Present Perfect

Formation: have/has + Past Participle

e.g. I have seen Peter twice today. – Have you seen Ann too? – No I haven’t seen her yet.

Jenny has lost her ring. - Has she lost her watch too? – No, luckily she hasn’t.

Present Perfect is used:

1. Present perfect connects the past and the present. That is, it describes actions, which started in the past and continue up to the present or actions, which were completed in the past but whose results affect the present.

e.g. Mrs. Swift has looked after little children all her life.

I’ve done all my work for today and I’m free now.

1. Present perfect is used to describe an action which started in the past and continues up to the present, especially with stative verbs such as have, like, know, be, etc. In this case, prepositions for and since areoften used.

e.g. They have been friends for twenty years.

(They met each other twenty years ago and they are still friends.)

They have been friends since they met in 1990.

1. Present perfect is also used for an action, which has recently finished and whose result is visible in the present.

e.g. Look at my basket. I’ve picked a lot of apples.

(The apples are in the basket, so the action has finished.)

4. Present perfect is also used in clauses of time and condition for an action, which will be over before a certain moment in the future,

e.g. The doctor will stay with us until your sister has fully recovered.

Could you wait till I have made these sandwiches?

5. Present Perfect is also used for an action, which happened at an unstated time in the past.The exact timeis not important, so it is not mentioned. Theemphasis is placed on the action,

e.g. Paul has broken his arm. (The exact time is not mentioned because what is important is the fact that his arm is broken.)

Peter has been to Paris four times. (The exact time of each of his visits is not mentioned. What is important is the fact that he has visited Paris four times.)

6. Present Perfect is also used for an action which has happened within a specific time period, which is not over at the moment of speaking, such as today, this morning, this afternoon/week/month/year, etc.

e.g. Pat has received three faxes this morning. (The action has been repeated three times up to now and may happen again because the time period - this morning - is not over yet.)

She received three taxes this morning and answered all of them. (The time period – this morning - is over. It is now probably afternoon or evening).

1. Present Perfect is usually used in the attributes the first, the second, the only, etc.,

e.g. It is the only book the writer has written.

It is the first time I have tasted mango juice.

It is the second time you’ve told it to me.

1. Present Perfect is used for ‘breaking the news’

e.g. Mum, I have got married!

Miss Flora, Peter has broken one of the windows in the classroom!

1. Present Perfect is used to speak about people’s life experiences,

e.g. I have been to many European countries.

John has never eaten fried bananas before.

1. Present Perfect is used to speak about a series of repeated actions in the recent past,

e.g. Maria has typed ten reports today.

1. Present Perfect is preferably used in negative sentences instead of Present Perfect continuous,

e.g. What has Bertha been doing all day? – I don’t know for sure, but I do know that she hasn’t lazed about.

1. Present Perfect is usually used with the following time expressions (adverbial modifiers of time):

• already

e.g. We have already seen this film.

Have you finished this book already? (surprise)

· yet

e.g. Has Roger left yet?

Simon has not finished painting the hall yet.

· just

e.g. I have just phoned Jill.

The postman has just brought a letter for Jane.

· always, often

e.g. Mary has always loved animals, she is going to be a vet.

How often have you seen Robert this year?

· ever, never

e.g. Have you ever been abroad?

I have never eaten oysters.

· so far

e.g. I have sent twenty invitations so far.

What have you done so far?

· lately, recently

e.g. Peter has had a lot of good luck lately/recently.

I haven’t seen much of him lately/recently.

Notes:

· “ Yet” and “already ” in general interrogative sentences have different meaning. “Already” is used to show surprise,

e.g. Have you already done your homework? It can’t be so! You began only 10 minutes ago.

“Yet” has no emotional colouring,

e.g. Have you done your homework yet? Good. Now we can play football.

• ‘Recently’ = not long ago = недавно
• ‘Lately’ = recently, in the recent past = в последнее время; за последнее время
• ‘For’ ≠ ‘during’.

‘During’ is used to say ‘when’ something happened and is used with past tenses,

e.g. It rained all Monday but stopped raining during the night.

Paul was ill for a week and during that time he didn’t eat anything.

‘For’ answers the question ‘how long?’ and can be used with all tenses,

e.g. I’m going to stay in Kiev for 3 weeks. (present continuous)

I stayed in Kiev for 3 weeks last year. (past indefinite)

I have stayed in Kiev for 3 weeks already. (present perfect)

I have been staying in Kiev for 3 weeks already. (present perfect continuous)

I had stayed in Kiev for 3 weeks before moving to Lviv. (past perfect)

How long will you stay in Kiev? – I’m not sure. Probably, I will stay for 3 weeks. (future indefinite)

*/**TASK 24. Fill in “for” or “since” in the sentences below.

*Part 1.

1. I have lived in this village ______ 20 years ______ I was born.
2. It has been raining ______hours ______ morning. I wish it would stop.
3. My father has been the manager of this firm ______ I remember myself.
4. ______ I moved to Kharkiv, I have been much happier.
5. Have you been waiting ______ a long time? - I have been waiting for you ______ four o'clock.
6. She hasn't bought a new coat ______ three years.
7. Karen has been on the phone ______ I came home.

**Part 2.

Cleaning the attic, Mr. Leighton found some of his old diaries. He is reading them and speaking to himself.

‘Hm, I moved to Horton in 1965 when I got married. It means that I have lived in this town ______ (1) twenty-two years. My wife last saw her older sister Sarah, when she went to Australia. It means that they haven’t seen each other ______ (2) 1970.

