UNIT 5

THE PRESENT PERFECT

The present perfect is formed from the present tense of the verb have and the past participle of a verb.

1.1 USE
We use the present perfect tense:

A. for something that started in the past and continues in the present:
They’ve been married for nearly fifty years.
She has lived in Liverpool all her life.

We often use a clause with since to show when something started in the past:
I have worked here since I left school.
I’ve watched that programme every week since it started.

B. when we are talking about our experience up to the present:

Note: We often use the adverb ever to talk about experience up to the present:
My last birthday was the worst day I have ever had.
Note: and we use never for the negative form:
Have you ever met George?
Yes, but I’ve never met his wife.

C. For something that happened in the past but is important at the time of speaking:
I can’t get in the house. I’ve lost my keys.
Teresa isn’t at home. I think she has gone shopping.
I’m tired out. I’ve been working all day.

D. When the speaker wants to put emphasis on the result:

She has written five letters.

E. We can also use the present perfect to talk about something that happened recently:
She has cooked dinner.
I've just seen Lucy.

1.2 KEY WORDS

A. Since and for

Since is used with a point in time, and means “from that point in time until the present.”
Use since with dates (2011, January, Tuesday, etc.), times (6:15, noon, this morning, etc.), and past
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events (I was a child, he graduated from college, etc).

Unit 5 Inglés Técnico II

• “I’ve gone to the beach every year since I was a child.”
• “I've known Sam since 1992.”

For is used with a time period, and means “for that period of time until the present.”
Use for with times of any length (five seconds, eight hours, two days, six weeks, nine months, ten years,
a decade, centuries, etc.)

• “We’ve lived in Berlin for 6 months.” (and we live in Berlin now)

• “She's had a cold for a week.

B. Already and yet

Already can be used in positive statements and questions.
• “I’ve already read today’s newspaper.”
• “Have you already paid the electric bill?”
• “She’s finished the test already.”
Note: Already can go in between “have/has” and the past participle (as in the first two examples) or at
the end of the sentence.

Yet can be used in negative statements and questions.

• “We haven’t cleaned the house yet.”
• “Has he told you the good news yet?”
• “Have they booked their tickets yet?”
Note: Yet usually goes at the end of the sentence or phrase.

C. Recently, lately, and just

Recently and lately can be used in positive statements, negative statements, or questions:
Recently
• “He’s recently lost some weight.”
• “I haven’t seen her recently.”
• “Have you spoken to Beth recently?”

Lately
• “I’ve gotten a lot of spam e-mails lately.”
• “Adam and Jessica haven’t been to church lately.”
• “Have you seen any good movies lately?”

Just (usually means very recent) is typically only used in positive statements and questions:
• “Don’t touch the walls – I’ve just painted them and they’re still wet.”
• “What book have you just finished reading?”

D. Ever / never
Use ever in questions only – NOT in statements.
• Have you ever been to Japan?
• Has she ever seen Titanic?
• Have they ever ridden a motorcycle?
• Has Jason ever failed a test?

Use never in negative statements – but only with have/has, not with haven’t/hasn’t:
• “My sister hasn’t never seen Titanic.”
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• “My sister has never seen Titanic.”

• “My sister hasn’t seen Titanic.”

Unit 5 Inglés Técnico II

 1.3 FORM

1.4 SPELLING

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Unit 5 Inglés Técnico II

 THE PAST PERFECT

The past perfect is formed from the present tense of the verb had and the past participle of a verb.

1.1 USE
We use the past perfect tense:

A. Together with the Simple Past

When two past actions are combined – the first action, which was completed before the second one
began, is put into Past Perfect.
E.g. Mary had read the book before she watched a film.
E.g. After Amy had gone home it started to rain.
E.g. After Sofie had finished her work, she went to lunch.
(First she finished her work and then she went to eat lunch.)
E.g. I washed the floor when the painter had gone.
(First the painter left and then I washed the floor.)

B. For something that started in the past and continued up to a given time in the past:
a) E.g. When George died he and Anne had been married for nearly fifty years.
E.g. She didn’t want to move. She had lived in Liverpool all her life.

C. When we are reporting our experience and including up to the present:

E.g. My eighteenth birthday was the worst day I had ever had.
E.g. I was pleased to meet George. I hadn’t met him before, even though I had met his wife several
times.

D. For something that happened in the past but is important at the time of reporting:
E.g. I couldn’t get into the house. I had lost my keys.
E.g. Teresa wasn’t at home. She had gone shopping.

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1.2 FORM

1.3 SPELLING

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Unit 5 Inglés Técnico II