THE PERFECT. COMPARE: We have watched TV every evening this month. I met your brother this morning/on my way to work.

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Alexander Walsh
5 years ago
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1 Targeting the Verb Phrase Spring 2019 Institute of English and American Studies University of Debrecen THE PRESENT PERFECT -past action whose time is not definite My wife has gone out. I have been all over Africa. (=I know Africa) THE PERFECT COMPARE: I've just fallen downstairs. I fell downstairs just now. -action occurring in an incomplete period COMPARE: We have watched TV every evening this month. I met your brother this morning/on my way to work. -action which lasts throughout a period She has lived here for the last/past five years. We haven't worked there for five years. (two meanings!) COMPARE: I have been here for the last week I have been here since last week. I have been here for 6 weeks. I am here for 6 weeks. -perfect tenses with by By the time this letter reaches you I will have left the country. Be here by four o'clock. By the time I went to bed I was absolutely exhausted. -since: I have known him since he was a boy. COMPARE: She has become much better off since she has worked with us. She has become much better off since she worked with us. The simple past is used when the since-clause refers to a point of time marking the beginning of the situation. The present perfect is used when the since-clause refers to a period of time lasting to the present. Present tense forms in the main clause can be used with expressions involving be or some other stative verb, and with verbs describing present habits that depend on some past cause: It is/has been ages since we last saw you. I am feeling/have been feeling much better since I started taking these pills. He goes/has gone for long walks every day since he bought the dog. 1

2 -since and ago combined We haven't heard from her since about a month ago. Ago should not be used in combination with since, as in *It is many years ago since World War II ended. -COMPARE: Have you seen Romeo and Juliet? Did you see Romeo and Juliet? -simple past preferred to explain the origin or cause of sth that people already know about Who left the door open? This is a nice picture. Did you paint it yourself? What was that noise? -Note: That is the second time someone has interrupted me this evening. I am meeting an old friend next week. It will be the first time we have met for ten years. THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS It has been raining, but it has stopped now. (activity ended in recent past) I've been working for six hours and I'll stop now. (activity continues up to the moment of speaking) She has been spending the weekends there. (activity will probably continue) -explanations, conclusions Look at the mess my paper is in. Who's been reading it? -unfulfilled plan, intention I've been meaning to call and see him for ages, but I'm so busy at work. You've been going to have that tree cut down ever since last summer. The perfect continuous of verbs expressing intention (going to, mean, plan, promise, threaten etc.) often implies that so far the intentions have not become fact. Sometimes there is little probability that they will ever come to fulfilment. Similarly; when the sentence as a whole mentions plans, proposals, intentions, attempts: Scientists have been trying to find ways of irrigating the deserts for as long as I can remember. -COMPARE: I have read your book I have been reading your book. He has lived here all his life. He has been living here for a month. She has been writing letters all day. She has written six letters since breakfast. I have been pruning the roses. I have pruned the roses. Have you had lunch yet? Have you had lunch already? 2

3 EXERCISE I. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE OR CONTINUOUS Use the following verbs: see, hold, depend, apply, fit, look 1. Up to now, the discount... only to children under 10. From next month, we're planning to extend it to children under What do you mean, you're past it? In my opinion you (never)... fitter in your life. 3. She... a lot of Mark lately. Do you think there's anything between them? 4. Since I broke my leg, I...on my daughter to see to the shopping and housework. 5. He... for jobs without success for months now. 6. The hall people on some occasions, though you'd hardly believe it. 7. As you... the film already, can you tell me if it would be likely to appeal to my young nephew? 8. Sorry about the mess! The workmen... a new boiler in the bathroom all morning. 9. The success of the agricultural show... very much on the weather in recent years. 10. Oh there's the Times! I... for it everywhere? 11. They... him as a political prisoner since All the shirts you've sent your father... him perfectly so far. EXERCISE II. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE/CONTINUOUS OR PAST SIMPLE/CONTINUOUS 1. Although I (know) Sarah and Frank for many years now, I (never understand) what (attract) them to each other. 2. The last time I (see) him (be) when he (leave) the office. 3. Nana (have) tremendous success with her voice and (become) a very famous film star. It (be) 15 years ago that I (hear) her sing. 4. Today I (be) very busy in my workshop, cleaning up. I (put) some sort of order into the place. 5. Since he (listen) to English recordings he (not spend) so much time playing cards. 6. There (just be) an announcement on the radio that another member of the government (kidnap). 7. Your hands are filthy!' Yes, I (clean) the car.' 8. Tom and Jack work in different offices but go to work in the same train. One evening Tom's wife said: (Jack move) into his new house yet? I don't know, said Tom, I (not see) Jack today. He (not be) on the train.' 9. I wonder if John (forget) my number. I (expect) him to call for the past two hours. 10. Who (take) my pen? 11. The Museum is currently trying to build up its collection of medieval manuscripts. Two important private collections (acquire) over the last 3 months. 12. The new manager (have) a lot of problems since he (take) over six months ago. 13. I'll let you know as soon as I (finish). 14. He shouldn't drive this evening. He (drink) 15. I'd better not drive. I (already drink) quite a lot. 16. How long (you know) the truth?' I (only just find) out but I (find) out a lot of other things recently. THE PAST PERFECT 3

