent years trying to solve the Christmas card puzzle, but now she has given up and puts the card up on the wall every Christmas. 'If only I knew who it

ra:as from!' said Mrs Wild.

(adapted from an article by Richard Smith in The Independent, 21 December 1996)

2 look at examples a), b) and c) of different tenses from the text: a) Catherine Wild has been receiving Christmas cards from the same family for the past 17 years. b) She started receiving the cards after she bought her home in Worcester from a woman called

Dawn. c) She spent years trying to solve the Christmas card puzzle, but now she has given up and puts the

card up on the wall every Christmas.

Match sentences a), b) and c) to the following tenses: the past simple ..... the present perfect simple .... the present perfect continuous

3 Match the tenses in Exercise 2 to the following uses: a) an action in the past which has a result in the present ......................................... .. b) repeated actions which began in the past and are still continuing ................................... .. c) a single past action ............................................................................................. ..

Looking at language

The present perfect continuous Use

The present perfect continuous describes activities happening in the period up to now. It can be used: 1 to say how long an activity or situation has been in progress (usually with for and since).

The activity (or situation) began in the past and is still going on or it has just stopped: Catherine Wild has been receiving Christmas cards from the same family for the past 17 years. She has been living in Worcester since she bought the house.

2 to focus on an activity itself. The result of the activity is not important. It is either still going on or it has just stopped:

A: What have you been doing? B: I've been cooking. (the cooking is important; what you cooked is not)

Sometimes the past activity may have a present result: A: You look tired. B: Yes, I've been sleeping badly.

Simple or continuous?

Compare the uses of the present perfect simple and the present perfect continuous.

We use the present perfect simple: We use the present perfect continuous: to show that an action was repeated: to show that an action was repeated:

I've had interviews all year but I still I've been having interviews all year but I don't have a job. still don't have a job.

or to say how many times it happened: Note that we cannot say how many times it I've had six interviews but I still don't happened using the continuous: I've ~eel1 have ajob. /ottf~'tlt~ !jH< tltfel"1 te~~!j.

to focus on the result or completion of an to talk about the activity itself: activity: A: What have you been doing this

A: What have you done this afternoon? afternoon? B: I've watched some athletics and written B: I've been watching the athletics. (my

a letter. (completed activities this activity this afternoon, which is not afternoon) necessarily completed)

(See Unit 7 for more uses.) We don't use adverbs like before and already with the present perfect continuous. We don't say: I've Hem !jeetJt~ /otel' ~~~I,. We say: I've seen her before.

UNIT 8 THE PRESENT PrRHCT CONTINllOUS

Some verbs (see Stative verbs in Unit 3) are not often used in a continuous form. We use the present perfect simple for these verbs: We don't say: rYe Been kltB ,,.ing Her since 1 'Ii ti'S ti't cHBBl.

We say: THey". e 8een Itti') ing thti't HBttse Jar) et/:/'j. I've known her since I was at school. They've had that house for years.

See Unit 7 for the difference between for and since.

1 Are the sentences below right or wrong? Write right or wrong. 1 Oh dear. I've been breaking the window .. 2 They've scored three goals already and it's only half time ................ . 3 We've been having holidays in Spain for years ................ . 4 How many exercises have you been doing? ... . S I haven't understood these questions ................ .

Form

The present perfect continuous is formed with have / has + been + -ing.

Positive statements Negative statements Wh- questions

I / you / we / they have been 1 have not (haven't) Where have they been working been working working?

she / he / it has been she has not (hasn't) been Where has he been working working working?

Yes / No questions Positive short answers Negative short answers

Have they been working? Yes, they have. No, they haven't. Has he been working? Yes, he has. No, he hasn't.

LOOKING AT LANGUAGE

Getting it right

.. Exercise 1 Understanding meaning Tick (.I) the best statement for each response. Statements Responses

Example: I've been thinking about changing my job. ..... Oh really? What did you decide? I've thought about changing my job .. ~

1 a) I've been writing a letter. ..... Oh. Have you posted it yet? b) I've written a letter ......

2 a) I think he's been working in a restaurant. ..... b) I think he's worked in a restaurant. .....

3 a) I've been thinking .... b) I've thought of something.

4 a) They've been paying me too much ..... . b) They've paid me too much.

5 a) She's taken painkillers. b) She's been taking painkillers.

