Practice 46.  Overview of the Present Perfect Tense 

Exercise 1.  Complete each exercise with has or have.
Example: I have chosen to tell you about my father.

1. My father’s life ______________________ been different from his father’s life.

2. He ______________________ worked as a veterinarian for 20 years.

3. He and my mother ______________________ made a good home for me.

4. He ______________________ cured hundreds of sick dogs, cats, and farm animals.

5. I ______________________ learned quite a bit about animals from him.

6. My sister and I ______________________helped him during school vacations.

7. We______________________ gone with him to animal emergencies.

8. He ______________________ taken me to watch him work many times.

9. Farmers ______________________ come to him for help with their cows and horses.

10. Now you ______________________ heard a little about my father’s life. I am very proud of him.

Exercise 2. Complete each sentence with have or has plus the correct past participle of the verb in parenthesis.
Example: I (travel/not) have not traveled to many cities in my life.

1. I (know/not) ______________________ many interesting people.
2. My friends and I (enjoy) ______________________ other cities.
3. You (begin) ______________________ to travel a lot in the past year.
4. You and I (write) ______________________ many postcards to our friends.
5. My professor (take) ______________________ time to do more research.
6. He (speak) ______________________ to us about his interest in languages.
7. My doctor (give) ______________________ me a prescription for my cold.
8. It (be) ______________________ very difficult to get a doctor’s appointment.
9. The (start /not) ______________________ to jog for their health.
10. The joggers (run) ______________________ 10 miles so far this week.
11. That dog (bite) ______________________ two people up until now.
12. She (wear) ______________________ that blue dress only once.
13. They (not / see) ______________________ that movie yet.
14. The movers (drive) ______________________ to the wrong address.

Practice 47.  Statements and Questions with the Present Perfect Tense

Exercise 1.  Answer each of the following questions using the present perfect tense to complete each sentence.

Example:           Q:  How long have you lived in this city?

1.     Q:  Have you ever been to Moscow?
A:

2.     Q:  How much money have you spent on books this month?
A:

3.     Q:  Have you ever been on TV?
A:

4.     Q:  How many movies have you seen this month?
A:

5.     Q:  Has it rained here recently?
A:

6.     Q:  How long have you studies English grammar?
A:

7.     Q:  Have you decided what to do after you finish studying English.
A:

8.     Q:  What is something you've always dreamed of doing?
A:

9.     Q:  Have you ever gone to a movie by yourself?
A:

10.  Q:  How many times have you moved from one home to another?
A:

Exercise 2.  Create present perfect tense questions based on the words in parenthesis. Answer each question about yourself.

Example:   (how many times / have / bad dreams)

1.     (have / ever / speak / in front of  one hundred people)
Q: 
A:

2.     (how long / have / lived in this city)
Q: 
A:

3.     (how many times / have / a good job)
Q: 
A:

4.     (why / have / not / jump / out of a plane)
Q: 
A:

5.     (where / have / live / in your life )
Q: 
A:

6.     (when / have / study / recently)
Q: 
A:

7.     (have / ever / speak / in front of  one hundred people)
Q: 
A:

8.     (have / ever / made / a difficult decision)
Q: 
A:

Exercise 48.  Continuation from Past to Present Tense

Exercise 1: Read the following two paragraphs.  Underline all the present perfect verbs.  There are 15 present perfect verbs to find.

                  What a flood!  It has rained for five days now.  The water has risen gradually until it has covered the streets and the sidewalks.  The lower parts of the town have sunk under the water.  Most people who live near the river have left the town.  It has rained here before, but I have never seen rain like this.

                  The flood has been a disaster for the town.  Everyone who has purchased a boat has been asked to bring the boats to rescue people and animals. We have always swum in the water before, but now it's dirty and polluted.  My family has left the town.  We have lived in a shelter since April 14.  Some families have been here for three weeks.  I have heard of floods like this, but I have never known one.

Exercise 2.  Add a time expression to  each sentence.

Example:           (never)  I have met her.

1.     (for five days)  She has studied for the test.

2.     (always) He has lived here.

3.     (since you got a job) I haven't seen you.

4.     (never) We have visited the art museum.

5.     (since Tuesday) They have waited for the letter.

6.     (since December) You have had that coat.

7.     (for a long time) The clock hasn't rung.

8.     (since he ate some fish) He has felt sick.

9.     (since I borrowed the money) I have avoided you.

10.  (for one month) We haven't received a call from her.

Exercise 3.  Complete each of the following sentences about yourself, your family or your friends with the present perfect tense and the time expression in parenthesis.

Example: (for six months)  My sister hasn't seen my parents for six months.

1. (since I began school)
2. (for one week)
3. (always)
4. (since 1999)
5. (for a long time)

Practice 49.  The Simple Present versus the Present Perfect Tenses

Exercise 1.  Read each present tense sentence.  The use for, since, always or never with the information in the parenthesis to write a present prefect sentence that connects the past to the present time.

Example: I know Maria.  (five years)

                           I have known her for five years.

