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The present perfect and present perfect continuous tense

exercise
OCTOBER 13, 2014 Complete the following sentences using a present perfect or
present perfect continuous tense.
The present perfect tense is used to denote completion. Thepresent
perfect continuous tense is used to show continuity.
1. It continuously since morning. (rain)
2. We . (visit) them twice, but they .
(not visit) us yet.
3. I (not meet) him in a long time.
4. The children are hungry. They .. (play) in the garden for
hours.
5. We (know) each other since our school days.
6. .. you .. the job? (complete)
7. Her health (improve) considerably.
8. He .. a permit. (obtain)
9. Those who .. their work can go home. (finish)
10. This is the fifth time you . (ask) that question.
Present perfect continuous tense exercise
JUNE 27, 2014 Make sentences in the present perfect continuous tense using the verbs
given in the brackets. In the case of questions, the subject is also indicated
in the brackets.
1. How long . (you wait) for?
2. We .. in this street for twenty years. (live)
3. He in the garden since morning. (work)

4. It . (rain) since yesterday.

5. I this laptop for three years. (use)
6. The workers .. higher wages for a long time. (demand)
7. The girl . her lessons. (learn)
8. The children .. in the garden. (play)
9. You look tired. Yes, I . (run)
10. Who .. in my bed? (sleep)
Simple past or present perfect tense
JUNE 24, 2015 Complete the following sentences using appropriate simple past or present
perfect tense forms.
1. I (meet) an old friend of mine yesterday.
2. I (read) all the plays of Shakespeare.
3. She . (act) in two films.
4. I .. (never see) a ghost.
5. She .. (refuse) to help him.
6. I .(finish) my homework.
7. She . (leave) home early.
8. Janet . (tell) me a story the other day.
9. Maya and her family . (move) to Chicago last year.
10. I (not hear) anything from them since then.
11. He .. (say) that he would not do it.
12. Amir said nothing when he . (hear) the news.
Since and for
JANUARY 28, 2013 Exercise

Complete the following sentences using since or for.

1. They have known each other . childhood.
2. She has been teaching music at the academy
fifteen years.
3. They have been playing .. morning.
4. I havent seen him last week.
5. He has been working with us . three years now.
Using since and for
MAY 25, 2015 The words since and for can be used as conjunctions and prepositions.
When they are used as conjunctions, they combine two clauses. Note
that since is a subordinating conjunction whereasfor is a coordinating
conjunction.
When they are used as prepositions, they usually indicate time.
Since is used with the starting point of action. For shows duration.
Combine the following sentences using since or for.
1. I saw him last month. I havent seen him afterwards.
2. It was a public holiday. Schools and colleges remained closed that day.
3. I like him very much. So I will help him.
4. The table is made of mahogany wood. It is expensive.
5. It is raining. We cant go out now.
6. It last rained three months ago.
7. I last visited my parents 2 years ago.
8. Something fell. I heard a noise.
Complete the following sentences using since or for.
1. I have been associated with this institution .. ten years.
since
for

2. He has been ailing November.

since
for
3. .. when have you been attending the course?
Since
For
4. These foreigners have been learning Sanskrit six
months.
for
since
5. My sister has been learning music . last January.
since
for
6. He has worked as a peon . ten years.
for
since
7. I have known Kumar . two years.
for
since
8. I have known Kumar . 1986.
since
for
9. He has been teaching yoga .. three years.
for
since
10. .. when have you been learning music ?
Since
For
Complete the following sentences using since or for.
1. I have been associated with this organization ten years.

a) since
b) for
2. My grandmother has been ailing . July.
a) since
b) for
3. when have you been living in this city?
a) since
b) for
4. They have been learning Latin .. six months.
a) since
b) for
5. My sister has been learning music . January.
a) since
b) for
6. He worked as a waiter .. six years.
a) since
b) for
7. I have been practicing Yoga .. six years.
a) since
b) for
8. when have you been learning music?
a) since
b) for
9. We have been living in this city . 1985.
a) since
b) for
10. It has been ten years I retired.
a) since
b) for
ESL students often find it difficult to use these words correctly.

Since is used with the present perfect tense to say when something
began.

It has been raining since morning.

I have been waiting for his call since yesterday.

She has been waiting for the parcel since last week.

The child has been sleeping since 2 pm.

I have been living in Mumbai since 2002.

I have been running a website since 2006.

For
For is used with a present perfect tense to refer to a period of time up
to now.

It has been raining for four hours. (NOT since four hours.)

I have been running a website for six years.

I have been living in Mumbai for 12 years.

She has been waiting for the parcel for three days.

Answers
1. It has been raining continuously since morning.
2. We have visited them twice, but they have not visited us yet.
3. I have not met him in a long time.
4. The children are hungry. They have been playing in the garden for
hours.
5. We have known each other since our school days.
6. Have you completed the job?
7. Her health has improved considerably.
8. He has obtained a permit.
9. Those who have finished their work can go home.
10. This is the fifth time you have asked that question.
Answers
1. How long have you been waiting for?
2. We have been living in this street for twenty years.
3. He has been working in the garden since morning.
4. It has been raining since yesterday.
5. I have been using this laptop for three years.
6. The workers have been demanding higher wages for a long time.
7. The girl has been learning her lessons.
8. The children have been playing in the garden.
9. You look tired. Yes, I have been running
10. Who has been sleeping in my bed?
Answers

1. I met an old friend of mine yesterday.

2. I have read all the plays of Shakespeare.
3. She has acted in two films.
4. I have never seen a ghost.
5. She refused to help him.
6. I have finished my homework.
7. She left home early.
8. Janet told me a story the other day.
9. Maya and her family moved to Chicago last year.
10. I have not heard anything from them since then.
11. He said that he would not do it.
12. Amir said nothing when he heard the news.
Answers
1. They have known each other since childhood.
2. She has been teaching music at the academy for fifteen years.
3. They have been playing since morning.
4. I havent seen him since last week.
5. He has been working with us for three years now.
Answers
1. I havent seen him since last month.
2. Since it was a public holiday, schools and colleges remained closed.
3. Since I like him very much, I will help him.
4. Since the table is made of mahogany wood, it is expensive.
5. Since it is raining, we cant go out now.
6. It is three months since it rained.

7. It is 2 years since I visited my parents.

8. Something fell for I heard a noise.
Answers
1. I have been associated with this institution for ten years.
2. He has been ailing since November.
3. Since when have you been attending the course?
4. These foreigners have been learning Sanskrit for six months.
5. My sister has been learning music since last January.
6. He has worked as a peon for ten years.
7. I have known Kumar for two years.
8. I have known Kumar since 1986.
9. He has been teaching yoga for three years.
10. Since when have you been learning music?
Answers
1. I have been associated with this organization for ten years.
2. My grandmother has been ailing since July.
3. Since when have you been living in this city?
4. They have been learning Latin for six months.
5. My sister has been learning music since January.
6. He worked as a waiter for six years.
7. I have been practicing Yoga for six years.
8. Since when have you been learning music?
9. We have been living in this city since 1985.
10. It has been ten years since I retired.