6 a) I've had a problem with the computer. b) I've been having problems with the

computer ..... . 7 a) He's climbed Mont Blanc, you know ..

b) He's been climbing Mont Blanc, you know ...... 8 a) I've been mending the roof. .....

b) I've mended the roof.

Extension Write a response for each statement you didn't tick.

Yes, I think he was a waiter.

Have you? What about?

Lucky you! For how long?

I know. I think she should stop.

What's the matter with it?

Really? When did he do that?

I know. Have you nearly finished?

Example: I've been thinking about changing my job. Response: Oh realhe Whit's that?

~ UNIT 8 _ THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

> Exercise 2 Matching Complete each sentence, 1-11, with a suitable ending, a)-I). If two endings are possible, write both letters. You can use endings more than once.

Example: I've cut s}, .. .;:) 1 I've been cutting ......... 2 We've talked .... 3 We've been talking ........ . 4 The foreign minister has been visiting. 5 The foreign minister has visited ........ . 6 He's been having ........ . 7 He's had 8 The kids have played ......... 9 The kids have been playing

10 My mother's made. 11 My mother's been making

~ Exercise 3 Choosing the right tense

a) another accident. b) Brunei twice in the last year. c) some pictures out of magazines. d) football in the park since lunchtime. e) a lot of arguments recently D about you. g) my finger, and it hurts! h) my wedding dress. It's going to look

wonderful when it's finished. i) two games of cards already. j) about getting a dog before, and the

answer is 'No'! k) my wedding dress. It's wonderful. 1) MalaYSia, Brunei and the Philippines.

In this conversation, fill in the gaps using the verb in brackets in the past simple or the present perfect simple or continuous.

A: I'm exhausted. I :v~ .. &!,pnhqpp.i.t:zf3. (shop) all afternoon and I don't seem to have found anything.

B: What 1 ...... .................. (you / look) for? A: Oh,2 I '" ... (try) to find Suzie a birthday present. B: Well, what does she like? A: She loves clothes, so I've been to about ten clothes shops but I 3 .......................... (not find)

anything suitable yet. 14................ .. (go) to about five others yesterday too! B: She 5 .......................... (read) a lot recently; hasn't she? 6 ....................... (you / think) of a

book? I 7 ....................... (just / look) at some really good new novels at that bookshop in the shopping centre.

A: Good idea - I'll have a look. What about you? Have you had a good day? B: Well, I 8 ............. . ........ (look) for weeks for a bag to match this jacket, and at last I

9 ......................... (find) one. Here it is!

GETTING IT RIGHT ..

t> Exercise 4 Learning from learners A student has asked her teacher to check an e-mail to a friend. The teacher has underlined the mistakes. Rewrite the mistakes using the past simple, present perfect simple or present perfect continuous.

Hi Kyoko I'm sorry I didn't write for such a long time. How are you? 1 What you do since 2 I have last seen you in Tokyo last Christmas? I remember you weren't feeling too good. 3 Did you meet the man of your dreams yet? As for me, for the last two months 4 I am trying to do two things at once - preparing for my final exams in June, and looking for a job. 5 I've been having three interviews with different magazine companies, but 6 I don't have any luck yet. Did you know that 7 I wrote short weekly articles for the local newspaper since April? 8 I've been writing ten or twelve already. E-mail me soon and tell me your news. Bye!

Example: .. !. hl1.Yfn: t. wr.it.kn ............... ............... . 1 ....................................................... . 5 .................................................................. . 2 6 3 ........................................................... . 7 ................ . 4 8 ................................................................. .

Classwork 1 Sometimes we can tell what people have been doing by the way they look or how they say

they feel. For example, working on the computer can give you sore eyes. Think of an activity and its effect. Then get into groups of three or four.

:2 Imagine you have been doing this activity. Don't tell your group the activity but tell them, or show them, the effect.

Example: You could rub your eyes to show that you've got sore eyes.

The group asks you questions, using the present perfect continuous, to find out what the activity was.

Example: Have you been chopping onions? Have you been watching television? Have you been using a computer?

No, I haven't. No, I haven't. Yes, I have. Now its your tum.

4 Continue until everyone in the group has had a turn.

D.... UNIT 8 THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Explanations

7

Explanations Recent events Present perfect simple

The present perfect simple is used to describe recent events. I've left my shopping bag behind.

The event happened in the past, but there is a result in the present. I've broken my arm, as you can see.

