UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF LANGUAGES

NAME: .......................................... LEVEL: (English III, Credits) CLASS: F, H,R

INSTRUCTOR: PATRICIA PALOMEQUE
DATE:
PRESENT PERFECT
GRAMMAR
Choose the correct form of the verb for either present perfect or simple

1. I __________ to a baseball game last night.

a) went
b) have gone

2. She __________ Australia 3 times in her life. She would like to go again.
a) visited
b) has visited

3. They __________ Korean food.

a) did not eat
b) have never eaten

4. __________ your homework yesterday?

a) Did you finish
b) Have you finished

5. __________ yet?

a) Did she arrive

b) Has she arrived

6. In 2003, we __________ from downtown to the country.

a) moved
b) have moved

7. I __________ a teacher for 3 years. I am still a teacher.

a) was
b) have been

8. __________ ever gone to Las Vegas?

a) Did you
b) Have you

9. I __________ that movie 20 times. I do not want to watch it again.

a) saw
b) have seen

10. I __________ in this city for 18 years. I do not want to leave.

a) lived
b) have lived
- See more at: http://www.learnenglishonline.com/grammar/tests/presentperfectsimplepast2.html#sthash.W45Iit2v.dpuf
GRAMMAR TWO
Choose Past Simple or Present Perfect 1

Change the verb into the correct form of the past simple or present perfect

1) Last night I

(lose) my keys I had to call my flatmate to

Check

Show Answer

let me in..

Check

2) I

(lose) my keys - can you help me look for them?.

Show Answer

Check

3) I

(visit) Paris three times..

Show Answer

Submit

4) Last year I

(visit) Paris..
Show Answer

5) I

(know) my great grandmother for a few years - she died

Check

when I was eight...

Show Answer

6) I

Check

(know) Julie for three years - we still meet once a

Show Answer

month...

Check

7) I

(play) Hockey since I was a child - I'm pretty good!..

Show Answer

Check

8) She

(play) hockey at school but she didn't like it..

Show Answer

Check

9) Sorry, I

(miss) the bus - I'm going to be late..

Show Answer

10) I

(miss) the bus and then I

(miss) the aeroplane

Check

Show Answer

as well!...

Check

11) Last month I

(go) to Scotland..
Show Answer

Check

12) I'm sorry, John isn't here now. He

(go) to the shops..

Show Answer

Check

13) We

(finish) this room last week..

Show Answer

Check

14) I

(finish) my exams finally - I'm so happy!..

Show Answer

15) Yesterday, I

(see) all of my friends. It was great..

Check

Show Answer

Check

16) I

(see) Julie three times this week..

Show Answer

Check

17) She

(live) in London since 1994..

Show Answer

Check

18) She

(live) in London when she was a child..

Show Answer

Check

19) I

(drink) three cups of coffee today..

Show Answer

LISTENING

Directions: Complete each sentence or question with the present perfect tense.

1. Where __________ you __________?

2. How long __________ you ___________ here?

3. Tom __________ ___________ there for ten years.

4. Michelle __________ __________ anything to eat yet today. (negative)
5. __________ you ___________ all of your homework?
6. We _________ __________ that movie yet. (negative)
7. __________ she __________ with the teacher?
8. It __________ ___________ since last week. (negative)
9. __________ you ___________ any coffee?
10. Bob __________ __________ several times over the last year.

http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/Listening_Lab/Listening_Lab_Exercise_2
3_present_perfect.html

READING
Read this text about the old colonel. Then use the answer prompts to write
questions using either the present perfect or the past simple.

I think I have had a very interesting life. I'm 73 now and I don't work anymore. I was in
the army for 51 years. I retired when I was 69. I have been to so many countries that I
can't remember all of them. I've been to Australia six or seven times and to South
Africa three times. I have also been once to Russia but I didn't like it at all: much too
cold for me!
They say that love is the greatest thing and I agree. I've been married four times but
never for more than five years. I don't think women really understand me!
I've never been on television, but I've been on the radio once. It was a programme
about life in the military about twenty years ago. I met the Prime Minister on the same

day. Actually, I've met a lot of famous people: members of the royal family, famous
politicians and also famous cinema and television personalities. I've never met the
American President though which is a pity.
Because I've travelled a lot, I've seen a lot of wonderful things and have also eaten and
drunk some strange foods and drinks. I ate cat and rat in India and drank something
called Mirto on a little island in Italy many years ago.

