Time expressions with Present Perfect

Meaning with present perfect tenses is associated with certain time expressions. Contrast with past simple may depend on the choice of time expression.

Past Simple: referring to a specific time: yesterday, last week, on Sunday

Present Perfect simple: since 1968 (the beginning of a period of time)

already (indefinite past)

Many time expressions are not associated with a specific tense.

I haven't seen Helen recently.

I saw Jim recently.

Activities

1. Choose the most appropriate tense underlined.

a) I can't believe it, inspector. You mean that Smith stole/has stolen/has been steal-ing money from the till all this time!

b) You three boys look very guilty! What did you do/have you done/have you been doing since I left/have left the room?

c) 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.

d) It's 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?

e) 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!

f) Don't forget that you didn't see/haven't seen Mrs Dawson. She has waited/has been waiting outside since 10.30.

g) What did you think/have you thought of Brighton? Did you stay/Have you stayed there long?

h) 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.

i) 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.

j) 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. Put each verb in brackets into the most appropriate perfect or past tense.

a) I'm sorry I haven't come/haven't been coming (not come) to class lately. I.................... (work) late in the evenings for the past fortnight.

b) So far we.................... (not notice) anything unusual, but we.................... (not pay) very close attention.

c) I wonder if Mary.................... (reach) home yet? She.................... (leave) too late to catch the bus.

d) 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.

e)................... (you make up) your minds? What................... (you decide) to do?

f) Harry.................... (leave) home rather suddenly and we.................... (not hear) from him since.

g) Recent research.................... (show) that Columbus.................... (not discover) America, but that Vikings.................... (land) there five hundred years before him.

h) I think that people.................... (become) tired of the poor quality of television programmes, though they.................... (improve) lately.

i).................... (something happen) to the lines? I.................... (try) to get through to Glasgow for the past hour.

j) Bill.................... (get) that new job, but he.................... (complain) about it ever since.

3. Complete each sentence a) to j) with an appropriate ending from 1)to 10). Do not use an ending more than once.

a) I haven't been feeling very well.....5...... 1).......... time and time again.

b) I went to the dentist's.......... 2).......... all my life.

c) I've lived here.......... 3).......... so far.

d) Don't worry. I haven't been waiting.......... 4).......... for the time being.

e) I've written two pages.......... 5).......... for the past hour or two.

f) I waited outside your house.......... 6)..........yet.

g) I've warned you about this.......... 7).......... till half past eight.

h) I haven't made a decision.......... 8).......... for a while.

i) The repair worked.......... 9).......... the other day.

j) I've decided to believe you.......... 10)..........long.

4. Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown, so that the meaning stays the same.

a) It's a long time since I last went to a football match.

I haven't been to a football match for a long time.

b) This is my second visit to Hungary.

This is the second time................................................................

c) I paid this bill earlier, actually.

Actually I've................................................................................

d) We haven't been swimming for ages.

It's ages.........................................................................................

e) Mary started learning French five years ago.

Mary has......................................................................................

f) I am on the tenth page of the letter I am writing.

So far I..........................................................................................

g) After I arrived here, I started to feel better.

Since arriving here,......................................................................

h) It's over twenty years since we got married.

We have........................................................................................

i) The last time I saw Dick was in 1985.

I haven't.......................................................................................

j) There is a definite improvement in your work.

Lately your work........................................................................

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