My father started collecting coins when he retires. Oh, my! He has been collecting them ______ (3) 17 years.

My mother stopped driving her car when her eyesight failed six years ago. She hasn’t driven ______ (4) she almost crashed her car against a tree.

My daughter Jan has been dating her boy-friend ______ (5) she met him at her first year at university. She also hasn’t eaten meat ______ (6) that time as her future husband is a vegetarian.

My son Len began to wear glasses eight years ago when he started having severe headaches. Poor boy, he has been wearing them ______ (7) his sixth form.

I bought my present car when I changed my job. Oh, I have had it ______ (8) more than 15 years. It’s high time to change it, I think.

My gosh, I’ve been reading these old diaries ______ (9) already three hours ______ (10) I found this old chest here. My wife will kill me!

**TASK 25. Ivor and Sarah are discussing their travel plans. Complete their conversation by using the correct present perfect forms of the verbs in brackets, and putting the necessary adverbs in their correct places. Sometimes more than one answer is possible. Choose among “already, yet, just, ever, never”.

Ivor: Sarah, you _________ (to think) about our next trip?

Sarah: I'd like to go to Brazil. You _________ (to be) there?

Ivor: Yes, I _________ (to be) there once. I visited Rio in 1981.

Sarah: But you _________ (to sail) up the Amazon?

Ivor: No, but I don't much like holidays on boats. I'd prefer to go east. You _________ (to visit) Burma?

Sarah: No, I _________ (to fly) over it once or twice. But _________ (to land) there.

Ivor: As a matter of fact, my cousin Albert _________ (to come back) from Burma. We could ask him about it.

Sarah: Mm, Burma would be lovely. But we _________ (to spend) so much on the house. I wonder if we can really afford it.

Ivor: Perhaps you're right. Oh dear, there are so many countries we _________ (not to see).

Sarah: Yes. I _________ (to finish) a book about New Guinea. There are wonderful forests and mountains there and nobody _________ (to explore) them properly. I _________ (to start) to plan the journey in my mind!

***TASK 26. Translate into English.

1. Вы уже видели новую версию фильма «Титаник»? – Еще нет. А вы думаете, его стоит посмотреть? Конец фильма всем известен – корабль тонет и много людей погибает. Фильм очень драматичен, и его нельзя назвать развлекательным. – В этом я с вами согласен, но все-таки я бы посоветовал вам его посмотреть. В нем играют хорошие артисты, там замечательные спецэффекты и талантливая операторская работа.

2. Два года назад моя подруга уехала учиться в Австралию, и с тех пор я получила от нее только два письма. Мне кажется, она нашла себе новых друзей и, вероятно, не вернется обратно.

3. Я слышал, ты собираешься стать великим художником. - Да, я уже купил себе большую студию и отрастил длинные волосы и бороду.

4. У меня остановились часы. Скажите, пожалуйста, который сейчас час. - 25 минут второго. – О, боже, я уже опоздал на занятия.

5. Мы так рады видеть вас снова. Мы не виделись с прошлого лета. Вы совершенно не изменились. В вашей жизни произошли какие-нибудь перемены? – Да, я вышла замуж. – Поздравляем.

6. Вы хорошо говорите по-английски. Вы давно его учите? – Вообще-то, я учу его с детства, но в последние два года, я уделяю изучению языка все свое свободное время.

7. Моя тетя вегетарианка. Она совсем не ест мяса. Она не ест его уже 15 лет, с тех пор как прочла одну статью в американском журнале о вредном воздействии мяса на организм человека. А ты что думаешь о вегетарианстве? - Я об этом никогда не думал, но ведь люди всегда ели мясо… Наверное, это закон природы.

8. Я не знала, что Дин носит очки. – Он надевает их только когда работает с компьютером или читает. Он их носит с тех пор, как у него начались сильные головные боли, и врач порекомендовал ему носить очки для работы. С того времени он ни разу не пожаловался на головную боль.

9. Ты посолила свою рыбу и картошку? – Нет, а что, разве надо? – Ты что раньше никогда не ела рыбу и картошку? – Нет, это первый раз, когда я ем их. И мне очень нравится даже без соли. Мне кажется это самая вкусная рыба, которую я когда-либо ела.

10. Сколько раз твой брат был в Киеве в этом году. - 5 или 6 раз. У него уже было много поездок по Украине тех пор, как он стал работать в этой международной фирме. Но он еще не разу не ездил за границу, хотя всю жизнь мечтал увидеть Лондон и Париж. – Надеюсь, его мечта сбудется.

11. Ты уже закончила читать последнюю книгу о Гарри Потере? – Еще нет. Я думаю, я закончу ее сегодня вечером. Я уже прочла 17 глав. От нее просто невозможно оторваться. А ты что о ней думаешь? – Мне она понравилась гораздо меньше, чем все предыдущие книги, хотя все равно читать ее очень интересно.

12. Сколько платьев твоя мама пошила с начала июня? – Трудно сказать. Все мои подруги попросили ее пошить им платья для выпускного вечера. – А твое платье она уже закончила? – Ты не поверишь, у нее не хватает на это времени!

13. Сандра, ты уже покормила кота? – Да. – Тогда я не понимаю, почему он ходит за мной и так жалобно мяукает. – Он за тобой соскучился и хочет, чтобы ты взяла его на руки. Он тебя не видел целую неделю.