1. What job

before retiring?

He worked in the army.

2.

he in the army?

For 51 years.
3. How many

been to Australia?

Six or seven times.

4.

like Russia?

No, it was too cold.

5.

married so many times?

Because women don't understand him.

6. Has he ever

Yes, he has. But never on TV.

7. When

the prime minister?

When he was on the radio.

8. Has

American president?

No, he hasn't but he wants to.

9. Where

cat and rat?

In India.
10.

drunk Mirto?

Yes, he has. In Italy.

PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
1. Often there is very little difference between the present perfect simple and the present
perfect continuous. In many cases, both are equally acceptable.
They've been working here for a long time but Andy has worked here for even longer.
I've lived here for 10 years and she has been living here for 12 years.. To emphasize the
action, we use the continuous form.
We've been working really hard for a couple of months.
She's been having a hard time.
To emphasize the result of the action, we use the simple form.
I've made fifteen phone calls this morning.
He's written a very good report.
2. Look at the difference in these examples.
I've been reading this book for two months but I've only read half of it. It's very difficult
to read.
She's been trying to convince him for 20 minutes but she hasn't managed to yet.
They've been talking about this for month and they still haven't found a solution.
When an action is finished and you can see the results, use the continuous form.
The phone bill is enormous. You've been calling your boyfriend in Australia, haven't
you?
You're red in the face. Have you been running?

3. When you use the words 'ever' or 'never', use the simple form.
I don't know them. I've never met them.
Have you ever heard anything so strange in your lif

Return to List of Grammar Lessons

Positive Sentences
Fill in the correct form (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Progressive).
1.

I (practise)

2.

Bob (run)

3.

The children (be)

4.

The dog (bark)

5.

We (miss)

the piano for 30 minutes.

10 km.
on holiday for six days.
since midnight.
the bus twice this week.

Negative Sentences
Fill in the correct form (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Progressive).
1.

You (eat / not)

2.

He (speak / not)

minutes.
3.
They (work / not)

up yet.
on the phone for half an hour, just a couple of

since 5 o'clock. They just started an hour ago.

4.

We (know / not)

them for a long time.

5.

She (hang / not)

up all the pictures yet.

Questions
Fill in the correct form (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Progressive).
1.

How long (wait / she)

for us?

2.

How many times (tell / I)

3.

How often (clean / you)

4.

How many months (take / you)

5.

(stay / you / ever)

you?
the windows this year?
piano lessons?

in a castle?

Text
Fill in the correct form (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Progressive).
1.

Tom: Hi Ana. I (try)

be)

2.

to ring you several times today. Where (you /

?
Ana: I (be)

at home all the time. But I (clean)

the

house all day, so maybe I didn't hear the phone ring.

3.
Tom: (you / clean)
everything now?
4.

Ana: No, not yet. I (tidy / not)

up the kitchen yet. But why are you

here?
5.

Tom: Don't you remember? Jane (invited)

party and we (buy / not)

us to her birthday

a present for her yet.

6.

Ana: Oh, that's right. (you / find out / already)

7.

Tom: Well, she (learn)

what she wants?

Spanish for a year and wants to spend

her next holiday in Mexico. Maybe we could get her a guide book.

8.

Ana: That's a good idea. There is a good bookshop in the big shopping
centre. I (see)
some nice books about Mexico there recently.

Text
Fill in the correct form (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Progressive).
1.

Daughter: Mum, Jane (phone / just)

cinema with her. May I?

2.
Mother: (you / do)
3.

your homework yet?

Daughter: Well, I (do)

not)

4.

to ask if I will go to the

it for about 2 hours now, but I (finish /

it yet.
Mother: If you (complete / not)

your homework, you cannot go.

School comes first. Remember, you (promise)

me to study harder this

year.
5.

Daughter: But mum, I (work)

I (improve / already)

6.

really hard this year and

in Maths and Chemistry.

Mother: But that's only because I (push / always)

you to do

something.
7.
Daughter: But I also need a break some time. Look, I (be / not)
to the cinema for two months. May I go? Just this once.

