Grammer Flashcards
Present continuous ( I am doing )
–😁 Sarah is in her car. She is on her way to work. She’s driving to work. (= She is driving …)
This means: she is driving now, at the time of speaking. The action is not finished.
–😁 am doing something = I started doing it and I haven’t finished; I’m in the middle of doing it.
Please don’t make so much noise. I’m trying to work. (not I try) ‘Where’s Mark?’ ‘He’s having a shower.’ (not He has a shower) Let’s go out now. It isn’t raining any more. (not It doesn’t rain) How’s your new job? Are you enjoying it?
What’s all that noise? What’s going on? or What’s happening?
–😁 Sometimes the action is not happening at the time of speaking. For example:
I’m reading a really good book at the moment. It’s about a man who …
Steve says ‘I’m reading …’ but he is not reading the book at the time of speaking.
He means that he has started reading the book, but has not finished it yet. He is in the middle of reading it.
–😁 We use the present continuous when we talk about a change that has started to happen. We often use
these verbs in this way:
getting, becoming
changing, improving
starting, beginning
increasing, rising, falling, growing
Is your English getting better? (not Does your English get better)
The population of the world is increasing very fast. (not increases)
At first I didn’t like my job, but I’m starting to enjoy it now. (not I start)
Present simple ( I do )
1️⃣ Alex is a bus driver, but now he is in bed asleep.
He is not driving a bus. (He is asleep.)
but He drives a bus. He is a bus driver.
drive(s), work(s), do(es) etc. is the present simple:
I/we/you/they drive/work/do etc.
he/she/it drives/works/does etc.
2️⃣ We use the present simple to talk about things in general. We use it to say that something happens all the
time or repeatedly, or that something is true in general:
Nurses look a# er patients in hospitals.
I usually go away at weekends.
The earth goes round the sun.
The cafe opens at 7.30 in the morning.
We say:
I work but he works you go but it goes
they teach but my sister teaches I have but he has
3️⃣We use do/does to make questions and negative sentences:
do / don´t
does / doesn´t
I come from Canada. Where do you come from?
I don’t go away very o# en.
What does this word mean? (not What means this word?)
Rice doesn’t grow in cold climates.
In the following examples, do is also the main verb (do you do / doesn’t do etc.):
‘What do you do?’ ‘I work in a shop.’
He’s always so lazy. He doesn’t do anything to help
4️⃣ We use the present simple to say how o# en we do things:
I get up at 8 o’clock every morning.
How o! en do you go to the dentist?
Julie doesn’t drink tea very o! en.
Robert usually goes away two or three times a year.
5️⃣ I promise / I apologise etc.
Sometimes we do things by saying something. For example, when you promise to do something,
you can say ‘I promise … ’; when you suggest something, you can say ‘I suggest … ’:
I promise I won’t be late. (not I’m promising)
‘What do you suggest I do?’ ‘I suggest that you …’
In the same way we say: I apologise … / I advise … / I insist … / I agree … / I refuse … etc.
1 Mr Evans is not in the office today. I suggest you try calling him tomorrow.
2 I won’t tell anybody what you said. I promise .
3 (in a restaurant) You must let me pay for the meal. I insist
.
4 I apologise for what I said. I shouldn’t have said it.
5 The new restaurant in Baker Street is very good. I recommend it
6 I think you’re absolutely right. I agree with you.
Present continuous and present simple 1 (I am doing and I do)
Present continuous and present simple 2 (I am doing and I do)
present continuous (I am doing)
We use the continuous for things happening at or around the time of speaking.
The action is not complete.
present simple (I do)
We use the simple for things in general or things
that happen repeatedly.
The water is boiling. Be careful.
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
Listen to those people. What language are they speaking?
Excuse me, do you speak English?
Let’s go out. It isn’t raining now.
It doesn’t rain very much in summer.
I’m busy.’ ‘What are you doing?’
What do you usually do at weekends?
I’m getting hungry. Let’s go and eat.
I always get hungry in the afternoon.
Kate wants to work in Italy, so she’s learning Italian.
Most people learn to swim when they are children.
The population of the world is increasing very fast.
Every day the population of the world increases by about 200,000 people.
1️⃣
We use the continuous for temporary situations (things that continue for a short time):
We use the simple for permanent situations (things that continue for a long time):
I’m living with some friends until I find a place of my own.
My parents live in London. They have lived there all their lives.
A: You’re working hard today.
B: Yes,Ihavealottodo.
Joe isn’t lazy. He works hard most of the time.
2️⃣
I always do and I’m always doing
I always do something = I do it every time:
I always go to work by car. (not I’m always going)
I’m always doing something = I do it too often or more often than normal.
For example:
I’ve lost my keys again. I’m always losing them.
I’m always losing them = I lose them too often, or more often than normal.
