Present perfect, past simple

(a) Fill in the blanks by repeating the auxiliary used in the question, putting it into the negative where necessary.

(b) Put the verb in brackets into the present perfect or the simple past tense.

1. Have you seen that play? (a) Yes, I have.

(b) Yes, I was there last night. (be)

2. Have you wound the clock? (a) Yes, I

(b) Yes, I (wind) it on Monday.

3. Have you ever eaten snails? (a) No, I

(b) Yes, I (eat) some at Toms party last week.

4. Has she fed the dog? (a) Yes, I think she

(b) Yes, she (feed) him before lunch.

5. Have they repaired the road? (a) No, they

(b) They only (repair) part of it so far.

6. Have you made the coffee? (a) Yes, I

(b) I (make) some yesterday: we can use that.

7. Have you been to the opera this week? (a) Yes, I .

(b) Yes, I (go) to Faust on Friday.

8. Have you ever driven this car? (a) Yes, I (drive) it once or twice.

(b) Yes, I (drive) it when you were away.

9. Has his temperature gone down? (a) No, it

(b) Yes, it (go) down last night.

10. Have you ever drunk vodka? (a) No, I

(b) I (drink) it once in Russia, but I (not drink) it since.

2. How many of these sentences are unacceptable? Can you change the unacceptable ones?

Tom is unemployed since he lost his job as a painter.

William has often been invited to speak at the annual conferences.

This is the first time Ive driven this car.

I never saw him before.

These paintings always belonged to my family.

These dinosaur bones have been here for 200 million years.

Have you renewed your library books yet?

Ive visited York four times this year.

Wine is produced in this region since Roman times.

The new security system is in operation since last Monday.

William Shakespeare has written Othello.

They have been to Stockholm four years ego.

Are you now or have you ever been a member of a political party?

Did you ever meet Sheila?

Has he told you the news?

Do you think Vickys always known the truth about us?

Thats been the second time youve forgotten to post something for me.

I havent seen Peter since he begins seeing his new girlfriend.

Ever since we met, you never asked me what I prefer to do.

In all my life, I never spoke to someone who is quite so stupid.

I dont think Paul and Carol have seen much of each other of late.

This is the only occasion that Ive seen him wearing a tie.

Since hes lived here, he was usually extremely friendly.

Theyll join us after theyll get a bite to eat.

He says he hasnt yet come to a final decision.

Present perfect continuous

a. Which of these sentences makes it clear that the job is finished? Which one explains why your hands are scratched (whether the job is finished or not)?

Ive been pruning the roses.

Ive pruned the roses.

b. Which of these sentences would you choose to express the idea of repetition?

I have tried to contact her by phone.

I have been trying to contact her by phone.

c. Which of these two sentences is more likely to mean that she is a pilot?

She has trained to be a pilot.

She has been training to be a pilot.

d. Which of these sentences is more likely to mean that Henrys victories will continue?

Henry has won a lot of races.

Henry has been winning a lot of races.

e. Which sentence would you be more likely to say if you are looking at a sleeping baby?

The baby has slept for two hours.

The baby has been sleeping for two hours.

f. Is there any significant difference between these sentences?

I have lived in Kingston for five years.

I have been living in Kingston for five years.

1. Choose the most appropriate phrase for each situation.

a) The price of petrol has risen/has been rising by 15% over the past year.

b) No wonder you are overweight! You have eaten/You have been eating chocolates all day long!

c) Ive read/Ive been reading War and Peace this morning.

d) Doesnt this room look better? Ive put/Ive been putting some posters up on the walls.

e) Dont disappoint me! Ive counted on you/Ive been counting on you.

f) Dont forget your pills today. Have you taken them/Have you been taking them?

g) Who has worn/has been wearing my scarf?

h) I think theres something wrong with your motorbike. Its made/Its been making some very funny noises.

i) Jack has asked/ has been asking for a pay-rise three times this year.

j) Ive been phoning/Ive phoned Ann all evening, but theres no reply.