PRESENT PERFECT VS PAST PERFECT

FUNCTIONS OF THE PAST PERFECT

The past perfect refers to a time earlier than before now. It is used to make it clear that one
event happened before another in the past. It does not matter which event is mentioned first the tense makes it clear which one happened first.

In these examples, Event A is the event that happened first and Event B is the second or more
recent event:
Event A

Event B

John had gone out

when I arrived in the office.

Event A

Event B

I had saved my document

before the computer crashed.

Event B

Event A

When they arrived

we had already started cooking.

Event B

Event A

He was very tired

because he hadn't slept well.

FORMING THE PAST PERFECT

The Past Perfect tense in English is composed of two parts: the past tense of the verb to have
(had) + the past participle of the main verb.
Subject

had

past participle

had

given

hadn't

asked.

Affirmative

She

Negative

She

Interrogative

Subject

had

past participle

Had

they

arrived?

you

finished?

Interrogative Negative

Hadn't

Complete the sentences with the past perfect of the verb in brackets.
Use contractions where possible.
1. Kevin
(go) home by the time I arrived.
2. Ethan suddenly realised that he

(leave) his laptop on

the train.
3. Mum was annoyed because I
4.

(not clean) my room.

(they / study) English before they went to the USA?

5. We were hungry because

(not eat).

6. My phone didn't work because I

7. Why didn't you want to watch the film?
before?
8. Sally was embarrassed because she

(charge) it.
(you / see) it

(forget) her dad's

birthday.

DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH
A descriptive paragraph colorfully describes a person, place or thing.
It allows you to imagine the way a person felt, heard or saw the object

or location at a particular time regardless if the writer explains a real

or imagined circumstance. Additionally, a descriptive paragraph gives
readers a vivid image of a person, place or thing. This type of
paragraph uses multiple sentences to convey a single clear image of
a person, place or thing.

Now you are ready to edit your paper.

Check to see if:
Yes
1. all of your sentences relate to the subject you are trying to
describe
2. the order of the sentences is the best possible
3. you need to add clearer explanations of each of the senses
4. your adjectives and adverbs are the best match for your
subject
5. your transitions are good, and the relationships between the
ideas are clear
6. your main idea is clear
7. your conclusion relates to the overall feeling your subject
brings out in you
8. you have any spelling or grammatical mistakes

No

9. your reader will be able to make a mental picture of

the subject you are describing. Can your reader draw an
accurate picture of it in his or her mind?
Transitional ExpressionsNext to, near, close, far, up, down, between, above, below, left, right, center, toward,
away.
- All of these are used when writing a descriptive paragraph.
An example: I think the way a person dresses can really explain who they are and what they are about.

Here are some examples of a descriptive paragraph:

Best Friends Forever

As a child at the age of two, my sister and I had pictures taken together. My
sister and I are ten months and three weeks apart. In this special family picture
was look identical. Our big, dark blue and brown eyes and smile resemble two
calm little girls, enjoying the moment with peaceful smiles on our faces. In our
long, dark red and blue dresses we sit straight up in front of a warn red fireplace

surrounded by green plants. Our dark brown, wavy hair even matched. We both
had baby pink bows off to the side of our heads that resemble a blooming
flower. Growing up our family consisted of our father, my sister, and I. My
sister and I have both been there for each other through the thick and the thin.
My photograph pf my sister and reveals how close we are in age and through
this paragraph it also reveals how close we are when it comes to love and
friendship.
~(c) Amy Neill 2005~

The Old Car

The old car slowly chugged down the street like the caboose of a steam engine train.
The car goes up the hill it goes Ka boom , kachunk. The car is old and weathered with
rust covering the entire body like cancer consuming its victim. Wheels and tires wobble
like a drunk bum on his way home from the bar. Hub caps are gone along with all the
mirrors and extras on the car. Black smoke flows out the rotten tail pips like the smoke
out of and old cobb pipe. The local junk yard had seen better cars then this. The interior
was a dusty brown with holes covering almost every square inch of the seat covers. The
ceiling was hanging down and the rust had eaten through the roof like a Billy goat
through a tin can. This old car is my old car and it is as faithful as a good old dog by
always starting and getting me from were I need to go.
~ Jace Oeleis 2005~