Adapted from: Jenny Dooley and Virginia Evans, Grammarway 2, Express Publishing

Present Perfect Simple

have/has + V-ed/3
rd
column
affirmative: She has bought a mobile phone.
interrogative: Has she bought a mobile phone?
negative: She hasnt bought a mobile phone.
Use:
!. "or actions #hich happened at an unstated time in the past. $he e%act time is not mentioned
because it is not important. &e put more emphasis on the action.
* Kim has bought a new house '&hen did she bu( it? &e dont mention the e%act time because it is
not important. &hat is important is the fact that shes got a ne# house).
*. "or actions #hich started in the past and are still continuing in the present.
* !e has been a "ar salesman sin"e #$$% 'He started #or+ing as a car salesman in !,,- and he
still is a car salesman.)
3. "or actions #hich have recentl( finished and their results are visible in the present.
* &hey have done their shopping '&e can see that the( have finished their shopping because
the(re leaving the supermar+et and there are bags in their trolle(.)
.. &ith toda(/ this morning/afternoon/ etc. #hen these periods of time are not finished at the time of
spea+ing.
* !e has made ten dolls this morning '0t is still morning so this period of time is not finished/ and
he #ants to ma+e more dolls this morning.)
Time expressions used with PP':
Affirmative:
for 1 0 have +no#n them for si% (ears.
since 1 She has been ill since 2onda(.
already 1 &e have alread( eaten our lunch.
just 1 0 have 3ust posted the letter.
always 1 She has al#a(s #anted to travel
abroad.
recently 1 He has recentl( published a boo+.
4uestions:
ever 1 Have (ou ever met an(one famous?
how long 1 Ho# long have (ou lived here?
yet 1 Has 5aul left (et?
lately 1 Have (ou seen an( good films latel(?
6egations:
for 1 0 havent tal+ed to him for da(s.
!
since 1 $he( havent been abroad since !,,-.
yet 1 She hasnt ans#ered m( letter (et.
lately 1 0 havent seen 7ohn latel(.
never 1 $he( have never #or+ed abroad.
Present Perfect Passive: has/have + been + V-ed/3
rd
column
She has t(ped the letters. 8 $he letters have been t(ped.
9b3ect 8 Sub3ect
Sub3ect 8 Agent 'b( her)
Past Simple Present Perfect Simple
An action #hich happened at a An action #hich happened at an
stated time in the past. unstated time in the past.

