THE PRESENT PERFECT 1

A FORM

We form the present perfect with the auxiliary verb has/have + the past participle of the main verb.

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION

I have worked
You have ('ve) worked
He/she/ it has worked
We have ('ve) worked
They have ('ve) worked
I have not (haven't) worked Have I worked ?
You have not (haven't) worked Have you worked?
He/she/it has not (hasn't) worked Has he/she/it worked?
We have not (haven't) worked Have we worked?
They have not (haven't) worked Have they worked?

 Regular verbs like work form the past participle with -d or -ed. In verb tables, the second column
(past simple) and the third column (past participle) are the same work -worked - worked.
 Irregular verbs often have a different past simple and past participle do - did - done, go - went -
gone.

B Uses

We use the present perfect for a situation that started in the past and continues to the present.
I've worked in marketing all my life. I've known him since we were at University together.

We use the pressent perfect to talk about a series of actions up to the present.
I've visited Spain several times. We have made many improvements to the software in the new version.

We use the present perfect for a past event that has a present result.
I've lost their invoice - I can't find it anywhere. The taxi has arrived. See you soon - Have a safe journey!

 In general the present perfect connects the past with the present. The first two cases are 'life up to now'
and the third is 'present result of past action'.
 Notice that with the present perfect the time period is not finishedor not define
I've worked in marketing all my life. (not finished - I continue to work in marketing).
I've visited Spain many times. (not define - no time given)
I've lost their invoice. (not define - no time given).

C been and gone

 Notice the difference between has been and has gone

She's been to Paris means she went to Paris and has now returned.
She's gone to Paris means she went there but has not yet returned. she is still there.

EXERCISES

1 Complete the verb table of irregular verbs.

INFINITIVE PAST SIMPLE PRESENT PERFECT

be
begin
buy
 do
get
give
go
have
know
make
meet
see
think
take
work

2 Complete this extract from an annual report using these verbs in the present perfect be, begin,
buy, have, make.

I am pleased to report that we (1)................................... an excellent year. Our financial services division
(2) ......................... a profit for over eight million dollar, and for the first time we (3).....................................
activities in the area of life insurance. Our expansion plans in Central Europe are also going well : senior
managers (4) ......................... there many times over the year to look at the possibilities of setting up
subsidiaries, and in Slovakia we (5) ............................... a controlling share in an existing local company.

3 Complete this e-mail by putting the verbs into the present perfect. There are affirmative, negative
and question forms.

Jim- (1) _________________ (you/hear) about the plans to extend the Bucharest metro? The European
Union (2) _____________________ (announce) that they will provide funding to another line. All
construction companies are invited to make a bid. Several points occur to me:

1. Our big competitors like Alstom and Bechtel (3) ___________________ (not make) any public
statements yet, but I'm sure they will be interested.

2. What about us? Should we put in our own bid? I (4) ____________________ (prepare) a short report
with my own ideas. It's attached to this email. Let me know what you think.

3. It would be good to talk to Dimitrie about this, but he (5) ____________________ (not reply) to my
last few emails. (6) __________________ (you/see) him recently?

Anyway, my secretary will schedule a meeting on this issue at the end of March. Please discuss the matter
with you team members before then.

VOCABULARY

bid : offer
funding : financing
occur : appear
schedule : plan
PRESENT PERFECT 2 : TIME ADVERBS

A Ever / Never

 We use ever and never to talk about life experience. Ever is used in questions.

Have you ever worked abroad? (in your life up to now).

I've never been to the United States. (in my life up to now).

 A question with ever in the present perfect is often followed by an answer in the past. the past
simple refers to a completed time period.

A Have you ever worked abroad?

B Yes, I have. I worked for a bank in London. That was ten years ago.

B Already / Yet

 We use already in affirmative sentences to mean 'earlier than expected'. Note the position.

She has already spoken to me. (NOT She has spoken already to me.)

 We use yet in questions and negatives. it means. It means 'something hasn't happened, but I expect
it to happen'.

Have you spoken to her yet? (NOT Have you spoken yet to her?) WRONG
She hasn't spoken to me yet. (NOT She hasn't spoken yet to me.) WRONG

C Just

 we use just to mean 'a short time ago'. I'm sorry, he's just left.

D For / Since

 We use for to talk about the length of a period of time. I have worked here for six months.

 We use since to talk about when the time period started. I have worked here since 2010.

