Unit 7 Exercises

NAME

Headway New

CLASS

Grammar Reference with exercises

Intermediate

UNIT 7

I’ve never tried bungee jumping. I haven’t tried sushi before.

7.1  the Present Perfect 1 The same form (have + past participle) exists in many European languages, but the uses in English are different. In English, the Present Perfect links past and present. It expresses the effect of the past on the present. PAST



PRESENT PERFECT

3 Present result

The Present Perfect expresses a past action that has a present result. The action is usually in the recent past. The taxi hasn’t arrived yet. (We’re still waiting for it.) What have you done to your lip? (It’s bleeding.) We often announce news in the Present Perfect. Have you heard? The Prime Minister has resigned. Susan’s had her baby! Details will be in the Past Simple. She resigned because she lost a vote of no confidence. It’s a boy. He weighed 3.5kg. Time expressions The adverbs yet, already, and just are common with this use. I haven’t done my homework yet. (negative) Has the postman been yet? (question) I’ve already done my homework. She’s just had some good news. Be careful with been and gone. He’s been to the United States. (experience – he isn’t there now) She’s gone to the United States. (present result – she’s there now)

PRESENT

2 Present Perfect means ‘completed before now’. The Present Perfect does not express when an action happened. If we say the exact time, we use the Past Simple. In my life, I have travelled to all seven continents. I travelled around Africa in 1998.

7.2  Present Perfect 

Exs. 1–3

Form has/have + past participle I’ve lived in Rome. She’s lived in London. He hasn’t lived here long. They haven’t bought their flat. How long have they known Peter? How long has she been married? Short answer Have you always lived in Budapest?

7.3  Present Perfect or Past Simple?  Yes, I have./No, I haven’t.

Use



1 Unfinished past

The Present Perfect expresses an action that began in the past and still continues. We’ve lived in the same house for 25 years. How long have you known each other? They’ve been married for 20 years. Be careful! Many languages express this idea with a present tense, but in English this is wrong. Jan has been a nurse for ten years.  NOT  Jan is a nurse for ten years. Time expressions Notice the time expressions that are common with this use. two years 1970 a month August for a few minutes since 8.00 half an hour I was a child ages Christmas We use for with a period of time and since with a point in time. The Present Perfect expresses an experience that happened at some time in one’s life. The action is finished, but the effects of the action are still felt. I’ve been to the United States. (I still remember.) Have you ever had an operation? (at any time in your life) How many times has he been married? (in his life) Exactly when the action happened is not important. Questions and answers about definite times are expressed in the Past Simple. When did you go to the United States? I broke my leg once. Time expressions The adverbs ever, never, and before are common with this use. Have you ever been to Australia?

New Headway Intermediate

HW4eIntTRD_SBGramRefEx(1).indd

FOURTH EDITION

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Ex. 4

1 The Present Perfect can express unfinished actions. The Past Simple expresses completed actions.

There are three main uses of the Present Perfect.

2 Experience

FOURTH EDITION

Present Perfect I’ve lived in Texas for six years. (I still live there.) I’ve written several books. (I can still write some more.)

Past Simple I lived in Texas for six years. (Now I live somewhere else.) Shakespeare wrote 30 plays. (He can’t write any more.)

2 The Present Perfect refers to indefinite time. The Past Simple refers to definite time. Notice the time expressions used with the two tenses.

Present Perfect – indefinite Past Simple – definite for a long time. yesterday. I’ve done it since July. last week. before. two days ago. recently. I did it at eight o’clock. in 1987. I’ve already done it. when I was young. I haven’t done it yet. for a long time. Be careful with this morning/afternoon, etc. Have you seen Amy this morning? (It’s still morning.) Did you see Amy this morning? (It’s the afternoon or evening.)

7.4  Present Perfect Simple passive 

Ex. 5

Form has/have been + past participle It They

has been have been

sold.

Use The uses are the same in the passive as in the active. Two million cars have been produced so far this year. (unfinished past) Has she ever been made redundant? (past experience) ‘Have you heard? Two hundred homes have been washed away by a tidal wave!’ (present importance)

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NAME

Headway New

CLASS

Grammar Reference with exercises

Intermediate

UNIT 7 EXERCISES

7.5  Present Perfect Continuous Form

1 Complete the conversation with the Present Perfect form of the verbs in brackets and short answers.

has/have + been + -ing She’s been studying for three years. They haven’t been working here long. How long have they been living there?