!e won his (irst medal in #$$2 !e has won a lot o( medals
)*hen+ ,n #$$2, the time is mentioned- )*hen+ *e don.t /now, the time is not
stated-
An action #hich started and finished An action #hich started in the past
in the past. and is still continuing in the present.
'he had a "old (or two days 'he has had a "old (or two days
)'he hasn.t got a "old any more- )'he has still got a "old-
I Put each of the following verbs into either the past simple or present perfect:
A:
!. 7ac+ :::::::::::::: 'live) in ;oston for the past !< (ears.
*. 7anet :::::::::::::: '#or+) for Smith and ;rothers before she came to #or+ for us.
3. =ad :::::::::::::: '(ou/finish) reading the paper (et?
.. 0 #ould love to visit 5rague sometime. >nfortunatel(/ 0 :::::::::::::: 'be/never) there.
<. 5eter :::::::::::::: 'pla() tennis for five (ears #hen he :::::::::::::: 'be) at school.
?. 0 :::::::::::::: '#or+) in 0tal( for < (ears. 0 :::::::::::::: 'begin) #or+ing as soon as 0
arrived.
@. 0Am afraid 0Am not hungr(. 0 :::::::::::::: 'eat/alread().
B. &hen 7ac+ #as at school/ he :::::::::::::: 'learn) to pla( the sa%ophone. He ::::::::::::::
'pla() it ever since.
,. 2aria lives in ;oston. ;efore she :::::::::::::: 'move) here/ she :::::::::::::: 'live) in
Seattle for 3 (ears.
!-. 5eter :::::::::::::: 'go) to 5aris last (ear. $hat means that he :::::::::::::: 'be) to 5aris 3
timesC
!!. 7ust a momentC 0 :::::::::::::: 'thin+/not) of a good idea (etC
!*. Ho# long :::::::::::::: '(ou/live) there before coming here?
!3. &hen :::::::::::::::: '3oin/(ou) the compan(?
!.. ::::::::::::::::::: '(ou/ #or+) in 5a+istan?
!<. HeAs the most difficult customer 0 :::::::::::::::::: 'deal #ith).
!?. 0 ::::::::::::::::::: 'spea+) to him last #ee+.
!@. &e:::::::::::::: 'sign) a binding contract last (ear and it is still valid.
!B. $he reason 0 loo+ so bro#n is that 0 ::::::::::::::: 'come bac+/3ust) from a business trip to
;arbados.
*
!,. Sales :::::::: in !,,< but then ::::::::::: in !,,?. 'rise/ fall)
*-. 0 :::::::::::: 'see/ not) her since last (ear.
*!. $he( :::::::::::: 'leave) a fe# minutes ago.
**. She :::::::::::: 'be) unemplo(ed since she left school.
*3. $he contract :::::::::::: 'sign) last 2onda(.
*.. Doo+ - someone :::::::::::: 'leave) their handbag in the room.
*<. 6obod( :::::::::::: 'ans#er) the phone #hen it rang.
*?. 0 never :::::::::::: '+no#) m( grandmother as she died before 0 #as born.
*@. 0tAs the first time 0 :::::::::::: 'eat) caviar.
*B. $he first time #e :::::::::::: 'spea+) #as 3ust the other da(.
*,. A 5icasso painting ::::::::::::: 'steal) from the 5rado museum.
3-. $he house ::::::::::::: 'paint/not) (et.
B:
Dear Margaret,
Thank you very much for your letter which I ___________ (receive) last week. I _____________ (be) really happy to
hear from you after all this time.
Ive got a lot of news to tell you about myself. I ____________ (get) a new job nine months ago. I work as a reporter for
our local TV station now. I ____________ (have) many interesting experiences so far. When I first ______________
(start) work, the manager ____________ (ask) me to interview our old school headmaster. He _____________ (be) so
surprised to see me with a microphone in my hand!
Last month, a fire ______________ (break out) in a big factory in the area. I ____________ (be) the only reporter who
_____________ (manage) to talk to the owner! That _____________ (make) me feel very proud.
As you can see, I enjoy my job very much. I ____________ (meet) a lot of important people and I _____________ (have)
the opportunity to see lots of new places. I ___________ (buy) a new car because my old one ______________ (break
down) a couple of weeks ago.
I have to go now because they _____________ (just/inform) me that I have to fly by helicopter to Middleford. I have to
talk to people whose homes were damaged by the storm which _____________ (hit) the area last night. You see, I dont
have a moments rest!
Keep in touch.
Love, Rosie
II Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form:
!) &e ::::::::::::::: '#atch) $V #hen it :::::::::::::::::: 'start) to rain.
*) 0 ::::::::::::::: '#ant) to visit (ou (esterda(/ but (ou ::::::::::::::: 'be) not at home.
3) Doo+C 0t ::::::::::::::: 'rain)/ so #e canAt ::::::::::::::: 'go) to the beach.
.) $here are a lot of cloudsC 0t ::::::::::::::: 'rain) soon.
<) $he sun ::::::::::::::: 'rise) in the East.
?) &hile the doctor ::::::::::::::: 'e%amine) 2r 7ones/ his son ::::::::::::::: '#ait) outside this
morning.
@) After Darr( ::::::::::::::: 'see) the film on $V/ he decided to bu( the boo+.
B) &ait a minute/ 0 ::::::::::::::: 'carr() this bo% for (ou.
,) 0 ::::::::::::::: '#or+) for this compan( for more than thirt( (ears/ and 0 intend to sta( here until 0
retireC
!-) Sharon ::::::::::::::: 'love) to travel. She ::::::::::::::: 'go) abroad almost ever( summer.
6e%t (ear/ she plans to go to 5eru.
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