1.     She owns a house.  (last summer)

2.     Eduardo lives in this city. (a year and a half)

3.     The twins are in the hospital. (They were born two days ago.)

4.     My aunt is an excellent cook. (always)

5.     Sarah doesn't have a car. (never)

6.     Gina and Tom are married. (five years)

7.     Marco belongs to the volleyball team. (April)

8.     He doesn't belong to the soccer club. (never)

9.     Allison doesn't live with her family now. (the beginning of the year)

10.  She eats all her meals in the university cafeteria. (last spring)

11.  Andy and his roommate live in an apartment near campus. (six months)

12.  I am a sales clerk in this department store. (three years)

13.  Fran is a student at the English Language Institute. (January)

14.  Gina is absent from class again today. (Monday)

15.  He is on a diet. (a few months)

16.  She wears the ring he gave her. (They got married in 1972.)

17.  My father speaks Spanish (always)

Exercise 2. Read each present perfect answer provided.  Then write an appropriate simple present tense question.

Example:           Q:  Do you own this house?

1.     Q:
A: Yes, he has belonged to that health club for about a year now.

2.     Q:
A: No, I've never enjoyed exercise.

3.     Q:
A: I've tried to, but I've never been successful.

4.     Q:
A: No.  Actually she's never come to see us.

5.     Q:
A: Yes.  We've gone to see her several times.

Practice 50.  Statements and Questions with the Present Perfect Tense

Language Notes:

1. With some verbs (such as live, work, study, teach, wear), we can use either the present perfect tense or the present perfect continuous tense with actions that began in the past and continue to the present.  there is very little difference in meaning,.
2. If the action is still happening right now, at this minute, it is better to use the present perfect continuous tense
3. Remember that we do not use the continuous form with non-action verbs.  Some non-action verbs are: like, love, have, want, need, know, remember, hear, own, see, seem, understand.

Exercise 1.  Choose the better verb tense for each set of underlined verbs.

Example:           Mother (has seemed / has been seeming) upset since the accident on Monday.

1.     How long have you watched / have you been watching this movie?

2.     I have lived / have been living  in this city for five years.

3.     I have liked / been liking this city since I moved here.

4.     My daughter has always loved / has always been loving to eat vegetables.

5.     Why has she studies / has been studying English since September?

6.     How long have you owned / have you been owning this car?

7.     He has worked / has been working as an engineer for many years.

8.     How much of what she's saying have you understood / have you been understanding?

9.     We have eaten / have been eating dinner since the reoast came out of the oven.

10.  What have you been doing / have you done these days?

Exercise 2. Fill in each blank with the present perfect continuous tense of the verbs in the box. Choose an appropriate verb from the box.

Examples: Now that we have been dating for a year, I think we should get married.

1.     The soup  _______________________      for two hours. I think it's ready.

2.     I   ______________________________________________  for so long that my hand hurts.

3.     How long   _______________________  she   ____________________________________________?  If he doesn't arrive soon, she'll give up.

4.     He   _______________________     everywhere for his keys, and he can't find them.

5.     The band   _______________________     for such a long time that I think the concert must be almost over.

6.     Why   __________________________  I    ___________________________________________  for two hours?  My muscles are going to be really sore tomorrow.

7.     You   _______________________  TV all evening.  You have to stop now and do your homework.

8.     Renee   _______________________  in Montreal, but she's moving to Toronto next month. 

9.     Come in.  We   _______________________     you.

10.  I   _______________________     this book for hours.  My eyes are starting to get tired.

11.  Who   _______________________     me about your train trip across northern Mexico recently?

12.  The children   _______________________     up late every night this summer, but next week when school starts, they have to go to bed early again.

13.  ______________________________________    you   _____________________________________ the piano lately?

14.  She   ___________________________________   her money, and now she's ready to buy a new computer.

Exercise 51.  The Present Perfect Tense with Indefinite Time in the Past

Exercise 1: Fill in each blank with "ever, already, yet," or "just."  In some cases more than one of the words can be used.

1.     You're too late; the doctor has __________________________   left for the day.

2.     Have you __________________________ ridden a horse?  It's fun!

3.     I've __________________________ invited him to the party.

4.     I'm so tired of that book!  I've __________________________ read it three times.

5.     Why haven't you written him __________________________ ?

6.     Haven't you __________________________ been lonely?

7.     Don't sit in the chair!  I've __________________________painted it.

8.     I've __________________________  seen Hernando, and he looks upset.

9.     She hasn't contacted us __________________________ , but I'm sure she will soon.

10.  We've __________________________ saved all of the money that our children will need for their university education.

11.  I haven't told her about my plans __________________________ .

12.  Have you __________________________ read an entire novel in English?

13.  We have to wait here because their plane hasn't arrived __________________________ .

14.  You can't take any more time off because you've __________________________ used up all of  your vacation and sick days for this year.

Exercise 2. Unscramble the words to write correct statements and questions.

Example: found / new / I / already / roommate / a / have

1. the door / my roommate / just / in / come / has
2. ever / the oil / this car / checked / haven't / you / in
3. she / to / already / three universities / applied / has
4. haven't / my request / replied / yet / they / to
5. this meat / anyone/ the refrigerator / why / in / put / hasn't / yet
6. just / their landlord / has / them / to move / asked
7. had / bad news / you / anyone / have / to / ever / to break
8. the checkbook / balanced / yet / haven't / I
9. ever / why / him / told / you / haven't / how / feel / really / you
10. seen / have / we / movie / already / that / romantic