LESSON NINE – THE OLD COLONEL

I think I have had a very interesting life.

I’m 73 now and I don’t work anymore. I
was in the army for 51 years. I retired
when I was 69. I live in a small town in
Louisiana. I have lived here for the last
20 years to be precise, I have lived here
since 1995.
I have been to so many countries that I
can’t remember all of them. I’ve been to
Australia six or seven times and to South
Africa three times, I have also been once
in Russia, but I didn’t like it at all: much
too cold for me! I have never been to
Scandinavian countries, but I would like to. I haven’t travelled since I
visited my children last month.
They say that love is the greatest thing and I agree. I’ve been married four
times but never for more than five years. I don’t think women really
understand me! I have been married four times, but I haven’t found my
soul mate yet.
I’ve never been on television, but I’ve been on the radio once. It was a
programme about life in the military about twenty years ago. I met the
Prime Minister on the same day. Actually, I’ve met a lot of famous people:
members of the royal family, famous politicians and also famous cinema
and television personalities. I’ve never met the American President though
which is a pity.
Because I’ve travelled a lot, I’ve seen a lot of wonderful things and have
also eaten and drunk some strange foods and drinks. I ate cat and rat in
India and drank something called Mirto on a little island in Italy many
years ago. That was the first time that I have ever eaten a cat and rat.
I have just eaten my special meal which my army friend has sent me. He
has sent me this meal many times and I always send him back my special
drink. This week I have repaired my old gun. It has rained a lot this week,
so I couldn’t go to the post office to send it to my buddy.

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Vocabulary
army – precise – personalities – a pity – wonderful – island – meal –
repaired – gun – post office – retired – royal – strange – buddy

Questions about the text

1. What job did he do before retiring?
__________________________________________________________
He was a Military
2. How long was he in the army?
__________________________________________________________
He was in the army for 51 years.
3. How many times has he been to Australia?
__________________________________________________________
He has been to Australia six or seven times
4. Did he like Russia?
No he didn't
__________________________________________________________
5. Why has he been married so many times?
Because women don't understand he.
__________________________________________________________
6. Has he ever been on the radio?
__________________________________________________________
Yes, he has been on the radio.
7. When did he meet the prime minister?
__________________________________________________________
In a program about the military life.
8. Has he ever met the American president?
__________________________________________________________
No, he hasn't met the american president.
9. Where did he eat cat and rat?
__________________________________________________________
He eat the animals in India.
10.Has he ever drunk Mirto?
Yes, he has drunk Mirto.
__________________________________________________________
11.Why couldn’t he go to the post office this week?
To send a gun for your buddy.
__________________________________________________________

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Air travel - Departure
When you arrive at the airport, you can look at the departures board
which shows the flight numbers, departure times and destinations. At the
check-in desk they weigh your luggage. Usually you can take about 20
kilos. If it is more, you may have to pay excess baggage. They also check
your ticket and give you a boarding card for the plane with your seat
number on it. Then you go through passport control where an official
checks your passport, and into the departure lounge. Here, you can also
buy things in the duty free, e.g. perfume, or alcohol. About half an hour
before take-off, you go to a gate number, where you wait before you get
on the plane. When you board the plane, you find your seat. If you have a
hand luggage, you can put it under your seat or in the overhead locker
above your seat. If there are no delays, the plane moves towards the
runway.
Delay can be used as a noun and verb. It is a common word at airports.

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Air travel - The flight
The captain (the pilot) or cabin crew may say these things:

• fasten your seat belt • terminal building

• upright position • cabin crew
• may we remind passengers • landing cards

Air travel - Arrival

When the plane lands, you have to wait for it to stop. When the doors are
open, you get off the plane and walk through the terminal building and go
to the baggage reclaim.
If you are carrying lots of luggage, you can use a luggage trolley to help
you carry it, most airports have them close to the baggage carousels.
You go through the customs (green = nothing to declare, red = goods to
declare). At most airports, you can hire a car (rent a car).