No definite time is given for the event, but to emphasise the idea of recentness we can use just.

I've just broken my watch. We can also describe events that have not happened.

/ haven't found her phone number yet. Indefinite events Present perfect simple

No definite time is given for the events. They are a series of actions in our life up to now.

I've been to France three times. After It's/This is the first/second time we use the present perfect. It also refers to our life up to now.

This is the first time I have eaten Japanese food. Compared with past simple

Events described using the past simple have definite times. / went to France last year. I ate at a Japanese restaurant on Saturday.

If we think of a definite place for an event, this may suggest a definite time. / left my shopping bag on the train.

Extended or Present perfect simple repeated events The present perfect simple describes a state which lasts up to the present.

I've lived in this house for five years. The present perfect simple can describe a habitual action in a period of time up to the present.

I've never worn a tie to work, and I refuse to start now! Present perfect continuous

The present perfect continuous can also describe a state which lasts up to the present moment.

I've been living in this house for five years. There is little difference in meaning between simple and continuous in this case, or with How long questions.

How long have you lived/been living in this house? The verbs wait, sit, lie, stay prefer the present perfect continuous.

I've been waiting for ages.

FIRST CERTIF ICATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE

8

For, since, ago See Grammar 14 for contrast between these time expressions.

Present perfect Completed action simple or The present perfect simple can show that an action is complete. continuous? I've finished my homework!

If we say how many or how much we use the simple form. A certain amount has been completed.

I've written ten pages of my homework! Not completed

The present perfect continuous can show that an action is not completed, or that it has finished recently.

We've been walking for hours! Let's have a rest. I've been digging the garden. That's why I'm so dirty!

Present result or action in progress We use the present perfect simple if our attention is on the present result.

I've written my homework. Now I can watch the television. We use the present perfect continuous if our attention is on the action in progress.

I've been writing my homework all evening! I didn't know it would take so long.

G R A M M A R 2 PRESENT PERFECT

Choose a suitable description for each picture.

a)

b)

l) Did you enjoy the match? 2) Have you enjoyed the match?

1) What have you been doing? 2) What have you done?

C)

d)

e)

f)

1) He was married six times. 2) He has been married six times.

1) How long have you been here? 2) How long are you here for?

1) I've been waiting for two hours. 2) I waited for two hours.

1) Where did Wendy go? 2) Where has Wendy been?

9

2. Underline the most suitable verb form in each sentence.

a) Did you see/Have you seen my bag anywhere? I can't find it. b) Larry is writing/has been writing/has written his novel for the last two years. c) From the minute he got up this morning Gary asked/has asked/has been asking

silly questions! d) Have you given/Did you give Helen my message when you have seen/saw her? e) Sorry, could you say that again? I didn't listen/haven't listened/haven't been

listening to you. f) The police think that they found/have found your wallet, so call this number. g) Did you two meet/Have you two met before? Eric, this is Amanda, h) Did you meet/Have you met anyone interesting at the reception?

3 Put each verb in brackets into a suitable verb form.

a) I'm sorry about not coming last week. I (have) had. a cold and so I (stay) at home.

b) Wait a minute! I (have) an idea. Let's go and see Roger. We last (see) him a long time ago.

c) It's nice to be back here in London. This is the second time I (come) here.

d) I'm phoning about your bicycle for sale, which I (see) in the local paper. (you sell) it? Or is it still available?

e) This place is in a terrible mess! What on earth (you do) ? f) And now for an item of local news. Hampshire police (find)

the dangerous snake which (go) missing earlier in the week.

g) This tooth (kill) me lately! So I (make) an appointment with the dentist for next Tuesday.

h) I can't give you the report I (promise) for today because I (not finish) it.

4 Underline the most suitable t ime expression.

a) I haven't seen Gerry for/since a long time. How is he? b) It's ages ago/since I last went to a football match. c) I've written to Deborah last week/recently. d) What have you been doing today/yesterday? e) Have you eaten Italian food before/already? f) I've been living here in/since the end of last year. g) Actually I had dinner with Sue last night/lately. h) I've been trying to get in touch with David for ages/for the last time. i) Terry hasn't been to Edinburgh since/when we went there together. .j) I can't remember how long/when I've had this watch.