Paul is never satisfied. He’s always complaining. (= he complains too much) You’re always looking at your phone. Don’t you have anything else to do?
1 A: I’ve lost my keys again.
B: Not again! You’re always losing your keys
2 A: The car has broken down again.
B: That car is useless. It is always broking down
3 A: Look! You’ve made the same mistake again. B: Oh no, not again! I am always doing that mistake
4 A: Oh, I’ve left my phone at home again. B: Typical!
you´re always leaving your phone at home .
🤣🤣 Present continuous and present simple 2 (I am doing and I do)
1️⃣ We use continuous forms (I’m waiting, it’s raining etc.) for actions and happenings that have started but not finished.
Some verbs (for example, know and like) are not normally used in this way. We don’t say ‘I am knowing’, ‘they are liking’. We say ‘I know’, ‘they like’.
The following verbs are not normally used in the present continuous:
1. like 2.want 3.need 4.prefer
5. know 6. realise 7. understand 8. recognise 9. believe 10. suppose 11. remember 12. mean
13. belong 14. fit 15. contain 16. consist 17. seem
I’m hungry. I want something to eat. (not I’m wanting) Do you understand what I mean?
Anna doesn’t seem very happy right now.
2️⃣ think
When think means ‘believe’ or ‘have an opinion’, we do not use the continuous:
I think Mary is Canadian, but I’m not sure. (not I’m thinking)
What do you think of my idea? (= what is your opinion?)
When think means ‘consider’, the continuous is possible:
I’m thinking about what happened. I o#en think about it.
Nicky is thinking of giving up her job. (= she is considering it)
3️⃣ see/ hear/ smell/ taste/ look/ feel
We normally use the present simple (not continuous) with see/hear/smell/taste:
Do you see that man over there? (not are you seeing)
The room smells. Let’s open a window.
This soup doesn’t taste very good.
You can use the present simple or continuous to say how somebody looks or feels now:
You look well today. or You’re looking well today.
How do you feel now? or How are you feeling now?
but
I usually feel tired in the morning. (not I’m usually feeling)
4️⃣ am/is/are being
You can say he’s being … , you’re being … etc. to say how somebody is behaving now:
I can’t understand why he’s being so selfish. He isn’t usually like that.
(being selfish = behaving selfishly now)
He never thinks about other people. He’s very selfish.
(= he is selfish generally, not only now)
‘The path is icy. Don’t slip.’ ‘Don’t worry. I’m being very careful.’
I don’t like to take risks. I’m a very careful person.
We use am/is/are being to say how a person is behaving (= doing something they can control) now.
It is not usually possible in other situations:
Sam is ill. (not is being ill)
Are you tired? (not are you being tired)
Complete the sentences. Use is/are being (continuous) or is/are (simple).
1 I can’t understand why he’s being so selfish. He isn’t usually like that.
2 You’ll like Sophie when you meet her. She ( is ) very nice.
3 Sarah ( is being ) very nice to me at the moment. I wonder why.
4 They ( are ) very happy. They’ve just got married.
5 You’re normally very patient, so why ( are you being )so unreasonable about waiting
ten more minutes?
6 Would you like something to eat? ( are you ) hungry?
List of irregular verbs
Appendix 1
be was/were been
light lit lit
beat beat beaten
lose lost lost
become became become
make made made
begin began begun
mean meant meant
bend bent bent
meet met met
bet bet bet
pay paid paid
bite bit bitten
put put put
blow blew blown
read read [red]* read [red]*
break broke broken
ride rode ridden
bring brought brought
ring rang rung
broadcast broadcast broadcast
rise rose risen
build built built
run ran run
burst burst burst
say said said
buy bought bought
see saw seen
catch caught caught
seek sought sought
choose chose chosen
sell sold sold
come came come
send sent sent
cost cost cost
set set set
creep crept crept
sew sewed sewn/sewed
cut cut cut
shake shook shaken
deal dealt dealt
shine shone shone
dig dug dug
shoot shot shot
do did done
show showed shown/showed
draw drew drawn
shrink shrank shrunk
drink drank drunk
shut shut shut
drive drove driven
sing sang sung
eat ate eaten
sink sank sunk
fall fell fallen
sit sat sat
feed fed fed
sleep slept slept
feel felt felt
slide slid slid
fight fought fought
speak spoke spoken
find found found
spend spent spent
flee fled fled
spit spat spat
fly flew flown
split split split
forbid forbade forbidden
spread spread spread
forget forgot forgotten
spring sprang sprung
forgive forgave forgiven
stand stood stood
freeze froze frozen
steal stole stolen
get got got/gotten
stick stuck stuck
give gave given
sting stung stung
go went gone
stink stank stunk
grow grew grown
strike struck struck
hang hung hung
swear swore sworn
have had had
sweep swept swept
hear heard heard
swim swam swum
hide hid hidden
swing swung swung
hit hit hit
take took taken
hold held held
teach taught taught
hurt hurt hurt
tear tore torn
keep kept kept
tell told told
kneel knelt knelt
think thought thought
know knew known
throw threw thrown
lay laid laid
understand understood understood
lead led led
wake woke woken
leave left left
wear wore worn
lend lent lent
weep wept wept
let let let
win won won
lie lay lain
write wrote written
Present perfect 1 (I have done) simple
Present perfect 2 (I have done)
Tom can’t find his key.