Use The Present Perfect Continuous expresses: 1 an activity that began in the past and is continuing now. I’ve been studying English for three years. How long have you been working here? Sometimes there is no difference between the simple and the continuous. I’ve played the piano since I was a boy. I’ve been playing the piano since I was a boy. The continuous can express a temporary activity, while the simple expresses a permanent state. I’ve been living in this house for the past few months. (temporary) I’ve lived here all my life. (permanent) Remember: State verbs are rarely used in the continuous (see 2.4 p3). I’ve had this book for ages. I’ve always loved sunny days. 2 a past activity that has caused a present result. I’ve been working all day. (I’m tired now.) Have you been crying? (Your eyes are red.) Roger’s been cutting the grass. (I can smell it.) The past activity might be finished or it might not. The context usually makes this clear. Look out of the window! It’s been snowing! (It has stopped snowing now.) I’ve been writing this book for two years. (It still isn’t finished.) I’m covered in paint because I’ve been decorating the bathroom. (It might be finished or it might not. We don’t know.)

7.6  Present Perfect Simple or Continuous? 

Ex. 6

1 The simple expresses a completed action. I’ve painted the kitchen, and now I’m doing the bathroom. The continuous expresses an activity over a period of time. I’ve got paint in my hair because I’ve been decorating. We use the simple if the sentence has a number or quantity, because the simple expresses completion. The continuous isn’t possible. I’ve been reading all day. I’ve read ten chapters. She’s been eating ever since she arrived. She’s eaten ten biscuits already. 2 Some verbs have the idea of a long time, for example, wait, work, play, try, learn, rain. These verbs are often found in the continuous. I’ve cut my finger. (One short action.) I’ve been cutting firewood. (Perhaps over several hours.) Some verbs don’t have the idea of a long time, for example, find, start, buy, die, lose, break, stop. These verbs are more usually found in the simple. I’ve lost my passport. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

New Headway Intermediate

HW4eIntTRD_SBGramRefEx(1).indd

FOURTH EDITION

13

FOURTH EDITION

How long (1) ____ have you ____ been (be) in Paris? A B For two weeks. A (2) ____ you ____ (start) your new job? B No, I haven’t. I start next week. A (3) ____ you ____ (find) somewhere to live? B No, I (4) ____. I (5) __________ (see) a few apartments but I haven’t found the right one yet. A (6) ____ you ____ (visit) any of the museums and galleries? B Yes, I (7) ____. I (8) __________ (go) to the Louvre but I (9) ___________ (not go) to the Musée Rodin yet. A And (10) ____ your French course ____ (start) yet? B Oh yes, it (11) ____. It’s been really helpful. A Well, good luck with the job and the flat.

2 Complete the sentences with the phrases in the box. the age of two   ten years   a few minutes   10 o’clock   very long 1 I’ve worked in fashion for ___________. 2 She’s lived in this city since ___________. 3 We’ve only been here for ___________. 4 Our guests have been here since ___________. 5 It’s our second anniversary, so we haven’t been married for ___________.

3 Correct the mistakes. 1 2 3 4 5 6

I’ve known Peter since ages. She’s been a qualified pilot for 20 August. You’re late. Where have you gone? Gary and Paul haven’t never been to Portugal. Jo hasn’t already finished cleaning the car. Have they yet eaten?

4 Complete the sentences with the Past Simple or Present Perfect Simple form of the verb in brackets. 1 2 3 4 5 6

hasn’t been (not go) on holiday yet this summer. Ana _________ Leon ____ (go) to school in Dublin until he was twelve. Ute ____ (live) in this house since she was a baby. I ____ (learn) to swim when I was a child. She ____ (not speak) to him for 20 years. Jan ____ (not go) abroad since a business trip in 1998.

5 Rewrite the sentences in the Present Perfect Simple passive. 1 2 3 4 5

No-one has ever robbed me or burgled my house. I have never been robbed, and my house has never been burgled. ___________________________________________________ The company has recruited a number of people recently. ___________________________________________________ Nobody has discovered the cause of the accident. ___________________________________________________ They have held the festival in the city for over two hundred years. ___________________________________________________ I’m so happy! We have finally sold our house! ___________________________________________________

6 Complete the sentences with the correct verb form, Present Perfect Simple or Continuous. 1 I __________ (wait) for you for ages! Where have you been? 2 I __________ (break) a glass. I’m awfully sorry. 3 Wow! You __________ (make) dinner! Let’s eat now. 4 She __________ (sleep) downstairs because she has broken her leg. 5 We __________ (look) for a hotel for two hours! 6 I’m exhausted! I __________ (work) all day, and I __________ (not finish) yet.

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