Put the verbs in brackets in the correct form, using the present perfect simple or continuous as appropriate.

1 We (walk) ten kilometres. We (walk) for three hours.

I (make) cakes. Thats why my hands are covered in flour.

I (make) sausage rolls for the party all morning. How many you (make)? I (make) 200.

The driver (drink). I think someone else ought to drive.

What a lovely smell! Mary (make) jam.

You dont know what vir means! How long you (study) Latin?

I (try) to get you on the phone for over a week. Where you (be)?

Janets looking very fit. She (go) to exercise classes.

Who (take) my pen?

Who (sleep) in my bed? Jane asked, looking at the rumpled sheets.

3. Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown, so that the meaning stays the same.

a)  Its a long time since I last went to a football match.

I havent been to a football match for a long time.

b) This is my second visit to Hungary.

This is the second time _____ _______ ______ _______________ 

c) I paid this bill earlier, actually.

Actually Ive _____ _______ ______ _______________ 

d) We havent been swimming for ages.

Its ages _____ _______ ______ _______________ 

e) Mary started learning French five years ago.

Mary has _____ _______ ______ _______________ 

f) I am on the tenth page of the letter I am writing.

So far I _____ _______ ______ _______________ 

g) After I arrived here, I started to feel better.

Since arriving here _____ _______ ______ _______________

h) Its over twenty years since we got married.

We have _____ _______ ______ _______________ 

i) The last time I saw Dick was in 1985.

I havent _____ _______ ______ _______________ 

j) There is a definite improvement in your work.

Lately your work

k) Nobody has seen Jo for over a month.

Jo was __________ ______ ____ ____

l) Bergkamps goal was the most extraordinary one I have ever seen.

Ive yet __________ ______ ____ ____

m) No one has asked me that before.

This is the first time__________ ______ ____ ____

n) The journey to Paris took much longer before they built the Channel Tunnel.

Since the __________ ______ ____ ____

o) Its almost a year since I stopped smoking.

I gave __________ ______ ____ ____ 

p) This caf used to be a lot more popular before they opened the new one next door.

Since __________ ______ ____ ____

4. Rewrite each sentence so that it contains the word in capitals, and so that the meaning stays the same.

a) You have missed the beginning of the film. HAS
The film has already started.
b) I cant seem to stop sneezing lately. BEEN

c) Paul is different from what he used to be. HAS
d) This has been my home for thirty years. HAVE
e) Eating Chinese food is new to me. BEFORE
f) Is there any news? HAPPENED
g) I bought my car in 1985 and Im still driving it. BEEN
h) I dont know where my keys are. HAVE
i) Sue doesnt have her dictionary with her; its at home. HAS
j) Tony hasnt been to Paris before. FIRST

Past simple or past continuous?

1. Write out the details below in complete sentences, using either: past simple or past continuous and adding when or while as suitable.

1. President Kennedy be assassinated/he drive through Dallas.

President Kennedy was assassinated while he was driving through Dallas.

2. Everyone alive at the time remembers what they do/President Kennedy be killed.

Kennedy be assassinated/Lyndon Johnson be sworn in as president.

Julius Caesar pursue a political rival into Egypt/he first meet Cleopatra.

5. Julius Caesar meet Cleopatra he fall in love with her.

6. Philip II of Macedon be assassinated in 336 BC/he plan an invasion of Persia.

7. Marco Polo (1254-1324) begin to write an account of his travels in China/he do time in a Genoese prison.

Christopher Columbus look for Asia/he discover America in 1492.

9. He return to Spain/he receive a heros welcome.

10. Captain James Cook make his third great Pacific voyage/he be killed in Hawaii in 1779.

11. Cook die/his crew take his ship back to Britain.

12. The French revolutionary Marat sit in his bath/Charlotte Corday rush in and kill him.

13. She assassinate him/ she be arrested immediately.

14. Dr Livingstone travel near Lake Tanganyika (now Tanzania)/the journalist Henry Morton find him in 1871.

15. Stanley find him/ he say, Dr Livingstone, presume.