He’s lost his key. (= He has lost …)
he has lost his key =
he lost it and he doesn’t have it now
have lost / has lost is the present perfect simple:
I/we/they/you have (= I’ve etc.)
he/she/it has (= he’s etc.) been , finished, lost, done
1️⃣ When we say ‘something has happened’, this is usually new information:
Ow! I’ve cut my finger.
The road is closed. There’s been an accident. (= There has been …)
Police have arrested two men in connection with the robbery.
2.When we use the present perfect, there is a connection with now. The action in the past has a result now:
Tom has lost his key. (= he doesn’t have it now)
He told me his name, but I’ve forgotten it. (= I can’t remember it now)
Sally is still here. She hasn’t gone out. (= she is here now)
I can’t find my bag. Have you seen it? (= do you know where it is now?)
- Compare gone (to) and been (to):
James is on holiday. He has gone to Italy. (= he is there now or on his way there)
Amy is back home now. She has been to Italy. (= she has now come back)
2️⃣ You can use the present perfect with just, already and yet.
Just = a short time ago:
‘Are you hungry?’ ‘No, I’ve just had lunch.’
Hello. Have you just arrived?
Already = sooner than expected:
‘Don’t forget to pay the bill.’ ‘I’ve already paid it.’
‘What time is Mark leaving?’ ‘He’s already le! .’
Yet = until now. We use yet to show that we are expecting something to happen.
We use yet in questions and negative sentences:
Has it stopped raining yet?
I’ve written the email, but I haven’t sent it yet.
You can also use the past simple (did, went, had etc.) in the examples on this page. So you can say:
Ben isn’t here. He’s gone out. or He went out.
‘Are you hungry?’ ‘No, I’ve just had lunch.’ or ‘No, I just had lunch.’
examples:
Read the situations and write sentences with just, already or yet.
1 Afer lunch you go to see a friend at her house. She says, ‘Would you like something to eat?’
You say: No thank you. I’ve just had lunch . (have lunch)
2 Joe goes out. Five minutes later, the phone rings and the caller says, ‘Can I speak to Joe?’
You say: I’m afraid he has already gone out . (go out)
3 You are eating in a restaurant. The waiter thinks you have finished and starts to take your plate away.
You say: Wait a minute! I have not finished yet . (not / finish)
4 You plan to eat at a restaurant tonight. You phone to reserve a table. Later your friend says,
‘Shall I phone to reserve a table?’ You say: No, I´ve already done it . (do it)
5 You know that Lisa is looking for a place to live. Perhaps she has been successful.
You ask her: have you found a place to live yet ? (find)
6 You are still thinking about where to go for your holiday. A friend asks, ‘Where are you going
for your holiday?’ You say: I haven´t decided yet . (not / decide)
7 Laura went out, but a few minutes ago she returned. Somebody asks, ‘Is Laura still out?’
You say: No, she has just came back . (come back)
🤣🤣 Present perfect 2 (I have done)
-!.(: Have you travelled a lot, Jane?
&!/(: Yes, I’ve been to lots of places.
-!.(: Really? Have you ever been to China?
&!/(: Yes, I’ve been to China twice.
-!.(: What about India?
&!/(: No, I haven’t been to India.
When we talk about a period of time that continues from the past until now, we use the present
perfect (have been / have travelled etc.). Here, Dave and Jane are talking about the places Jane
has visited in her life, which is a period that continues until now.
In the same way we say:
Have you ever eaten caviar?
We’ve never had a car.
I don’t know what the film is about. I haven’t seen it.
Susan really loves that book. She’s read it three times. (She’s = She has)
It’s a really boring movie. It’s the most boring movie I’ve ever seen
been (to) = visited:
I’ve never been to Canada. Have you been there?
1️⃣ In the following examples too, the speakers are talking about a period that continues until now
(recently, in the last few days, so far, since I arrived etc.):
Have you heard anything from Ben recently?
I’ve met a lot of people in the last few days.
Everything is going well. There haven’t been any
problems so far.
The weather is bad here. It’s (= It has) rained every
day since I arrived. (= from when I arrived until now)
It’s good to see you again. We haven’t seen each other for a long time.
- In the same way we use the present perfect with today, this evening, this year etc. when these periods are not finished at the time of speaking:
I’ve drunk four cups of co% ee today.
Have you had a holiday this year?
I haven’t seen Tom this morning. Have you?
