The Present Perfect and the Present Perfect Continuous Tenses Compared

1. Say how long the action has been going on.

Ann is looking for a job. She began looking for a job six months ago.

Ann has been looking for a job for 6 months.

1. Jane is writing letters. She began writing letters an hour ago. 2. George smokes. He started smoking five years ago. 3. Helen studies French. She began studying French eight months ago. 4. The boys are playing football. They started playing football two hours ago. 5. It is raining. It began raining three hours ago. 6. Helen is preparing for her exam. She began preparing for it two weeks ago.

Lucy began typing at 9 o'clock. She is still typing.

Lucy has been typing since 9 o'clock.

1. Dick started reading that book on Friday. He's still reading it. 2. Helen began translating the text at 10 o'clock. She's still translating it. 3. They began to discuss the plan at 12 o'clock. They are still discussing it. 4. Dick began to watch TV at 6. He's still watching it. 5. Mr Smith began to work for this company last year. He's still working for the company. 6. They began to talk at 12. They are still talking.

2. Answer the questions. Use since or for.

— Is John still sleeping? (hours)

— Yes, he's been sleeping for hours,

— Is Mary still typing? (two o'clock)

— Yes, she's been typing since two o'clock.

1. Is Dick still waiting for Lucy? (more than an hour) 2. Is Susan still playing tennis? (ten o'clock) 3. Are they still sitting in the garden? (lunchtime) 4. Is Bill still trying to learn Japanese? (ten years) 5. Are you still living in London? (three years now) 6. Are you still smoking those French cigarettes? (a couple of months) 7. Are you still waiting to see the boss? (ages) 8. Are they still discussing the project? (nine o'clock) 9. Is Mrs Smith still teaching English? (thirty years) 10. Are Helen and Alice still shopping? (morning) 11. Are you still looking for your glasses? (half an hour) 12. Are you still working for the same company? (I left school) 13. Is Bill still swimming? (an hour already)

3. Give additional information.

Mike is ill. (for a week)

He has been ill for a week.

1. My brother is married. (for two years) 2. I know Steve Baxter. (since I was a child) 3. Nick is absent. (for a week) 4. Jack lives in Bishopton. (since he was born) 5. Helen is in the library. (all day long) 6. Mr Morgan is away. (for two months) 7. Bill is unemployed. (since April) 8. Ann has a bad cold. (for the last few days) 9. My cousin is in the army. (since he was 18) 10. The shop is open. (since 8 o'clock) 11. The Baxters are at the seaside. (the whole month)

4. Answer the questions using the words in brackets.

— When did you last smoke? (for two years)

— I haven't smoked for two years.

1. When did it last rain? (for ages) 2. When did they last visit you? (since June) 3. When did you last play tennis? (for a long time). 4. When did you last drive? (for six months) 5. When did she last write to you? (since last summer) 6. When did you last eat caviar? (never) 7. When did you last hear from George? (for ages) 8. When did you last go to the theatre? (for months) 9. When did you last see Bob? (since February) 10. When did you last go to Spain? (never)

5. Translate into English.

1. Виктор только что вернулся из Лондона. Я не видел его с прошлого года. 2. Сколько времени ты женат? - Три года. 3. Ты когда-нибудь читал английские книги в оригинале? - Нет. Я изучаю английский язык только полгода. 4. Где ты был? Я жду тебя с пяти часов. 5. Чем ты сейчас занимаешься? - Я уже два часа печатаю. 6. Я давно не вижу твою сестру.- Она уже целый месяц находится в Крыму. 7. Кто взял мой словарь? Я уже полчаса ищу его. 8. Я устал. Целый день я работал в саду. 9. Сколько времени ты готовишься к экзаменам? - Уже месяц. 10. Роберта нет сегодня на занятиях. Он уже две недели болеет. 11. Как давно ты занимаешься коллекционированием марок? - Десять лет. 12. Чем ты занимался все это время? - Смотрел телевизор. 13. Ты давно здесь сидишь? - С десяти часов. 14. Мой брат в Москве. Он не пишет мне уже целый месяц. 15. Я не видел Павла с тех пор, как мы сдали последний экзамен. 16. Студенты только что ушли. Они находились здесь весь день.