FIRST CERTIF ICATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE

10

G R A M M A R 2 PRESENT PERFECT

5 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

a) Steve started learning the violin a month ago. learning Steve has been learning the violin for a month.

b) I haven't been to an Indian restaurant for ages. since It's ages an Indian restaurant.

c) When she heard the results, Mary began to feel more confident. become Since hearing the results more confident.

d) The last time Nancy came here was in 1986. since Nancy hasn't 1986.

e) This is my first visit to Japan. time This is the first to Japan.

f) How long have Helen and Robert been married? get When married?

g) Jack bought those trousers last month, and has been wearing them ever since. for Jack has a month.

h) It's a long time since our last conversation. spoken We long time.

i) Thanks, but I had something to eat earlier. already Thanks, but I've eat.

j) This is my first game of water-polo. played I before.

11

FIRST CERTIF ICATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE

6 Put each verb in brackets into either the present perfect simple or the present perfect continuous.

a) Someone (eat) has eaten all the cakes. I'll have to buy some more. b) What (you buy) your sister for her birthday? c) My throat is really sore. I (sing) all evening. d) Brenda (learn) Russian, but she finds it difficult. e) How many people (you invite) to your party? f) Those two cats (sit) on that branch for the last hour. g) It (rain) all day! Why can't it stop? h) Diana (wear) twelve different dresses in the past week! i) I (do) everything you asked. What should I do now? j) Graham and Pauline (try) to find a house for ages,

but they can't find one they can afford.

7 Put each verb in brackets into either the past simple, the present perfect simple, or the present perfect continuous.

It was announced in London this morning that the British Oil Corporation (1) ...has discovered (discover) oil under the sea near the Welsh coast. The company, which (2) (drill) for oil in the area since 2001, (3) (find) small amounts of oil near Swansea last month, and since then (4) (discover) larger amounts under the seabed nearby. Last year the government (5) (lend) over 50,000,000 to BOC, and (6) (give) permission for the company to build an oil refinery and other facilities in South Wales.

The reaction of local people to today's news (7) (be) mixed so far. Local MPs (8) (already welcome) the news, pointing out that the oil industry will bring badly needed jobs to the area. But local residents are worried about the danger of pollution. 'Nobody (9) (ask) us yet what we want,' said Ann Griffiths, leader of the Keep Out The Oil Campaign. 'Look what (10) (happen) when they (11) (find) oil in Scotland in the 1960s. The oil companies (12) (get) rich, not the local people. BOC (13) (not tell) us the truth about what this is going to mean for our people.' A BOC spokesman later (14) (refuse) to comment. Meanwhile local campaigners (15) (ask) the government to hold an inquiry.

12

G R A M M A R 2 PRESENT PERFECT

8 Look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word which should not be there. Tick each correct line. If a line has a word which should not be there, write the word in the space.

A letter from the builders Dear Mrs Sangster, Just a quick note to explain what we have been done so far this month. The work on the kitchen has gone well so far, although we haven't already finished knocking down the outside wall yet. So I wrote to you last week and have explained that two of my workmen were ill. They have quite recovered now, I am glad to say, and they have came back to work yesterday. As the weather has been bad we have been work inside most of the time, and all the painting is now been finished. We have also put in a new window in the kitchen, as you have instructed in your last letter. As you have not been visiting here for two weeks we have not had the chance to discuss the walls. When we checked them we have discovered that they are in a dangerous condition. I'll let you know what we have do to them. Best wishes, Andrew Turner, Builder

13

FIRST CERTIF ICATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE

K e y p o i n t s 1 The present perfect simple describes events without a definite time. Either these events take place in a period of time leading up to the present moment, or the result of the event is still evident. The choice between the present perfect simple and the past simple can depend on how the speaker thinks. Compare:

A: What's the matter? A: What's the matter? B: I've had an accident. B: / had an accident.

In the second example, the speaker thinks of the event as finished rather than still connected with the present.

2 Events described with the present perfect simple may be recent, or not. 3 The present perfect continuous is used for an action in progress. It suggests that

the action is unfinished, or recently finished. Compare: I've read this book. (completion of the action is emphasised) I've been reading this book. (the action itself is emphasised - it may not be

complete) The present perfect continuous can also emphasise the length of time of the action.

4 For refers to a finished or unfinished period of time. / waited for three hours. He's been sitting there for ages.

Since refers to the point at which an unfinished period of time began. He's been sitting there since two o'clock.

Ago refers to the time of a finished event. Jill arrived a week ago.

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