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Exercises
1. Complete the words or phrases below using words from the box:

control – number – desk – card – baggage – lounge – luggage –

reclaim - locker

a. boarding _________
card f. departure _________
lounge
b. excess _________
baggage g. baggage _________
reclaim
c. check–in _________
desk h. passport _________
control
d. flight _________
number i. hand _________
luggage
e. overhead _________
locker

2. What do you call these?

a. The place where you go when you arrive Checking desk

 _______________________
at the airport with your luggage.
b. The card they give you with the seat boarding card
 _______________________
number on it.
c. What you have to pay if your luggage is excess baggage
 _______________________
very heavy.
d. The bags you carry onto the plane with hand luggage
 _______________________
you.
e. The place above your head where you overhead locker
 _______________________
can put these bags.
f. The part of the airport where the plane Runway
 _______________________
accelerates and takes off.
g. The people who look after you on the cabin crew
 _______________________
plane.
h. Another verb used to say “rent” a car. hire
 _______________________

3. Complete these sentences with a suitable word:

a. There was a mechanical problem, and we ended up with a two hour

_____________.
delay

b. Several passengers had to fill in landing _____________.

card

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 c. I went through passport control and sat in the
departure_____________.
lounge

d. If you have nothing to declare, you follow the green sign when you
go through _____________.
the customs

e. A woman at the check-in desk weighed my _____________.

baggage

f. I looked for our flight number on the departures _____________.

board

Grammar focus - Present perfect

Form:

has/have + past participle

Examples:

• I have lost my keys.

• They have been to the mall twice this month.
• He has started a new job.
• Have you visited England?

Use:

We use the present perfect to say that an action happened at an

unfinished time before now or the exact time is not important.

We can use the present perfect with unfinished time expressions such as:

 ever  this week  just

 never  this month  already
 today  since  yet

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Examples:
• She has just left the building.
• We haven’t seen her today.
• He has worked there since 2014.
• Brazil has won many World Cups.
• I haven’t had a holiday this year.
• Have you read the book yet?
• Nobody has ever climbed that mountain.
• A: How long have she lived here?
B: She has lived here for two years.

We cannot use the present perfect with finished time expressions such as:

 yesterday  when I lived in Japan

 one year ago  at that moment
 last week  that day
 when I was a child  one day

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How do you actually use the present perfect?

The concept of unspecified time can be very confusing to English learners.

It is best to associate present perfect with the following topics:

Topic 1 - Experience

You can use the present perfect to describe your experience. It is like
saying, "I have the experience of..." you can also use this tense to say that
you have never had a certain experience. The present perfect is not used
to describe a specific event.

Examples:

 I have been to France.

 This sentence means that you have had the experience of being
in France. Maybe you have been there once, or several times.

 I have been to France three times.

 You can add the number of times at the end of the sentence.

 I have never been to France.

 This sentence means that you have not had the experience of
going to France.

 I think I have seen that movie before.

 He has never traveled by train.
 Joan has studied two foreign languages.
 A: Have you ever met him?
B: No, I have not met him.

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Topic 2 - Change over time

We often use the present perfect to talk about change that has happened
over a period of time.

Examples:

 You have grown since the last time I saw you.

 The government has become more interested in arts education.
 Japanese has become one of the most popular courses at the
university since the Asian studies program was established.
 My English has really improved since I moved to Australia.

Topic 3 - Accomplishments

We often use the present perfect to list the accomplishments of

individuals and humanity. You cannot mention a specific time.

Examples:

 Man has walked on the moon.

 Our son has learned how to read.
 Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.
 Scientists have split the atom.

Topic 4 - An uncompleted action you are expecting

We often use the present perfect to say that an action which we expected
has not happened. Using the present perfect suggests that we are still
waiting for the action to happen.

Examples:

 James has not finished his homework yet.

 Susan hasn’t mastered Japanese, but she can communicate.
 Bill has still not arrived.
 The rain hasn’t stopped.

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Topic 5 - Multiple actions at different times

We also use the present perfect to talk about several different actions
which have occurred in the past at different times. Present perfect
suggests the process is not complete and more actions are possible.

