present perfect simple

Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Progressive

irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of

irregular verbs

Example:I / you / we / they have spokenhe / she / it has spoken

regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed

Example:I / you / we / they have workedhe / she / it has worked

form of 'have' + been + verb + ing

Example:I / you / we / they have been speakinghe / she / it has been speaking

Exceptions

Exceptions when adding 'ed' :

when the final letter is e, only add d

Example:

love - loved

after a short, stressed vowel, the final

consonant is doubled

Example:

admit - admitted

final l is always doubled in British

English (not in American English)

Example:

travel - travelled

after a consonant,

final y becomes i (but: not after a vowel)

Example:

worry - worried

but: play - played

Exceptions when adding 'ing' :

silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -ee)

Example: come - coming

aber: agree - agreeing

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is

doubled

Example: sit - sitting

after a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled in

British English (but not in American English).

Example: travel - travelling

final ie becomes y.

Example: lie - lying

See also explanations on Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Progressive

Use

Both tenses are used to express that an action began in the past and is still going on or has just finished. In

many cases, both forms are correct, but there is often a difference in meaning: We use the Present Perfect

Simple mainly to express that an action is completed or to emphasise the result. We use the Present

Perfect Progressive to emphasise the duration or continuous course of an action.

Result or duration?

Do you want to express what has happened so far or how long an action has been going on yet?

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Result (what / how much / how often)

I have written 5 letters. / I have been to London twice.

Duration (how long)

I have been writing for an hour.

Certain verbs

The following verbs are usually only used in Present Perfect Simple (not in the progressive form).

state: be, have (for possession only)

Example: We have been on holiday for two weeks.

senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch

Example: He has touched the painting.

brain work: believe, know, think, understand

Example: I have known him for 3 years.

Emphasis on completion or duration?

Do you want to emphasise the completion of an action or its continuous course (how has somebody spent

his time)?


Emphasis on completion

I have done my homework. (Meaning:

My homework is completed now.)

Emphasis on duration

I have been doing my homework. (Meaning: That's how I have

spent my time. It does not matter whether the homework is

completed now.)

Result or side effect?

Do you want to express that a completed action led to a desired result or that the action had an unwanted

side effect?


desired result

I have washed the

car. (Result: The car is clean

unwanted side effect

Why are you so wet? - I have been washing the car. (side effect: I became

wet when I was washing the car. It does not matter whether the car is clean

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now.) now.)

Time + negation: last time or beginning of an action?

In negative sentences: Do you want to express how much time has past since the last time the action took

place or since the beginning of the action?


since the last time

I haven't played that game for

years. (Meaning: It's years ago that I last

played that game.)

since the beginning

I haven't been playing that game for an hour, only for 10

minutes. (Meaning: It's not even an hour ago that I started to

play that game.)

Permanent or temporary?

If an action is still going on and we want to express that it is a permanent situation, we would usually use the

Present Perfect Simple. For temporary situations, we would prefer the Present Perfect Progressive. This is

not a rule, however, only a tendency.


permanent

James has lived in this town for 10

years. (Meaning: He is a permanent

resident of this town.)

temporary

James has been living here for a year. (Meaning: This situation

is only temporary. Maybe he is an exchange student and only

here for one or two years.)

Signal words


how often

... times

how long

since

for

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Present Perfect Simple

The present perfect simple expresses an action that is still going on or that stopped recently, but has an

influence on the present. It puts emphasis on the result.

Form of Present Perfect

Positive Negative Question

I / you / we / they I have spoken. I have not spoken. Have I spoken?

he / she / it He has spoken. He has not spoken. Has he spoken?

For irregular verbs, use the participle form (see list of irregular verbs, 3rd column). For regular verbs, just

add “ed”.

Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ‘ed’

Exceptions in spelling when adding ed Example

after a final e only add d love – loved

final consonant after a short, stressed vowelor l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled

admit – admittedtravel – travelled

final y after a consonant becomes i hurry – hurried

Use of Present Perfect puts emphasis on the result

Example: She has written five letters.

action that is still going on

Example: School has not started yet.

action that stopped recently

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Example: She has cooked dinner.

finished action that has an influence on the present

Example: I have lost my key.

action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking

Example: I have never been to Australia.

Signal Words of Present Perfect: already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now

Form

Simple Past Present Perfect Simple

irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs

Example:I spoke

irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of irregular

verbs

Example:I / you / we / they have spokenhe / she / it has spoken

regular verbs: infinitive + ed

Example:I worked

regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed

Example:I / you / we / they have workedhe / she / it has worked

Exceptions

Exceptions when adding 'ed':

when the final letter is e, only add d

Example:

love - loved

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled

Example:

admit - admitted

final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English)

Example:

travel - travelled

after a consonant, final y becomes i (but: not after a vowel)

Example:

worry - worried

but: play - played

Use5

In British English, the use of Simple Past and Present Perfect is quite strict. As soon as a time expression in

the past is given, you have to use Simple Past. If there are no signal words, you must decide if we just talk

about an action in the past or if its consequence in the present is important.