 For can also be used with the past simple for a completed time period.

I worked in London for a few years in the 1990's.

E Unfinished periods of time

 We use the present perfect with time adverbs that refer to a period that has not finished today;
this month, this year, so far, until now, up to now, over the last few years, etc

I have had three long meeting today. (it is mid-afternoon - the day is not finished).
Sales this year have increased by 5%. (it is April - the year is not finished).
I've written half the report so far /up to now. (there is still more time left for writing).
EXERCISES

1 Complete each sentence with one of these time adverbs already, ever, for, just, never, since, so far,
yet.

1. The project is going very well _ we've ......................... finished phase one.
2. I haven't finished the July sales report ..........................
3. Sorry. I've been really busy - I've been in a meeting .......................... nine o'clock.
4. I'm a bit nervous - I've .............................. spoken to so many people before.
5. We've known each other .......................... more than twenty years.
6. We've had 120 registrations for the conference ........................ and the maximum is 150
7. Have you ............................... eaten sushi?
8. I've ........................... heard about your promotion! Congratulations.

2 Put the verbs into the present perfect or the past simple.

1. A : ................................... (you/ever/be) to Latin America

B : Just once. I ............................ (go) on a walking holiday in Patagonia.

2 A : .................................. (you/ever/use) the London Underground?

B ; Yes, I have. I remember the voice that ...................................... (say) 'Mind the gap'.

3 A: ................................. (you/ever/give) a presentation to a large audience?

B Yes, I have. It ............................. (not/be/) too bad after I .............................. (start)

3 Complete the sentence with for or since.

1 I've been at KPMG ................ nearly a year. ............................. January in fact.

2 I've haven't heard from her ..................... the beginning of the month. So ............................ the last
few weeks I haven' been able to do anything.
3 I've known Rafik .................... a long time. ............................ we were at the University together.

4 Susan is speaking to her friend on the phone at the lunchtime. complete what she says using these
words already, ever, for, just, never, since, up to now, yet

What a terrible day! I haven't replied to all my emails (1) ............. and I've been here (2) .......................
eight o'clock. And I have to write a report this afternoon. My boss has (3) ................................ reminded
me about it three times this week. Honestly, I've been in this job (4) ........................... three years and I've
(5) ....................... had so much work to do. (6) ......................... I haven't complained, but if things continue
like this, I'm going to say something. Oh sorry, I have to go now. I've (7).................. seen my boss come in
and I don't want him to hear me chatting on the phone. Maybe we could go out for a drink one evening.
Have you (8) ....................... been to that Salsa near the cathedral ? they say it's very good. Anyway, speak
to you soon. Bye.

5 Which of the following expressions are used with the past simple and which are used with the
present perfect. which are used with both?

In 2009 since 2003 yet

this week yesterday ever
recently last year six months ago
6 A shampoo, Shine Plus, is not selling well. The Product Manager is talking to a marketing consultant.
Fill the spaces. Use words below .

for since (2) ever never long have (2) has (2) been

MC: Have you_________ had a big fall in sales before?

PM: No, sales have_________ fallen so suddenly.
MC: How_________ have you__________marketing this product?
P M : __________ the beginning of last year.
MC: So, it's been on the market_________ less than two years?
PM: Yes, it __________
MC: _________ you compared Shine Plus with competitors’ sales results?
PM: Yes. Our drop in sales_________ happened___________January although the market has improved.
The graph shows how our three main competitors______ __ all benefited: they’ve all been selling better.

Kate and Matt meet in an airport departure lounge. They are waiting for their flights. Complete the
dialogue below. Use for, since, ever, never.

Kate: How long have you worked for Abacus?

Matt: __________ about four years.
Kate: I see. Have you_________ done business in China?
Matt: No, we’ve__________tried the Chinese market.
Kate: Well, our business in China has been rising __________the beginning of the 2000s.
Matt: And you've been making a profit since then ?
Kate: Well, not always__________ three years, yes.
Matt: Have you_______ _ visited China ?
Kate: Oh yes. Many times. In fact, my husband is Chinese.

THE ANSWERS TO THE ABOVE EXERCISES MUST BE SENT VIA MY

PROFESSIONAL EMAIL ON TUESDAY BEFORE MIDNIGHT. THANK YOU

Some students didn't do their homework about ECONOMICS. I'm still waiting for them.