Present Perfect Tense (часть 2)
Продолжаем разговор про тонкости английского времени Present Perfect. Сегодня мы узнаем, о том, что глагол в настоящем завершенном времени сможет также описывать действия, которое началось когда-то в прошлом (когда оно началось — значения не имеет), но еще не закончилось, и в настоящем виден результат этого действия.
A. Study this example conversation:
- DAVE: Have you travelled a Jot, Jane?
- JANE: Yes, I‘ve beento Jots of places.
- DAVE: Really? Haveyou ever beento China?
- JANE; Yes, I’ve been to China twice.
- DAVE: What about India?
- JANE: No, I haven’t been to India.
When we talk about a period of time that continues from the past until now, we use the present perfect (have been /have travelled etc.). Here, Dave and Jane are talking about the places Jane has visited in her life (which is a period that continues until now).
- Have you ever eaten caviar? (in your life)
- We’ve never had a car.
- ‘Have you read Hamlet? ‘No, I haven’t read any of Shakespeare’s plays.’
- Susan really loves that film. She’s seen it eight times’
- What a boring film! It’s the most boring film I’ve ever seen.
In the following examples too the speakers are talking about a period that continues until now (recently / in the last few days / so far / since breakfast etc.):
- Have you heard from George recently?
- I’ve met a lot of people in the last few days.
- Everything is going well. We haven’t had any problems so far.
- I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast. (= from breakfast until now)
- It’s nice to see you again. We haven’t seen each other for a long time.
B. We use the present perfect with today / this morning / this evening etc. when these periods are not finished at the time of speaking
- I’ve drunk four cups of coffee today, (perhaps I’ll drink more before today is finished)
- Have you had a holiday this year (yet)?
- I haven’t seen Tom this morning. Have you?
- Ron hasn’t worked very hard this term.
C. Note that we say ‘It’s the first time something has happened’ (present perfect). For example
Don is having a driving lesson. He is very nervous and unsure because it is his first lesson.
- It’s the first time he has driven a car. (not ‘drives’) or He has never driven a car before.
- Linda has lost her passport again. It’s the second time this has happened (not ‘happens’)
- This is a lovely meal. It’s the first good meal I’ve had for ages. (not ‘I have’)
- Bill is phoning his girlfriend again. That’s the third time he‘s phoned her this evening.
EXERCISES
You are asking somebody questions about things he or she has done. Make questions from the words in brackets.
- (ever / ride / horse?)_ _________________________________________________________________
- (ever / be / California?) ________________________________________________________________
- (ever / run / marathon?)________________________________________________________________
- (ever / speak / famous person?)_________________________________________________________
- (always / live / in this town?) __________________________________________________________
- (most beautiful place / ever / visit?) What _______________________________________________
Complete B’s answers. Some sentences are positive and some negative.
Use a verb from this list. be be eat happen have meet play read see see try
- A What’s George’s sister like?
- B I fi’ve no idea. _ _______________her.
- A How is Amy these days?
- B I don’t know. I_______________ her recently.
- A Are you hungry?
- B Yes. I________________________ much today.
- A Can you play chess?
- B Yes, but_________________________ for ages.
- A Did you enjoy your holiday?
- B Yes, it’s the best holiday __________________for a long time.
- A What’s that book like?
- B I don’t know. _________________________ it.
- A Is Brussels an interesting place?
- B I’ve no idea. ________________________ there
- A Mike was late for work again today.
- B Again? He _______________________________ every day this week.
- A Do you like caviar?
- B I don’t know. __________________________ it.
- A The car broke down again yesterday.
- B Not again! That’s the second time _________________________ this week.
- A Who’s that woman by the door?
- B I don’t know. _____________________ before.
Complete these sentences using today / this year / this term etc.
- I saw Tom yesterday but__ ______________ ______________ today
- I read a newspaper yesterday but I______________________________________________ today
- Last year the company made a profit but this year ____________________________________
- Tracy worked hard at school last term but____________________________________________
- It snowed a lot last winter but ______________________________________________________
- Our football team won a lot of games last season but we ________________________________
Read the situations and write sentences as shown in the examples.
Jack is driving a car but he’s very nervous and not sure what to do.
- You ask: _Have you driven a car before? He says:
- No, this is the first time I’ve driven a car.
Len is playing tennis. He’s not very good and he doesn’t know the rules.
- You ask: Have _______________________________________________________________________
- He says: No, this is the first_____________________________________________________________
Sue is riding a horse. She doesn’t look very confident or comfortable.
- You ask: ____________________________________________________________________________
- She says: ____________________________________________________________________________
Maria is in London. She has just arrived and it’s very new for her.
- You ask: ____________________________________________________________________________
- She says: ____________________________________________________________________________
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