Examples:

 The army has attacked that city five times.

 I have had four quizzes and five tests so far this semester.
 We have had many major problems while working on this project.
 She has talked to several specialists about her problem, but nobody
knows why she is sick.

Expressions with present perfect

When we use the present perfect it means that something has happened
at some point in our lives before now. Remember, the exact time the
action happened is not important.
Sometimes, we want to limit the time we are looking in for an experience.
We can do this with expressions such as:
• in the last week • this month
• in the last year • so far
• this week • up to now

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Examples:

 Have you been to Mexico in the last year?

 I have seen that movie six times in the last month.
 They have had three tests in the last week.
 She graduated from university less than three years ago. She has
worked for three different companies so far.
 My car has broken down three times this week.

Notice

"Last year" and "in the last year" are very different in meaning. "last
year" means the year before now, and it is considered a specific
time which requires simple past. "in the last year" means from 365
days ago until now. It is not considered a specific time, so it requires
present perfect.

Examples:

 I went to Mexico last year.

 I went to Mexico in the calendar year before this one.
 I have been to Mexico in the last year.
 I have been to Mexico at least once at some point between
365 days ago and now.

Use 2 duration from the past until now (non-continuous verbs)

With non-continuous verbs and non-continuous uses of mixed verbs, we

use the present perfect to show that something started in the past and
has continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and

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"since Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the present
perfect.

Examples:

 I have had a cold for two weeks.

 She has been in England for six months.
 Mary has loved chocolate since she was a little girl.

Although the above use of present perfect is normally limited to non-

continuous verbs and non-continuous uses of mixed verbs, the words
"live," "work," "teach," and "study" are sometimes used in this way even
though they are not non-continuous verbs.

Adverb placement

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:

• always • ever
• only • still
• never • just

Examples:

 You have only seen that movie one time.

 Have you only seen that movie one time?
 Have you met Judy yet?
 I haven’t visited the Tate Gallery yet.
 I have already been to Tokyo.
 I have been to Tokyo already.
 Mike’s just called. Can you ring him back please?
 Have you just taken my pen? Where has it gone?

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Exercises
1. Write the past participle (3rd form) of the following regular and
irregular verbs.

a. speak  _____________
b. work  _____________
c. eat  _____________
d. understand  _____________
e. begin  _____________
f. tell  _____________
g. call  _____________
h. be  _____________
i. do  _____________
j. have  _____________
k. love  _____________
l. cost  _____________
m. fly  _____________
n. see  _____________
o. go  _____________
p. hurt  _____________
q. say  _____________
r. make  _____________
s. know  _____________
t. think  _____________
u. come _____________
v. want  _____________
w. use  _____________
x. give  _____________
y. keep  _____________

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2. Change the verb into the correct form:

a. I (read) your book several times.

b. She (wear) that skirt many times.
c. My family (visit) Brazil a few times.
d. I (eat) already.
e. Marta (finish) her homework.
f. You (break) the glass again.
g. They (pay) for everything.
h. It (never snow) like that.
i. I (meet) Anna once.
j. We (see) him before.
k. You (buy) 4 cars so far.
l. There (be) problems.
m. I (have) a snake.
n. Maria (raise) a monkey.
o. The kids (grow) so much!

3. Make sentences using the words in parentheses in the present perfect

tense:

a. (I / go / to the library today)

____________________________________________________
b. (you / keep a pet for three years)
____________________________________________________
c. (you / come here before)?
____________________________________________________
d. (it / rain all day)?
____________________________________________________
e. (who / we / forgot to invite)?
____________________________________________________

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 f. (we / not / hear that song already)
____________________________________________________
g. (he / not / forget his books)
____________________________________________________
h. (she / steal all the chocolate)
____________________________________________________
i. (I / explain it well)
____________________________________________________

4. Check the correct answer.

a. I _____________ my homework yet.

☐have finish ☐did finished
☐has finished ☐haven't finished

b. My father is on the way. He ____________ home yet.

