» ym Past to present tenses English uses the present perfect tenses (simple and continuous] to talk about actions and states which start in the past but which have a link with the present. This unit looks at the present perfect simple and continuous and compares the present perfect and the past simple. (For a detailed explanation of the past simple ® 2.1.) PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE 3.1A We form the present perfect simple with has/have and a past participle (» 2.34}: Form There has been a serious decline in the number of people qualitying as teachers. Have the printers finished tne new brochure yet? We usually contract has/have in speech and informal writing The flim’s already started - we'd better hurry. In negative sentences, we usually contract not in speech and informal writing I've been to the shops today and they haven't started the summer sales yet. Remember that a lot of English verbs have irregular past participles, e.g bring + brought, take taken, meet -' met, seek -» sought, swing + swung @ Be careful not to drop the have with the present perfect: x never been to Madame Tussauds ¥ I’ve never been to Madame Tussauds 3.1B_ We use the present perfect simple to talk about states that started in the past and are Ongoing stil continuing in the present: states and The manor house has stood on this spot for over two hundred years. (It is stil here.) actions We often use the prepositions for (+ period of time) and since (+ point in time). X She-contie oftie isiand-hes-not been inhabited since tity wears: ¥ The centre of the island has not been inhabited for fifty years. X The cenire-of the island has-not been inhabited-for fthe-eartiquane-ef-4352- ¥ The centre of the Island has not been inhabited since (the earthquake of) 1952. @ We do not use the present simple or continuous with for and since when we refer to a state that began in the past: X My-family Iwestis-lving in this country since 1978. © My-famiyy Ivesils-Hwing-in-this-country-for-over twenty years. Y My family has lived in this country since 1978/for over twenty years.© in the examples above since is a preposition. When we use it as a conjunction, we usually use the past simple after it: You've been really moody ever since that letter arrived. What's wrong? © The present continuous + for expresses a present situation continuing in the future: We are staying nere for another three months. (» 4.3A) We also use the present perfect to talk about actions which happened in the past but may happen again in the future. The period of time in which the action took place is unfinished, so it may be repeated. The action may have happened only once: J've only been to Hong Kong once, but I'd love to go again. (My life is stil continuing, so I may go to Hong Kong again.} Or it may have happened several times (i.e. a repeated action) NASA has sent probes to various planets in the solar system. {and may send more) Sometimes we know the time is not ‘finished’ because of the time phrases we use: This channel has shown about four wildlife documentaries this week! Compare these two sentences: John Grisham has written some of the most successful legal thrillers Agatha Christie wrote a huge number of tillers. In the first example the author is still alive and Is able to write more successful books: in the second the author is dead and therefore can't write any more books: 2 Agatha Christie-has-weltten-a-huge-number-of thrillers: We use the present perfect after superlatives, e.g. the best/worst, the greatest, ordinal numbers, e.g. the first (second, third), the only, often followed by ever: It’s the worst sports programme | have ever seen and the first | have ever written to. complain about? Many people consider Kennedy to be the greatest President the USA has had. 3.1C A number of adverbs are commonly used with the present perfect as described in 3.1B. Adverbs ever, often, seldom, never, so far, already, yet, stil ften used The Prime Minister has seldom been put in such a difficult position. with the / have never experienced any racism in athletics. present We've received over 20,000 entries for the competition so far. perfect Only halfway through the financial year and British Aerospace has already announced that its pre-tax profits will be down by seventy per cent. ‘Have they announced the date yet?" ‘No, they still haven't made up their minds." @ We use aiready with the affirmative but yet with the negative and in questions X We've yet seen-the-fils-but-they havent seen-it already. ¥ We've already seen the film but they haven't seen it yet. @ It is possible in US English to use the past simple with these adverbs: Wie already saw the film but they didn’t see it yet3D Present relevance BE Other uses. We can use the present perfect simple to talk about an action completed in the past which has some relevance to the present, e.g. there is a present result of the action: The avolanche has devastated the shiing mdustry In the crea. (resuit =the Skiing industry is stil having big problems) ‘We often use ths form to talk about recent actions We can start the interviews now, a3 al the condidates have arrived ‘Has tne government put up the minimum woge?” ‘Ys. it's £4 per nour now. Common adverbs witn the present perfec in this use are jst, ecentiy and fate: ‘Has the sports centre increased its membership fees lately? We use just with very recent actions: ‘ve just made a nice pot of tea, Would you like a cup? The wectding of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills has just taken place fn ireland. © We co not use the present perfect with a definite time in the past (except with since 0 for 3.18). We usally use the past simple ( 2.18] when we give a time 2 Ms Brown-has-arrived-halfon-howr-a90--She's watting-inthe staff room Ms Brown arrived haif an hour ago. She's waiting inthe staf