Present Perfect Simple and Continuous

Structure of present perfect simple

positive negative question

Have
I / you / we / they I / you / we / they I / you / we / they
have gone. haven’t gone. gone?

Has
he / she / it he / she / it he / she / it
has gone. hasn’t gone. gone?

Structure of present perfect continuous

positive negative question

Have
I / you / we / they I / you / we / they I / you / we / they
have been working haven’t been working been working?

Has
he / she / it he / she / it he / she / it
has been working hasn’t been working been working?

Present perfect simple – common mistakes

Common mistakes Correct version Why?

We use the present perfect

(have worked) when we speak
about an unfinished time
I have worked every day this period (this week, this year,
I worked every day this week. week. etc).

We use the past participle of

the verb – written is the past
Steven has written a new participle, wrote is the past
Steven has wrote a new book. book. simple.

The helping verb have is used

in the present perfect and it is
Did you have seen him inverted with the person (you
before? Have you seen him before? have becomes have you).

I didn't have seen him before. I haven't seen him before. The helping verb have is used
in the present perfect – to
 make it negative we simply
add not (n't).

The present perfect is used to

show an action which
I have been here since last continues to the present (an
I am here since last week. week. unfinished action).

Verbs such as know, want,

like, etc. (called stative
verbs) suggest permanent
states, not actions, so are used
I've been knowing him for 5 in the simple form, NOT the
years. I've known him for 5 years. -ing form.

Present perfect continuous – common mistakes

Common mistakes Correct version Why?

The structure of the present

perfect continuous
It has been rain heavily all It has been raining heavily is have/has + been + verb +
day. all day. -ing.

Verbs such as sit, wait,

speak, etc. (‘non-stative’
verbs) suggest continuity and
I have been sitting here for so are mostly used in the
I have sat here for two hours. two hours. continuous (-ing) form.

When BOTH the simple and

Which? continuous forms are
I have worked here for five years. possible, native speakers
I have been working here for five years. prefer to use the continuous.

EXERCISES:

Fill in all the gaps with the Present Perfect form of the verbs given.

1. Helen …………………… her bag. (LOSE)

2. ……………………… (YOU / BE) to London this year?
3. I'm sorry that I ………………… your pen. (TAKE)
4. She …………………….……her room…………….. (NOT / TIDY UP / YET)
5. Where's my dictionary . I ……………….. it with me (BRING).
6. The children  …………………….. (NOT /FINISH) their homework.
7. Tina isn't here . She ……………………… out (GO).
8. The police are outside. Something awful …………………… (HAPPEN).
9. Where ……………………… (I / LEAVE) my wallet? I can’t find it!!!
10. I ………………….. your book . Here it is (FIND)
11. I …………………………..(NOT /SEE) you at school this week!. Have you been ill?
12. My sister’s got a new boyfriend but I ……………….. (NOT / MEET) him yet.
13. I ……………………… some new shoes . Would you like to see them ? (BUY)
14. I want to write a book but I …………..…………….. (NOT / START/ YET). I don’t know what to write about!
15. …………………………. (YOU / VISIT) your mother lately?

Fill in the gaps with Present Perfect Continuous

1. How long ................................... (rain)?

2. We ……………………. for mother since lunch. (wait)
3. He …………………………..(not / play) football, so he isn’t trained.
4. I ……………………(not / work) today.
5. She ……………………………. well for the last two months. (not / feel)
6. Your eyes are wet, ................................... (you / cry)?
7. I ………………….. for this book ever since I heard about it. (look)
8. She ……………………….. a book for two hours. (read)
9. She ………………………….(not/study). She may not pass the exam.
10. He ………………………. this article for three hours. (write)
11. How long ................................... (she / work) in this school?
12. The fire ……………………… all night. (burn)
13. What …………………………. (you/do)?
14. You ………………………(not/eat) well recently.
15. The baby ………………………. since I came home. (sleep)

Fill in the gaps with Present Perfect Simple or Continuous.

1. I don't know what time it is; my watch ………………………….. (STOP).

2. How long …………………… (YOU BE) a fire-fighter ?
3. I …………………….. (LOOK) for you since 7 o'clock . - Where ………………….. ? (YOU BE)
4. The government …………………… (ANNOUNCE) new laws to fight unemployment.
5. I …………………………. (BE) to many countries in Europe, but I ………………….. (NEVER VISIT) Poland.
6. Jane ……………………….. (NOT EAT) any meat since she was six.
7. We …………………………. (SELL) tickets for the concert since March.
8. ………………….. (YOU HEAR) the news about the earthquake?
9. How long …………………….. (YOU STAND) in this queue? - Well , I ………………… (JUST BE) here for a
bit over an hour.
10. They must be so tired. They …………………….. (REPAIR) the car the whole morning.