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    Learn English > English lessons and exercises > English test #109163: Enough with the Present Perfect...
    > Other English exercises on the same topics: Speaking | Present perfect [Change theme]
    > Similar tests: - Present perfect simple - Past simple or present perfect - Present perfect simple - Vocabulary: greeting people - Vocabulary: on the phone - On the phone - Interacting with someone - Dialogue : What time...?
    > Double-click on words you don't understand


    Enough with the Present Perfect...


    The 'delicate question of the present perfect' had to be practised again, especially as the tense doesn't exist in French and in other languages...

     

    ➡️ THE PRESENT  PERFECT SIMPLE : 

     

    1) How to make it:
    It's built with the
     auxiliary:  to HAVE, only have/has (in the 3rd pers. sing.) + the past participle of the main verb: 

     The past participle is either the main Verb + ed (for regular verbs), or the 3rd column of the irregular verbs  ( to be known by heart!  )

    - In the interrogative form you simply have to  do the auxiliary/subject inversion, and in the negative form, you simply have  to add not !

    ex : Have you finished your exercise? Yes, I have, but look at Paul, he hasn't finished yet.

                                                               

     

    2) When to use it:  
    🔹 A) When the moment when the action takes place is not mentioned, to express a link or consequence between a past action and the present situation:  

    eg. : He can't leave for his holiday because he has caught mumps.  

     (He is sick and contagious... = the past action has a consequence on the present. He mustn't spread his disease and therefore, must stay at home, not leave for a holiday! )



    🔹 B)  When an ACTION is ASSESSED  because the ACTION IS STRESSED (have you done this action, or not? have you or haven't you DONE it? )

    eg. : Have you seen this film ? ('Have you seen it, or not?',  is implied) 

    eg. : She hasn't met my brother (The meeting is the important point. Has she, or not, met him? The moment of the action (the meeting) is of no interest.


    🔹  C) The action started in the past and has a visible result in the present.

    eg. : Look! Somebody has thrown up in the classroom! (and didn't report it... therefore, it wasn't cleaned! ) Disgusting!  => result in the present.

     

    🔹 D ) The sentence in the present perfect may contain an adverb expressing an idea of timealready, ever / never, not... yet,   so far ... 

    (Be careful where to place the adverb : between the auxiliary and the main verb!)

    eg. : Have you ever seen Star Wars? Of course! I have already watched  this film several times !

     

    🔹 E ) Used with FOR and SINCE : 

    FOR is used to express a duration (a week, three months, ten years) and SINCE to indicate a starting point (Xmas,  2001, 6 o'clock...)

    eg. : I've been here for one hour. (= 60 minutes)

    A few verbs : to be, to know, to want, to like etc, cannot be in the present perfect in the -ing form. 

    eg. : I have liked this singer since I attended one of his concerts. 

                                                              

     

    ➡️ THE PRESENT  PERFECT in – ing

    The present perfect in –ing =  have / has been VERB + ing

    eg. : He's been practising the piano for ten years, now. 

    (He started 10 years ago, is still doing it in the present and the duration of the training is long.)

    The two forms (simple or in - ing) are sometimes possible. 



    Well! I do hope things are clearer ... Good luck for the exercise!  Go for it! 



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    English exercise "Enough with the Present Perfect..." created by here4u with The test builder. [More lessons & exercises from here4u]
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    1. with friends for the last three weeks. I'm a little homesick and would like to see my mom.

    2. my family for 4 years and I really like him. He's so fun...

    3. Clara here for eighteen months and would like to change jobs.

    4. all afternoon! Can we take a pause, please? I'm exhausted.

    5. She's a born teacher... teaching forever and is having a good time working!

    6. He can't even stand and walk because too much drink. He'd better sleep here and not drive home...

    7. You can't see Julia now... out since 2 o'clock.

    8. for a week... The rivers are very high. I hope there won't be floods.

    9. here for half an hour and is quite furious at your being late...

    10. to go to Norway for years. I'm happy I'm here now.

    11. If you look at his passport, you'll see that a lot. There are stamps from every country he visited.

    12. I can't go back home... my keys in Mom's car... We'll have to spend a little time together...










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