2️⃣ We say ‘It’s the (first) time something has happened’. For example:
Don is having a driving lesson. It’s his first lesson.
We can say:
It’s the first time he has driven a car. (not drives)
or He hasn’t driven a car before.
or He has never driven a car before.
- In the same way we say:
Sarah has lost her passport again. This is the second
time this has happened. (not happens)
Andy is phoning his girlfriend again. It’s the third
time he’s phoned her this evening.
Exercise:
Read the situations and complete the sentences.
1 Jack is driving a car for the first time. He’s very nervous and not sure what to do.
It’s the first time he’s driven a car.
2 Some children at the zoo are looking at a giraffe. They’ve never seen one before.
It’s the first time they have seen a giraffe.
3 Sue is riding a horse. She doesn’t look very confident or comfortable.
She has not ridden a horse before.
4 Joe and Lisa are on holiday in Japan. They’ve been to Japan once before.
This is the second time they have been to Japan .
5 Emily is staying at the Prince Hotel. She stayed there a few years ago.
It’s not the first time Emily has stayed at this hotel.
6 Ben is playing tennis for the first time. He’s a complete beginner. ben has not played tennis before
before.
Present perfect continuous (I have been doing)
Present perfect continuous and simple
(I have been doing and I have done)
Is it raining?
No, but the ground is wet.
It’s been raining. (= It has been …)
have/has been + -ing is the present perfect continuous:
I/we/they/you have (= I’ve etc.)
he/she/it has (= he’s etc.) + been + doing working learning etc.
We use the present perfect continuous for an activity that has recently stopped or just stopped:
Why are you out of breath? Have you been running?
Paul is very tired. He’s been working hard.
Why are you so tired? What have you been doing?
I’ve been talking to Amanda and she agrees with me.
Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you.
1️⃣
It began raining two hours ago and it is still raining.
How long has it been raining?
It’s been raining for two hours. (= It has been …)
We use the present perfect continuous in this way, especially
with how long, for … and since … . The activity is still
happening (as in this example) or has just stopped.
How long have you been learning English? (= you’re still learning English)
Ben is watching TV. He’s been watching TV all day.
Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you for the last half hour.
Chris hasn’t been feeling well recently.
- You can use the present perfect continuous for repeated actions:
Silvia is a very good tennis player. She’s been playing since she was eight.
Every morning they meet in the same cafe. They’ve been going there for years.
2️⃣ Compare I am doing and I have been doing:
Don’t disturb me now. I’m working.
I’ve been working hard. Now I’m going
to have a break.
We need an umbrella. It’s raining.
The ground is wet. It’s been raining.
Hurry up! We’re waiting.
We’ve been waiting for an hour
Exercise:
Put the verb into the present continuous (am/is/are + -ing) or present perfect continuous (have/has been + -ing).
1 Maria has been learning (Maria / learn) English for two years.
2 Hi, Tom. I have been looking for you (I / look) for you. I need to ask you something.
3 Why are you looking (you / look) at me like that? Stop it!
4 Rachel is a teacher. she has been teaching (she / teach) for ten years.
5 I´ve been thinking (I / think) about what you said and I’ve decided to take your advice.
6 ‘Is Paul on holiday this week?’ ‘No, he is working (he / work).’
7 Sarah is very tired. she has been working (she / work) very hard recently.
8 It’s dangerous to use your phone when you are driving (you / drive).
9 Laura has been traveling (travel) in South America for the last three months.
🤣🤣 Present perfect continuous and simple
(I have been doing and I have done)
1️⃣
- There is paint on Kate’s clothes.
She has been painting her bedroom.
We are thinking of the activity. It does not matter
whether it has been finished or not. In this
example, the activity (painting the bedroom) has
not been finished.
- The bedroom was green. Now it is yellow.
She has painted her bedroom.
Here, the important thing is that something has
been finished. ‘She has painted’ is a completed
action. We are thinking about the result of
the#activity (the painted bedroom), not the
activity#itself.
2️⃣Compare these examples:
My hands are very dirty. I’ve been
repairing my bike.
My bike is OK again now. I’ve repaired
it. (= I’ve finished repairing it)
Joe has been eating too much recently.
He should eat less.
Somebody has eaten all the chocolates.
The box is empty.
It’s nice to see you again. What have you
been doing since we last met?
Where’s the book I gave you? What have
you done with it?
Where have you been? Have you been
playing tennis?
Have you ever played tennis?
3️⃣ We use the continuous to say how long (for
something that is still happening):
How long have you been reading that
book?
Amy is writing emails. She’s been writing
emails all morning.
They’ve been playing tennis since 2 o’clock.
I’m learning Arabic, but I haven’t been
learning it very long.
We use the simple to say how much, how many
or how many times (for completed actions):
How many pages of that book have
you read?
Amy has sent lots of emails this morning.
