GRAMMAR 4 PRESENT PERFECT 1 Underline the correct word or phrase in each sentence. 1 I can't believe it, Inspector. You mean that Smith stole/has stolen/has been stealing money from the till all this time! 2 You three boys look very guilty! What did you do/have you done/have you been doing since I left/have left the room? 3 Why on earth didn't you tell/haven't you told me about that loose floorboard? I tripped/have tripped over it just now and hurt myself. 4 Its a long time since I saw/have seen/have been seeing your brother Paul. What did he do/has he done/has he been doing lately? 5 I can't believe that you ate/have eaten/have been eating three pizzas already! I only brought/have only brought them in fifteen minutes ago! 6 Don't forget that you didn't see/haven't seen Mrs Dawson. She has waited/has been waiting outside since 10.30. 7 What did you think/have you thought of Brighton? Did you stay/Have you stayed there long? 8 I feel really tired. I weeded/have weeded/have been weeding the garden for the last three hours and I didn't rest/haven't rested for a single moment. 9 I'm having problems with David. He has called/has been calling me up in the middle of the night and told/telling me his troubles. 10 How long did you have/have you had/have you been having driving lessons? And did you take/have you taken/have you been taking your test yet? 2 Decide how many different endings (a-j) you can find for sentences (1-10). The sentences you make must be appropriate and meaningful. 1 I haven't been feeling very well... .&.!?... a time and time again. 2 b all my life. 3 I've lived here............. c so far. 4 Don't worry. I haven't been waiting............. d for the time being. 5 I've written two pages............. e for the past hour or two. 6 I waited outside your house............. f yet. 7 g till half past eight. 8 I haven't made a decision............. h for a while. 9 The repair worked ............. i the other day. 10 I've decided to believe you............. i long. 23 \IGUAGE PRACTICE nplete each sentence with a suitable perfect or past tense form of the verb in ckets. 1 So far we (not/notice)......toMI&XSSS&SH......anything unusual, but we (not/pay). .......................................very close attention. 2 I'm sorry I (not/come)........................................to class lately. 3 I (work)........................................late in the evenings for the past fortnight. 4 I wonder if Mary (reach)........................................home yet? She (leave) ........................................too late to catch the bus. 5 Here is the news. The Home Office (announce)........................................that the two prisoners who (escape)........................................from Dartmoor prison earlier this morning (give themselves up)........................................to local police. 6 (you/make up)........................................your minds? What (you/decide) ........................................to do? 7 Harry (leave)........................................home rather suddenly and we (not/hear)..... .................................from him since. 8 Recent research (show)........................................that Columbus (not/discover)...... ................................America, but that Vikings (land) ........................................there five hundred years before him. 9 I think that people (become)........................................tired of the poor quality of television programmes, though they (improve)........................................lately. 10 (something/happen)........................................to the phone lines? I (try) ........................................to get through to Glasgow for the past hour. 11 Bill (get)........................................ that new job, but he (complain) ..................................about it ever since. GRAMMAR 4 PRESENT PERFECT 4 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. 1 This has been my home for thirty years, lived I......................................................................................for thirty years. 2 Eating Korean food is new to me. never I.....................................................................................................?..........................before. 3 Tony hasn't been to Paris before, first Its...........................................................................................................................to Paris. 4 We haven't been swimming for ages, since It's......................................................................................................................swimming. 5 Mary started learning French five years ago. has Mary....................................................................................................................five years. 6 I am on the tenth page of this letter I am writing, ten So far I............................................................................................................of this letter. 7 It's over twenty years since they got married, for They have............................................................................................than twenty years. 8 The last time I saw Dick was in 2007. seen I haven't......................................................................................................................2007. 9 There is a definite improvement in your work, has Lately..................................................................................................................improved. 10 This is my second visit to Hungary, visited This is the............................................................................................................Hungary. /ANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE 5 Underline the correct phrase in each sentence. 1 The price of petrol has risen/has been risingby 15% over the past year. 2 No wonder you are overweight! You have eaten/You have been eating chocolates all day long! 3 I've read/I've been reading a really good book this morning. 4 Doesn't this room look better? I've put/I've been putting some posters up on the walls. 5 Don't disappoint me! I've counted/I've been counting on you. 6 Don't forget your pill. Have you taken it?/Have you been taking if? 7 Who has worn/has been wearing my scarf? 8 I think there's something wrong with your motorbike. It's made/It's been making some very funny noises. 9 Jack has asked/has been asking for a pay rise three times this year. 10 I've been phoning/I've phoned Ann all evening, but there's no reply. 6 Complete the text with the past simple, present perfect simple or present perfect continuous of the verbs in brackets. GRAMMAR 4 PRESENT PERFECT 7 Ujiderline the correct word or phrase in each sentence. Three weeks ago I (1).....SifMSf!......(move) to London, full of enthusiasm, to start a new job, but ever since I (2).....................(arrive) in the capital, I (3).....................(wonder) whether this was the right decision. Before coming here, I (4).....................(hear) a lot of great things about life in London, but since arriving I can't really say that the city (5).....................(make) a favourable impression on me. It's so crowded and the people are so unfriendly, and I (6).....................(spend) hours every day on the underground going to and from work. You see, I (7).....................(grow up) in a small town in Wales and I (8).....................(not be) away from home before. Of course, I (9).....................(always/want) to see the world, so when my company (10).....................(offer) me a post in the London office, I (11)..................... (jump) at the chance. The problem is that now I (12).....................(actually/ start) living here, I can see that there are lots of reasons for being back in Wales! In fact, according to a piece I (13)..................... (come across) in the paper the other day, a lot of large companies (14).....................(choose) to move away from the centre of London recently. I feel so miserable that I (15) .....................(secretly/hope) my company might decide to move too, and that I'll be able to go back to Wales. 1 Its a long time since/when I last saw you. 2 I've seen Bill quite often lately/from time to time. 3 Have you spoken to the director beforehand/already7. 4 I've lived in the same house for years/for ever. 5 I've read the paper now/still. 6 Jan has bought a computer two years ago/since then. 7 Nothing much has been happening by now/so far. 8 I've finished reading her new book at last/this evening. 9 Sue bought a CD player last week and she's been listening to music ever since/for a while. 10 Sorry, but I haven't got that work finished already/yet. 8 Match the expressions (1-10) with the explanations of when they might be said (a-j). 1 Have you heard the one about... ? a Saying you don't follow what someone is saying. 2 I haven't seen you for ages!.......... b Having doubts about a big decision. 3 I've had enough of this!.......... c Having a brilliant idea. 4 Sorry, you've lost me!.......... d Introducing a joke. 5 I've had a brainwave!.......... e Declining more food. 6 It's been one of those days!.......... f Spreading gossip. 7 I've had enough, thanks........... g Seeing an old face from the past. 8 I haven't had a chance yet........... h Having a frustrating time, when everything is going wrong. 9 I've been having second thoughts........... i Wanting to stop doing something because it's annoying you. 10 Oh, haven't you heard?.......... j Apologizing for not doing something you said you'd do. -» SEE ALSO Grammar 3: Past tenses Consolidation 1: Units 1-4