4 -earlier past action/event The doctor arrived quickly but the patient had already died. -past equivalent of present perfect/simple past He had lived in that house since the day he was born. He wanted to visit London because he had never been there before. It was several months since he had smoked a cigarette. -unfulfilled hope, wish with verbs like hope, expect, intend, mean, think, suppose, want etc. I had hoped to send him a telegram, but I didn't manage it. -time clauses (when, after, before, as soon as, until etc.) COMPARE: When I arrived Anne left. When I arrived Anne had left. After I finished I went home. When she saw the mouse she screamed. (immediate reaction) When she had seen all the photos she went home. (it is important to emphasise that the first action was completely finished before the second began) Because the past perfect can emphasize the idea of one action in some way depending on the other action being completed first, sometimes the past perfect can mean that this action never happened: Some of the students started shouting before the speaker had said a word. (he was probably unable to make his speech) -For reasons of style it is unnecessary to have too many past perfect forms one after another: The furniture suited the room perfectly. She had been to auction rooms looking for just the right period pieces, and had found some. She bought them at good prices, and didn't pay more than... -COMPARE: He apologised for any trouble he had caused. He apologised for any trouble he caused. Note: She wasn't yet 18 when she went to live in Paris. -Free indirect speech So that was their plan. He well knew their tricks, and would show them a thing or two before he was finished. Thank goodness, he had been alerted. -Tense simplification in subordinate clauses. Study the tense forms below: 4

5 It wasn't certain why he had crashed, but possibly he had gone to sleep while he was driving. He told me somebody had phoned when I was out. Also: I would give money to anybody who needed it. I have liked the people I worked with. EXERCISE III. PAST SIMPLE/CONTINUOUS OR PAST PERFECT SIMPLE 1. She (ring) the hospital late last night in case he (have) an accident. 2. Bond (foolishly leave) the country before they (give) him his gun. 3. He (leave) the company by the time I (go) to work there last year. 4. I (feel) very tired that morning: I (not sleep) well the night before. 5. By the time we (get) to the theatre the curtain (already go) up. 6. His arm (keep) him awake at night because the nurse (wind) the bandage round it too tightly. EXERCISE IV. PAST SIMPLE/CONTINUOUS OR PAST PERFECT SIMPLE/CONTINUOUS Study the following: When I got home, they had dinner. When I got home, they were having dinner. When I got home, they had had dinner. When I got home, they had been having dinner for half an hour. 1. I could tell from her face that a/ she (cry). b/ she (try) hard not to cry. c/ she (find) out the truth. d/ she (already know) the truth. 2. She finally (say) Yes'. He (ask) her to marry him for years. 3. When Queen Victoria (die) in 1901, she (reign) for over 60 years. 4. Mary (have) a nervous breakdown last year. No one (be) surprised. She (work) much too hard for months. 5. I (only go) a few steps when I (realise) I (be followed). 6. She (be) in a hurry. She (catch) the midnight boat to Venice and (not want) to be late. 7. He looked filthy. He (lose) his job and his wife (leave) him. 8. I (leave) home at 9 but I (not go) far when I (remember) that I (forget) to lock my door. 9. The police (find) the safe on the beach. It (contain) more than 9,000 pounds but it (be) now empty. 10. A search party (set) out to look for the two climbers, who (leave) their hotel early that morning and who (still not return). 11. As soon as I (get) home I (have) a bath. 12. He (book) his tickets a few days before. 13. The whole family (sit) in the drawing room. They (watch) television. You could see by the look on their faces that they (settle) down to an evening of easy entertainment and (stay) in front of the set until bedtime. 14. I (just write) a letter when she (phone) me. 15. A man who (be known) for his mean habits (go) shopping with his wife. As his birthday (come) soon, she (try) to buy him a card. She (just select) one when her husband (take) the card from her and (read) the inscription inside. Thank you dear', he said. EXERCISE V. MISCELLANEOUS 5

6 1. Hello, Paul! How are you? I (not see) you for ages! What (you do) since I (last see) you? 2. I (go) out to the theatre tonight, but I (just hear) that the production (cancel), so I suppose I (just stay) at home. 3. I'm sorry I (not be) in touch for so long. Since we (move) to our new house, we (be) busy decorating. I (want) to phone you, but I'm afraid I (lose) your number. 6

Mistakes: Part 1: Part 2: Part 3: Total: Course suggestion: 2. This is Mr and Mrs Brown and... children Bob and Mary.

Student profil Name: Firma: Anschrift: Telefon: Self assessment: Date: Straße PLZ, Stadt privat / Büro beginner, school English, Abitur, studied, advanced, travel etc. Mistakes: Part 1: Part 2: Part 3: