English grammar

Question 1

Have been + noun questions

They are used to ask about something that happened before now, at an nonpecific time in the past.

You use them (these questions) to start conversations with people and find out more about (and also to show interest in) their experiences.

Answer 1

Have you been a good student ?

Have you been an attentive doctor ?

Have you been a doctor for long ?

(If there is a specific mention of time, the “simple past” tense is used : Were you a good student in English class today ?)

Have you been to the British Museum yet ? It’s a must-see for tourists.

Question 2

Present perfect Tense

Have + past participle of the verb in question

“I have lived in London all my life”

“Have you been to London before ?”

Answer 2

We use this tense for referring to events or circumstances that started in the past, and continue until now, such as “I’ve lived in London all my life”. This implies that speaker still lives in London.

Also, the present perfect verb tense is used to talk about past events or circumstances that someone has experience of (that experience happened in the past but is still relevant now). In our dialog : “Have you been to London before ?” wich is asking if you have “experience” of visiting London in the past. The same type of situation can be seen in the question “I’ve already seen most of the other tourist attractions”.

Be careful to differentiate the use of the “simple past tense” from the “present perfect tense”. For instance, a sentence using the “past simple tense” is : “I was sick a week ago”. This means that now I am not sick anymore. Now compare that with “I have been sick since last week”, wich implies that I am still sick.

Question 3

Used to / to be used to

On utilise USED TO pour parler de faits ou d’actions passés qui ne se produisent plus maintenant (= avant, autrefois + imparfait).

    I used to live in London when I was young. Now I live in Paris.

J’habitais à Londres quand j’étais jeune. Maintenant j’habite à Paris.

Did you use to smoke?

Est-ce que tu fumais (avant)?

He didn’t use to read a lot when he was a child.

Il ne lisait pas beaucoup quand il était enfant.

On utilise TO BE USED TO pour traduire 'être habitué'

I am used to traffic jams on my way to work.

Je suis habitué aux embouteillages pour aller travailler.

Lorsque TO BE USED TO est suivi d’un verbe, on ajoute -ing à ce verbe.

I am used to taking the bus to go to work.

Je suis habitué à prendre le bus pour aller travailler.

Les règles sont identiques avec TO GET USED TO qui signifie ‘s’habituer’.

NB. Pour exprimer ‘J’ai l’habitude’ (sans complément), on dira ‘I’m used to it / them’.

Answer 3

1. It’s difficult to get used to a new car.
2. She used to play the piano, now she plays the violin.
3. I used to swim every day when I lived in Brighton.
4. He is used to travelling, he’s been to Asia several times.
5. I hope he will get used to living in China.
6. She used to be fat but she followed a balanced diet.
7. I am used to a ten-mile-walk every Sunday morning.
8. They didn’t use to like classical music but now they do.
9. He gets used to moving house every two years.
10. They are used to a dinner out on Saturday evenings.

Question 4

Present simple avec adverbes de fréquence : always, often, frequently, sometimes, occasionally, seldom, rarely, handly ever, never …

Present continu avec expression de temps : At the moment, these days, now, nowadays, today …

Answer 4

Every day, my aunt goes to the market.

Listen ! Yan is singing on the radio.

They are playing football next week in London.

Look at those boys who are sitting on the wall.

Many people are fighting for the emancipation of women nowadays.

The headmaster is meeting the students tomorrow.

Nowadays many students are not learning their lessons at home.

Civil servants don’t work on Sundays.

I’m going to London tomorrow. Do you want to come with me ?

Alan is arriving at 11:30 tonight at Victoria station.

Question 5

Would rather

/

Would prefer to

s’utilisent pour exprimer une préférence par rapport à un choix.
Ex : Peter : I’d like to go to Australia

   Marilyn : I'd prefer to go to France

Construction avec Would rather :

Would rather + Base verbale

Construction avec Would prefer to :

Would prefer + to + Base verbale

Answer 5

1. He ‘d like to go to Canada whereas his wife would prefer to go to Mexico.
2. Her husband would rather rent a house.
3. Mrs Martin would prefer to stay in a hotel.
4. My sister would like to have fun on Bondi Beach but I would prefer to go on a cruise.
5. My wife would like to rent a house in New York but I would rather camp in the desert.
6. My wife would like to visit a museum, but I would prefer to go to Ayers Rock.
7. I would rather become a scuba diver.
8. I would prefer not to become a computer programmer.
9. I would rather buy this cake because I prefer the taste.
10. I would rather not rent a house in the Outback.