6. Complete the situations. Do it as in the example.

Tom is reading a book. He started reading two hours ago and he is on page 53.

He has been reading for two hours. He has read 53 pages so far.

1. Captain Hay is a 'million-mile' pilot. He started flying 20 years ago. 2. It is a 3-mile walk from Bob's house to the city-centre. He started an hour ago and he has just reached it. 3. Laura started the washing-machine up an hour ago. There are now 30 clean shirts in the basket. 4. You are just finishing the 5 th and last page of homework. You sat down at the writing-desk 2 hours ago. 5. The tourist came into the old town an hour ago. He is leaving now with 60 new photographs. 6. The typist started an hour ago. Six letters are ready now. 7. Bill is smoking. When he started smoking there were 20 cigarettes in the packet. He's smoking his last cigarette.

7. Ask questions.

— I've been picking pears.

— How many have you picked?

— He's been making a lot of money.

— How much has he made?

1. I've been planting apple trees. 2. I've been making cakes. 3. He's been writing letters. 4. I've been saving money. 5. I've been ironing shirts. 6. Ann's been losing weight. 7. Sue has been washing blankets. 8. He's been selling tea. 9. He's been collecting stamps. 10. I've been cutting sandwiches. 11. Mary's been sending out invitations. 12. I've been taking photographs.

8. Use the Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous, Past Indefinite and Past Continuous Tenses.

A. 1. Look! Somebody (break) the window. 2. I wonder if John (forget) my number. I (expect) him to call for the past two hours. 3. You look very upset. What (happen)? 4. You (not, finish) that book yet? You (read) it for more than a week. 5. The meat must be nearly ready. I (cook) it for nearly an hour. 6. What you (do) for the last two hours? - I (sit) here working at this problem. 7. I (lose) my key. Can you help me look for it? 8. You look tired. You (work) hard? 9. My brother is an actor. He (appear) in several films. 10. Hello! I (clean) the windows. So far I (clean) five of them and there are two more to do. 11. Sorry! I'm late.- That's all right. I (not, wait) long.

B. 1. Mr Clark (work) in a bank for 15 years. Then he gave it up. 2. Mary lives in Dublin. She (live) there all her life. 3. Bob and Alice are married. They (be) married for 20 years. 4. When we (be) on holiday the weather (be) awful. 5. The weather (be) very nice recently, don't you think? 6. I don't know Carol's husband. I never (meet) him. 7. Yesterday I met my school mate. We (speak) about our school years for an hour. 8. How's your son getting on at school? — I don't really know. I (not, speak) to the teachers for some time.