They’ve played tennis three times this
week.
I’m learning Arabic, but I haven’t learnt
very much yet.
Some verbs (for example, know) are not normally used in continuous forms (be + -ing):
I’ve known about the problem for a long time. (not I’ve been knowing)
How long have you had that camera? (not have you been having)
For a list of these verbs, see Unit 4A. For have, see Unit 17.
But note that you can use want and mean in the present perfect continuous (have/has been + -ing):
I’ve been meaning to phone Anna, but I keep forgetting.
Exercise
Read the situation and complete the sentences. Use the verbs in brackets.
1 Tom started reading a book two hours ago. He is still reading it and now he is on page 53.
He has been reading for two hours. (read)
He has read 53 pages so far. (read)
2 Rachel is from Australia. She is travelling round Europe. She began her trip three months ago.
She for has been traveling for three months. (travel)
has visited six countries so far. (visit)
3 Patrick is a tennis player. He began playing tennis when he was 10 years old. This year he won the national
championship again – for the fourth time.
he has won the national championship four times. (win)
he´s been playing since he was ten. (play)
4 When they lef college, Lisa and Sue started making films together. They still make films.
They have been making films since they le# college. (make)
they have made five films since they left college. (make)
😍 Ask questions using the words in brackets. Use the present perfect simple (have/has done) or
continuous (have/has been doing).
1 You have a friend who is learning Arabic. You ask:
(how long / learn / Arabic?) How long have you been learning Arabic?
2 You have just arrived to meet a friend. She is waiting for you. You ask: Have you been waiting long (wait / long?)
3 You see somebody fishing by the river. You ask:
(catch / any fish?) have you caught any fish
4 Some friends of yours are having a party next week. You ask:
(how many people / invite?) how many people have you invited
5 A friend of yours is a teacher. You ask:
(how long / teach?) how long have you been teaching
6 You meet somebody who is a writer. You ask:
(how many books / write?) how many books have you written
(how long / write / books?) how long have you been writing
7 A friend of yours is saving money to go on a world trip. You ask:
(how long / save?) how long have you been saving
(how much money / save?) how much have you saved
😅 Put the verb into the present perfect simple or continuous.
1 Where have you been? Have you been playing (you / play) tennis?
2 Look! somebody has broken (somebody / break) that window.
3 You look tired. have you been working (you / work) hard?
4 have you ever worked (you / ever / work) in a factory?’ ‘No, never.’
5 Where’s Lisa? Where has she gone (she / go)?
6 This is a very old book. i´ve had (I / have) it since I was a child.
7 ‘Have you been busy?’ ‘No, i have been watching (I / watch) TV.’
8 My brother is an actor. he has appeared (he / appear) in several films.
9 ‘Sorry I’m late.’ ‘That’s all right. i haven´t been waiting (I / not / wait) long.’
10 Are you OK? You look as if you have been crying (you / cry).
11 ‘Is it still raining?’ ‘No, it has stopped (it / stop).’
12 The children are tired now. they have been playing (they / play) in the garden.
13 (I / lose) i have lost my phone. have you seen (you / see) it?
14 (I / read) i have been reading the book you lent me, but
(I / not / finish) i haven´t finished it yet. It’s really interesting.
15 (I / read) i have read the book you lent me, so you can have it back now.
how long have you (been) … ?
for and since when … ? and how long … ?
how long have you (been) … ?
Dan and Kate are married. They got married exactly
20 years ago, so today is their 20th wedding anniversary.
They have been married for 20 years.
We say: They are married. (present)
but How long have they been married?
(not How long are they married?)
They have been married for 20 years.
(not They are married for 20 years)
- We use the present perfect to talk about something that began in the past and still
continues now.
Compare the present and present perfect:
Paul is in hospital.
but He’s been in hospital since Monday. (= He has been …)
(not Paul is in hospital since Monday)
We know each other very well.
but We’ve known each other for a long time.
(not We know)
Do they have a car?
but How long have they had their car?
She’s waiting for somebody.
but She hasn’t been waiting very long
1️⃣
I’ve known / I’ve had / I’ve lived etc. is the present perfect simple.
I’ve been learning / I’ve been waiting etc. is the present perfect continuous.
When we ask or say ‘how long’, the continuous is more usual (see Unit 10):
I’ve been learning English since January.
It’s been raining all morning.
Richard has been doing the same job for 20 years.
‘How long have you been driving?’ ‘Since I was 17.’
2.Some verbs (for example, know and like) are not normally used in the continuous:
How long have you known Jane? (not have you been knowing)
I’ve had these shoes for ages. (not I’ve been having)
2️⃣ You can use either the continuous or simple with live and work:
Julia has been living in this house for a long time. or Julia has lived …
How long have you been working here? or How long have you worked here?