room ‘We can use the present perfect when the time is indefinite, ie. wien no time is stated especially when the past action has some relevance to the present ‘Ms Brovin has arrived. She's the staff room and is ready to sce you now. ‘As the present perfect simple expresses relevance to the present, news broadcasts and reports often use it to introduce a story, before moving into past tenses: Former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere has died at the age of 77 in a London hospital. He came to London in Similarly, we often use it to introduce a new topic of conversation: ve heard from Maurice — he’s been in Australia for the last to months. In time clauses (e.g. after, when) we use the present perfect with future reference: We'll make a move as soon as the rain has stopped. : 6:3.20 3.28 3.2¢ 3.20 3.26 Beliefs and expectations 335A Form 3.58 ‘Ongoing states and actions PRESENT PERFECT AND PAST SIMPLE ~ DIFFERENCES present perfect past simple Unfinished statefaction (> 8.18) Finished statefaction (» 2.18) Spain has governed the enciave of Spain governed the state of Wester Ceuta since 1580. Sahara from 1958 to 1976. Unfinished time (> 3.18) Finished time (p> 2.18) haven't seen Keith this morning yet. 1 didn’t see Keith at ail this morning. (it's still morning.) (it's now afternoon/evening.) Present relevance (3.1) No present relevance (2.18) The Indian Government has imposed « The Indian Covernment Imposed a ban on ban on tiger hunting to prevent the tiger hunting a few years ago. extinction of tigers. Indefinite time (e 3.1) Definite time (> 2.18) ve been to Eurodisney tice. went to Eurodisney in 1999 and 2000. We use the past simple. not the present perfect. to correct an incorrect belief or expectation, of to confirm a correct one: X The-arec-is-far-more-rugged and wild than |-Rave-expected. w The area is far more rugged and wild than | expected. X She is just as-beautiful as-| have Imagined. W She is just as beautiful as | imagined. (For a full description of uses of the past simple i+ 2.1B.] PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS We form the present perfect continuous with has/have + been + a present participle (ing form Bob Geldot has been doing « lot of work for charities since the mid- eighties. What on earth have you been doing | (o that chita? We use the present perfect continuous | to talk about an ongoing state or action ‘which began in the past and is still continuing or has lust finished: Women have been speaking out on this issue for some time, with mixed results “Where have you been?’ ‘I've been talking to Jenny,” It is common to use since or for with this use of the present perfect continuous: ‘ve been looking into the possibilty of earty retirement since the reorganisation. ‘The simple form of the present perfect often focuses on the fact that an action is completed, while the continuous focuses on the fact that its still ongoing: + Simple: 've fearnt how to play chess. (= | can play chess nov.) * Continuous: ve been fearing how to play chess. (= I'm stil earning.) ‘We use the continuous to focus on tie duration of an action so we do not mention the number of times that we have done the action, With repeated actions we use the present perfect simple: X Fve-been-calling-you-ve-times-this moming- Where-have you been? ¥ I've called you five times this morning. Where have you been?3.3C Present relevance 3.48 3.48 3.4C 34D The use of the present perfect continuous can suggest that the state or action may change, i.e. tis temporary. Compare this with the present simple: We subscribe to one of the satelite TV compares. (unlikely to change) We've been subscribing t0 one ofthe satelite TV companies, (nok 2 fixed situation we may change) With the adverbs lately or recently, we use the present perfect continuous t talk about new developments which may be temporary Helen's Been spending alot of time ot the cub lately. (= She dnt use to.) We use the present perfect continuous + for, not the present continuous, to specify the duration of an activity whic started in the past and is still continuing: |-am leaming-how- play-chess tor three yeors now: W Ihave been learning how to play chess for three years ow. @ We do not usually use the present perfect continuous in the passive: X The patient's heart rate-has-been-being monitored continuoushy ¥ Tie nurses have been monitoring the patient’s heart rate continuously We can use the present perfect continuous to explain a present result, e.g. a situation or an appearance. The focus is on the activity rather than the result. In this case, we don't usually use # time acverb: This test result is much better. It's clear you've been revising. V'm sorry the hall is in such @ mess We've been decorating. Compare these examples of the present perfect continuous and simple: We have been trialling the new software prior to its release on the ‘open market. We have completed the new Tmacny im hain ‘suona meas ia ve han deen sofware trial ond ave now ready to release (result) PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS -~ DIFFERENCES, present perfect simple Completion (> 3.1) This country has welcomed several hundred refugees trom Kosovo in the last few weeks, Repeated action [b 3.1) ‘She has played with the symphony ‘orchestra three times this season, Permanent situation (> 3.18) Penple have eaten lot jess meat over the last twenty years or so, Focus on present result (® 3.1) I’ve done the accounts ~ here they are, present perfect continuous Continuation (» 3.3B) This country has been welcoming political refugees for many years. Duration of action (> 3.3B) ‘She has been playing with the symphony orchestra all season. Temporary situation (= 3.3B) People have been eating less meat recently because of the crisis. Focus on the activity (b 3.3C) ve been doing my accounts ail afternoon,