C. 1. It still (rain) when I (come) in just now. It (rain) all morning. 2. I (sit) here waiting for you for nearly an hour. I already (drink) four whiskies. 3. What you (do) all this time? I (not, see) you for weeks. 4. They (not, work) for several days now. They (be) too ill. 5. It (not, rain) for a month now. The grass is very dry. 6. I (go) to this pub every evening for the last ten years. 7. Peter (write) letters since two o'clock. He already (write) five letters. 8. I (sleep) for the last two hours and I (not, wake) up properly yet. 9. I (buy) a new tie last week, but I (not, wear) it yet. 10. He already (see) that film. He (see) it when he (be) in London. 11. 'When you (meet) Mr Smith?' 'I (meet) him the day before yesterday.' 12. 'You ever (speak) to him?' 'Yes. I (speak) to him before the party.' 13. Peter (live) in Greece for the last three years. He (live) in Africa before he (go) to Greece. 14. I just (have) my lunch. I (finish) eating five minutes ago. 15. I (make) five mistakes so far today. Yesterday I only (make) three mistakes altogether. 16. I never (play) rugby in my life, but I (play) football when I (be) at school. 17. I (not, hear) from Kate since she (go) abroad. 18. On Sunday I was at the beach. I (lie) in the sun for two hours. 19. 'You ever (travel) by sea?' 'Yes, I (go) to Batumi by sea last year.' 20. 'What a lovely old village Overton is! You (live) here long?' 'I (live) here all my life. I (be born) in Overton.' 'You (be) to other countries?' 'Yes, I (go) to France two years ago.' 21. 'Hello, Mr Thompson. Glad to see you in London. How long you (be) here?' 'Oh, only a few days. I (arrive) here on Monday.' 'Is it your first visit to London?' 'No, I (be) here several times before.' 'You (see) many places of interest in London?' 'Yes, quite a lot.' 22. Charles and Barbara Williams (live) in a village called Harpole. They only (live) there for a few weeks. They (arrive) on 28 August and they quickly (arrange) the furniture in their new house. They (not, make) many friends yet, but they (think) that they soon will. The neighbours (be) very kind so far, and Mr Williams (invite) some of them to a party he (hold) next week. His friends from London and Oxford (come) to the party. The Williams family (live) in London before they (come) to Harpole. Mr Williams (not, like) living in London. While he (visit) some friends in Southampton last year, he (meet) a company director who (offer) him a job. Mrs Williams (want) to stay in London, but when they (arrive) at the village, the sun (shine) and she (begin) to enjoy her country surroundings. 23. Jack (look) at his watch for the twentieth time. Suddenly Jill (arrive). 'I (wait) for over an hour', he (say) angrily. 'You never come on time.' 'Oh, is that so?' Jill answered. 'You (be) here at 2.30?' Jack (go) red. 'Well,' he (say), 'I (get) here five minutes late myself, but you (not, be) here.' 'I (come) here at exactly 2.30,' Jill said, 'and (wait) for five minutes, but you (not, come).' 'What you (do) since then?' Jack (ask). 'I just (be) to the hairdresser's,' Jill answered brightly.

9. Translate into English.

A. 1. Целый вечер я печатаю. Я уже напечатала десять страниц. 2. Мы пишем контрольную работу уже 45 минут. Некоторые студенты уже закончили ее. 3. Ты давно ждешь меня? - Нет, я только что пришел. 4. Чем вы занимались сегодня утром? - Сажали деревья в саду.- Сколько деревьев вы посадили? - Семь. 5. Я перевожу статью уже два часа, но еще не перевела ее.

B. 1. Вчера мы с Аней договорились пойти в кино. Я прождала ее полчаса у кинотеатра, но она не пришла. Я не знаю, что с ней случилось. 2. Когда ты в последний раз видел Роберта? - Я не видел его уже две недели. 3. Как долго ты женат? - Я женился три года назад. 4. Где ты отдыхал прошлым летом? - На Кавказе.- Сколько времени ты там пробыл? - Около месяца. 5. Вчера я вернулся домой с работы в 6 часов, отдохнул около часа, а затем пошел навестить друга. 6. Где ключ? Я ищу его уже полчаса. 7. Ты давно здесь находишься? - Я пришел сюда час назад.- Ты встретил Виктора? - Да, мы поговорили с ним минут десять, и он ушел. 8. Сколько времени у тебя этот автомобиль? - Пять лет. 9. Сколько времени Вы живете в Минске? - С 1978 года.

C. 1.— Вас ждет господин Смит.

— Он давно ждет?

— Около двадцати минут.

— Пусть войдет.

2. — Где письма? Я хочу отправить их сегодня.

— Секретарь только что их принесла. Она печатала целый день.

3. — Могу я поговорить с господином Вороновым?

— Боюсь, что нет. Он только что вышел.

4. — Давай сходим в кино. Мы не были в кино уже целую вечность.

— Хорошая идея. Ник говорит, что он видел интересный детектив в кинотеатре "Москва". Хочешь посмотреть его?

— Да, я очень люблю детективы.

5. — Когда ты окончил институт?