- But we use the simple (have lived etc.) with always:
I’ve always lived in the country. (not always been living)
3️⃣ We say ‘I haven’t (done something) since/for …’ ( present perfect simple):
I haven’t seen Tom since Monday. (= Monday was the last time I saw him)
Sarah hasn’t phoned for ages. (= the last time she phoned was ages ago)
Exercises
11.1 Which is right?
1 Ben is a friend of mine. I know / I’ve known him very well. (I know is correct)
2 I like your house. How long do you live / have you lived here?
3 You’ll need an umbrella if you go out now. It’s raining / It’s been raining. ( Its raining )
4 The weather is / has been awful since I arrived here.( has been )
5 I’m sorry I’m late. Are you waiting / Have you been waiting long? ( have you been )
6 We’ve moved. We’re living / We’ve been living in New Street now. ( we are living )
7 I met Maria only recently. I don’t know / I haven’t known her very long.( i haven´t known her )
8 Lisa is in Germany. She’s / She’s been there on a business trip. ( she is )
9 That’s a very old bike. How long do you have / have you had it? ( have you had)
10 I’m not feeling good. I’m feeling / I’ve been feeling ill all day. ( i´ve been feeling )
🤣 Read the situations and write questions using the words in brackets.
1 A friend tells you that Paul is in hospital. You ask him:
(how long / Paul / hospital?) how long has paul been in hospital ?
2 You know that Jane is a good friend of Katherine’s. You ask Jane:
(how long / you / know / Katherine?) how long have you known Katherine ?
3 Your friend’s sister went to Australia some time ago and she’s still there. You ask your friend: how long has your sister been in Australia ?
(how long / sister / in Australia?)
4 You meet a woman who tells you that she teaches English. You ask her: how long have you been teaching English
(how long / you / teach / English?)
5 Tom always wears the same jacket. It’s very old. You ask him: how long have you had that jacket?
(how long / you / have / that jacket?)
6 You are talking to a friend about Joe, who now works at the airport. You ask your friend: how long joe has been working at the airport
(how long / Joe / work / airport?)
7 You meet somebody on a plane. She says that she lives in Chicago. You ask her: have long have you been living in Chicago
(you / always / live / in Chicago?)
🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
for and since when … ? and how long … ?
We use for and since to say how long something has been happening.
We use for + a period of time:
We’ve been waiting for two hours.
We use since + the start of a period:
We’ve been waiting since 8 o’clock.
for (two hours, 20 minutes, five days, a long time, six months, 50 years, a week, ages, years)
Sally has been working here for six
months. (not since six months)
I haven’t seen Tom for three days.
since ( 8 o’clock, Monday, 12 May, April, 2001, Christmas, lunchtime, we arrived, I got up)
Sally has been working here since
April. (= from April until now)
I haven’t seen Tom since Monday.
We often leave out for (but not usually in negative sentences):
They’ve been married for ten years. or They’ve been married ten years.
They haven’t had a holiday for ten years. (you need for)
You can use in instead of for in negative sentences (I haven’t … etc.):
They haven’t had a holiday in ten years. (= for ten years)
We do not use for + all … (all day / all my life etc.):
I’ve lived here all my life. (not for all my life)
Compare when … ? (+ past simple) and how long … ? (+ present perfect):
A: When did it start raining?
B: It started raining an hour ago / at 1 o’clock.
A: How long has it been raining?
B: It’s been raining for an hour / since 1 o’clock.
A: When did Joe and Kate first meet?
B: They first met a long time ago./ when they were at school.
A: How long have they known each other?
B: They’ve known each other for a long time. /since they were at school.
We say: it’s (= it is) or it’s been (= it has been) a long time /six months (etc.)
since something happened
It’s two years since I last saw Joe. or It’s been two years since …
(= I haven’t seen Joe for two years)
It’s ages since we went to the cinema. or It’s been ages since …
(= We haven’t been to the cinema for ages)
How long is it since Mrs Hill died? or How long has it been since …
(= when did she die?)
Exercises
It’s been raining since lunchtime.
2 Paul has lived in Brazil for ten years.
3 I’m tired of waiting. We’ve been sitting here for an hour.
4 Kevin has been looking for a job since he left school.
5 I haven’t been to a party for ages.
6 I wonder where Joe is. I haven’t seen him since last week.
7 Jane is away on holiday. She’s been away since Friday.
8 The weather is dry. It hasn’t rained for a few week.
1 It’s raining. It’s been raining since lunchtime. It started raining at lunchtime.
2 Ann and Jess are friends. They first met years ago. They’ve known each other for years.
3 Mark is unwell. He became ill on Sunday. He has been ill since Sunday.
4 Sarah is married. She’s been married for a year. She got married a year ago .
5 You have a headache. It started when you woke up.
I’ve had a headache since I woke up.
6 Sue is in a meeting at work. It’s been going on since 9 o’clock.
The meeting started/ began at 9 o’clock.