☐haven't arrived ☐didn't arrived
☐hasn't arrived ☐arrived

c. I am not hungry. I have _______ eaten.

☐yet ☐just
☐now ☐ever

d. I have never ___________ to Paris.

☐been ☐go
☐went ☐was

e. ________ you ever been to New York?

☐Are ☐Do
☐Were ☐Have

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 f. I am still working. I haven't finished my work ________.
☐already ☐still
☐yet ☐never

g. I am looking for my pen. I __________ it.

☐have lost ☐did lost
☐lost ☐was lost

h. During the two years David ____________ ten different jobs.

☐has has ☐have had
☐has had ☐have has

i. I __________ a teacher since 2002.

☐was ☐have been
☐have be ☐had be

j. My friend ______________ my new dress yet.

☐haven't seen ☐hasn't see
☐didn't see ☐hasn't seen

5. Change the verb into the correct form of the past simple or present
perfect.

a. Last night I (lose) my keys – I had to call my flat mate

to let me in.
b. I (lose) my keys - can you help me look for them?
c. I (visit) Paris three times.
d. Last year I (visit) Paris.
e. I (know) my great grandmother for a few years -
she died when I was eight.

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 f. I (know) Julie for three years - we still meet once a
month.
g. I (play) hockey since I was a child - I’m pretty good!
h. She (play) hockey at school but she didn’t like it.
i. Sorry, I (miss) the bus - I’m going to be late.
j. I (miss) the bus and then I (miss) the
airplane as well!
k. Last month I (go) to Scotland.
l. I’m sorry, John isn’t here now. He (go) to the shops.
m. We (finish) this room last week.
n. I (finish) my exams finally - I’m so happy!
o. Yesterday, I (go) to the library, the post office and the
supermarket.
p. I (go) to the supermarket three times this week.
q. She (live) in London since 1994.
r. She (live) in London when she was a child.
s. I (drink) three cups of coffee today.
t. I (drink) three cups of coffee yesterday.

Writing Practice
What are some of the things you have accomplished this year? Talk
about the ones that are still relevant to you or to your routine. Write at
least 5 lines.

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Dialogue Practice 1

Abby meets her friend Allison after a long time without seeing each
other.

Abby: Hi Allison, I haven’t seen you for ages. Where have you been?
Allison: Hi, Abby. I have just visited my granny abroad.
Abby: Oh, I see. But wait… I think you have visited your grandma before,
haven’t you?
Allison: Yes, I have visited her three times this year. She was sick two
weeks ago so we went to America again.
Abby: How is your grandma?
Allison: She is better. She is in my house now.
Abby: Really? How long has she been here?
Allison: She has been here for three days. Actually she has missed her
children and grandchildren. That’s why she was sick.
Abby: Oh, sickness because of missing people she loves. I guess she will be
well soon. Send my warm regard to your grandmother.
Allison: I think so. Okay, I will send it to her. Thanks, Abby.
Abby: You’re welcome.

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Dialogue Practice 2

A conversation between two friends about their preferences on movie

genres.

Ann: Let’s go to the cinema. I’ve bought two tickets for us.
Ryan: What is the film?
Ann: The Boss Baby. That’s a comedy. You will love it.
Ryan: How do you know that I will like the movie?
Ann: Because I have watched it two times.
Ryan: What? You’ve watched a comedy movie two times?
Ann: Yes I have.
Ryan: So, why do you want to watch it again?
Ann: I want to watch it with you. I want to laugh with you. We haven’t
gone to the cinema for ages.
Ryan: You know the reason right? We have had different preferences. I
like comedy and you like horror.
Ann: Yes, I know it. That’s why I have learned to watch comedy movies.
My friends and family have helped me.
Ryan: Wow…
Ann: I have bought two tickets for us. Do you want to go to the cinema
with me?
Ryan: Of course I’d love to.
Ann: Thank you, Ryan.
Ryan: I thank you. You have learned to enjoy comedy movies.
Ann: No problem. I’m happy to do it.

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