Note that the following explanations and exercises refer to British English only. In American English, you

can normally use Simple Past instead of Present Perfect. We cannot accept this in our exercises, however,

as this would lead to confusions amongst those who have to learn the differences.

Certain time in the past or just / already / yet?

Do you want to express that an action happened at a certain time in the past (even if it was just a few

seconds ago) or that an action has just / already / not yet happened?


certain time in the past

Example:I phoned Mary 2 minutes ago.

just / already / not yet

Example:I have just phoned Mary.

Certain event in the past or how often so far?

Do you want to express when a certain action took place or whether / how often an action has happened till

now?


certain event in the past

Example:He went to Canada last summer.

whether / how often till now

Example:Have you ever been to Canada? / I have been to Canada twice.

Emphasis on action or result?

Do you just want to express what happened in the past? Or do you want to emphasise the result (a past

action's consequence in the present)?


Emphasis on action

Example:I bought a new bike. (just telling what I did in the past.)

Emphasis on result

Example:I have bought a new bike. (With this sentence I actually want to express that I have a new bike now.)

Signal Words

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yesterday

... ago

in 1990

the other day

last ...

just

already

up to now

until now / till now

ever

(not) yet

so far

lately / recently

Highlight Tenses used in the Text

Highlight all tenses

Simple Past (Aktive) - action or situation in the past (emphasises who did something)

Simple Past (Passive) - action or situation in the past (emphasises what was done)

Present Perfect - action or situation over a period of time (from the past to the present)

Simple Present - situation now

Present Progressive - changing situation in the present

A Look at the Intriguing History of Snowboarding

By Keith Kingston

To say who actually invented the sport of snowboarding would be

impossible because people have always loved to slide down a snow-covered hill. Soaring through the snow

on some kind of seat or board is nothing new. The ways to enjoy the snow are numerous, and people have

devised ways to turn garbage can lids and cardboard into ‘snow boards’ to enjoy an afternoon frolic

outdoors. The various ways to glide through snow have become more sophisticated and have evolved into

using polished boards or skis in much the same manner as a surfboarder would ride a wave.

There have been many attempts at developing a modern snowboard. In 1965, the ‘Snurfer’ (a word play

on ‘snow’ and ‘surfer’) was developed as a child’s toy. Two skis were bound together and a rope was

placed at the front end to afford control and stability. Over 500,000 ‘Snurfers’ were sold in 1966 but they

were never seen as more than a child's plaything even though organized competitions began to take place.

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The year 1969 brought a slightly more sophisticated snowboard based on the principles of skiing combined

with surfboard styling.

The ‘Flying Yellow Banana’ was developed in 1977. This was nothing more than a plastic shell covered with

a top surface like that of a skateboard, but at the time it was considered a major advance in the little known

sport of snowboarding. The first national snowboard race was held in the area outside Woodstock and was

known as ‘The Suicide Six.’ The race consisted of a steep downhill run called The Face in which the main

goal was probably mere survival.

Snowboarding continued to increase in popularity over the next several years. In

1985 the first magazine dedicated specifically to snowboarding hit the news stands with huge success and

furthered the popularity of this exciting sport. Hoards of fans began to organize regional events and pretty

soon snowboarding events were held in all parts of the world. In the year 1994 snowboarding was finally

declared an Olympic event, much to the delight of fans. The not-so-new sport of snowboarding was finally

recognized and meant a huge victory for serious snowboarders across the globe.

A collection of snowboarding tricks and stunts was released on video in 1996. Filmed in Alaska, the

breathtaking beauty and captivating snowboarding techniques featured in the video exposed snowboarding

to a new generation, and by 1998 snowboarding constituted almost 50% of all winter activity. Today, nearly

all ski resorts accept snowboarders. There are still a few holding on to the past but this is unlikely to

continue as the number of snowboarders continually increases.

From the first crudely built snowboards to the advanced and specialized models available today,

snowboarders have carried a ‘bad boy’ image. This rebel reputation is still common today in spite of the fact

that snowboarding appeals to men, women, and children of all nationalities and social groups. At most

major ski resorts you can find snowboarding gear, information, and lessons. Olympic and world wide

snowboarding events are among the most popular of winter sports and the competition to be the best is

fierce.

Retailers nation wide and around the world carry many types of snowboards, and the choice in specially

made snowboarding gear is immense. Snowboarders have participated in the X Games and even charity

events such as Boarding for Breast Cancer. From its early meager beginnings snowboarding has

progressed into a fully recognized sport, and large numbers of people are turning to snowboarding for

adventure, fun, and professional recognition.

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Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher offering information on snowboards, skiing, ski vacations,

snow removal and snowmobiles at all-4-snow.com

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present perfect simple

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