7 You’re working in a hotel. You started working there six months ago.
I’ve been working there for six months .
8 Kate is learning Japanese. She’s been doing this for a long time.
Kate started learning japanese a long time ago
Do you often go on holiday?
No, I haven’t had a holiday for five years.
No, it’s five years since I last had a holiday
Have you seen Lisa recently?
No, I haven’t seen Lisa/her for about a month.
No, it’s about a month since I (last)
saw Lisa/her. or
No, it’s been about a month since …
Do you still go swimming regularly?
No, I haven’t been swimming for a long time.
No, it’s a long time since I
(last) went swimming. or
No, it’s been a long time since …
Do you still ride a bike these days?
No, I haven’t ridden a bike for ages.
No, it’s ages since I (last) rode a bike.
or No, it’s been ages since …
Present perfect and past 1 (I have done and I did)
Tom is looking for his key. He can’t find it.
He has lost his key. (present perfect)
This means that he doesn’t have his key now.
Ten minutes later:
Now Tom has found his key. He has it now.
Has he lost his key? No, he has found it.
Did he lose his key? Yes, he did.
He lost his key (past simple)
but now he has found it. (present perfect)
The present perfect (something has happened) is a present tense. It tells us about the situation now.
‘Tom has lost his key’ = he doesn’t have his key now (see Unit 7).
The past simple (something happened) tells us only about the past. If somebody says ‘Tom lost his key’,
we don’t know whether he has the key now or not. We know only that he lost it at some time in the past.
Compare present perfect and past simple:
They’ve gone away. They’ll be back on Friday. (they are away now)
They went away, but I think they’re back at home now. (not They’ve gone away)
It has stopped raining now, so we don’t need the umbrella. (it isn’t raining now)
It stopped raining for a while, but now it’s raining again. (not It has stopped)
You can use the present perfect for new or recent happenings:
I’ve repaired the washing machine. It’s working OK now.
‘Hannah has had a baby! It’s a boy.’ ‘That’s great news.’
Usually, you can also use the past simple:
I repaired the washing machine. It’s working OK now.
Use the past simple (not the present perfect) for things that are not recent or new:
Mozart was a composer. He wrote more than 600 pieces of music.
(not has been … has written)
My mother grew up in Italy. (not has grown)
Compare:
Somebody has invented a new type of washing machine.
Who invented the telephone? (not has invented)
We use the present perfect to give new information (see Unit 7). But if we continue to talk about it,
we normally use the past simple:
“: Ow! I’ve burnt myself.
#: How did you do that? (not have you done)
“: I picked up a hot dish. (not have picked)
”: Look! Somebody has spilt something on the sofa.
#: Well, it wasn’t me. I didn’t do it. (not hasn’t been … haven’t done)
Exercises
Are the underlined parts of these sentences OK? Correct them where necessary.
1 Did you hear about Sophie? She’s given up her job. OK
2 My mother has grown up in Italy. ❌ My mother grew up
3 How many plays has William Shakespeare written? ❌ did William Shakespeare write
4 I’ve forgotten his name. Is it Joe or Jack? ok
5 Who has invented paper?❌ Who invented
6 Drugs have become a big problem everywhere. ok
7 We’ve washed the car, but now it’s dirty again. ❌ We washed
8 Where have you been born? ❌ Where were you born?
9 Ellie has gone shopping. She’ll be back in about an hour. ok
10 Albert Einstein has been the scientist who
has developed the theory of relativity.❌ Albert Einstein was the scientist who developed
1 It stopped raining for a while, but now it’s raining again. (it / stop)
2 The town where I live is very different now. It has changed a lot. (it / change)
3 I studied German at school, but i have forgotten most of it now. (I / forget)
4 The police arrested three people, but later they let them go. (arrest)
5 What do you think of my English? Do you think it has improved ? (it / improve)
6 Are you ready to go? have you finished your coffee? (you / finish)
7 i applied for a job as a tour guide, but I wasn’t successful. (I / apply)
8 Where’s my bike? it was outside the house, but it’s not there now. (it / be)
9 Quick! We need to call an ambulance.there has been an accident. (there / be)
10 “: I’ve found my phone.
#: Oh, good. Where did you find it? (you / find)
“: it was at the bottom of my bag. (It / be)
11 “: Ben won’t be able to play tennis for a while. he has broken his arm. (He / break)
#: Oh. How did that happen ? (that / happen)
“: he fell off a ladder. (He / fall)
🔅🔅🔅🔅🔅🔅🔅🔅
Present perfect and past 2 (I have done and I did)
We do not use the present perfect (I have done) when we talk about a finished time (for example,
yesterday / last year / ten minutes ago etc.). We use a past tense:
It was very cold yesterday. (not has been)
Paul and Lucy arrived ten minutes ago. (not have arrived)
Did you eat a lot of sweets when you were a child? (not have you eaten)
I got home late last night. I was very tired and went straight to bed.
Use the past to ask When … ? or What time … ? :
When did your friends arrive? (not have … arrived)
What time did you finish work?
Compare:
Present perfect
Tom has lost his key. He can’t get
into the house.
Is Carla here or has she left?
Past simple
Tom lost his key yesterday.
He couldn’t get into the house.
When did Carla leave?
Compare:
Present perfect (have done)
I’ve done a lot of work today.
We use the present perfect for a period of time
that continues until now. For example:
today / this week / since 2010.
Past simple (did)
I did a lot of work yesterday.
We use the past simple for a finished time in
the past. For example:
yesterday / last week / from 2010 to 2014.
It hasn’t rained this week.
It didn’t rain last week.
Have you seen Anna this morning?
(it is still morning now)
Did you see Anna this morning?
(it is now a!ernoon or evening)
Have you seen Ben recently?#
(in the last few days or weeks)
Did you see Ben on Sunday?
I’ve been working here since 2010.
(I still work here now)
I worked here from 2010 to 2014.
(I don’t work here now)
I don’t know where Lisa is. I haven’t seen
her. (= I haven’t seen her recently)
“: Was Lisa at the party on Sunday?
#: I don’t think so. I didn’t see her.
We’ve been waiting for an hour.
(we are still waiting now)
We waited (or were waiting) for an
hour. (we are no longer waiting)
Jack lives in Los Angeles. He has lived
there for seven years.
Jack lived in New York for ten years.
Now he lives in Los Angeles.
I’ve never ridden a horse. (in my life)
I never rode a bike when I was a child.
It’s the last day of your holiday. You say:
It’s been a really good holiday. I’ve really
enjoyed it.
A!er you come back from holiday you say:
It was a really good holiday. I really
enjoyed it.
Are the underlined parts of these sentences OK? Correct them where necessary.
1 I’ve lost my key. I can’t find it anywhere. OK
2 Have you eaten a lot of sweets when you were a child?❌ Did you eat
3 I’ve bought a new car. You must come and see it. ✅
4 I’ve bought a new car last week. ❌ I bought a new car last week
5 Where have you been yesterday evening?❌ Where were you
6 Maria has left school in 1999. ❌ Maria left school
7 I’m looking for Mike. Have you seen him?✅
8 ‘Have you been to Paris?’ ‘Yes, many times.’✅
9 I’m very hungry. I haven’t eaten much today.✅
10 When has this bridge been built?❌ When was this bridge built
Make sentences from the words in brackets. Use the present perfect or past simple.
1 (it / not / rain / this week) It hasn’t rained this week.
2 (the weather / be / cold / recently) The weather has been cold recently
3 (it / cold / last week) It was cold last week
4 (I / not / eat / any fruit yesterday) I didnt eat any fruit yesterday
5 (I / not / eat / any fruit today) i havent eaten any fruit today
6 (Emily / earn / a lot of money / this year) Emily has earned a lot of money this year
7 (she / not / earn / so much / last year)
she didnt earn so much last year
8 (you / have / a holiday recently?)
have you had a holiday recently ?
Put the verb into the correct form, present perfect or past simple.
1 I haven’t been (I / not / be) to Canada, but I’d like to go there.
2 Paul and Lucy arrived (arrive) about ten minutes ago.
3 I’m tired. i didnt sleep (I / not / sleep) well last night.
4 (There / be) there was a bus drivers’ strike last week, so
(there / be) there were no buses.
5 Edward (work) worked in a bank for 15 years. Then
(he / give) he gave it up. Now he works as a gardener.
6 Mary lives in Dublin. (She / live) she has lived there all her life.
7 My grandfather (die) died before I was born.
(I / never / meet) i have never met him.
8 I don’t know Karen’s husband. (I / never / meet) i have never met him.
9 It’s nearly lunchtime, and (I / not / see) i havent seen Martin all morning. I wonder
where he is.
10 “: (you / go) did you go to the cinema last night?
#: Yes, but the movie (be) was awful.
11 “: (It / be) it has been very warm here since we arrived.
#: Yes, (it / be) it was 35 degrees yesterday.
12 “: Where do you live? #: In Boston.
“: How long (you / live) have you lived / have you beeng living there? #: Five years.
“: Where (you / live) did you live before that? #: In Chicago.
“: And how long (you / live) did you live in Chicago? #: Two years.
Past perfect (I had done)
Sarah and Paul went to the same party last week, but they didn’t see each other. Paul left the party at 10.30 and Sarah arrived at 11 o’clock.
So when Sarah arrived at the party, Paul wasn’t there.
He had gone home.
had gone is the past perfect:
I/we/they/you he/she/it
had
(= I’d etc.) (= he’d etc.)
gone
seen finished etc.
