Present Perfect: Uses Review and Practice

In the last class In today’s class You learned how to form the present perfect. You learned the three uses of the present perfect. You practiced asking and answering questions using the perfect present. In today’s class You get more practice using the present perfect. You will practice using for and since in sentences using present perfect. You will create sentences using the present perfect. You will work with a partner and practice a dialog.

Review: Uses of the present perfect tense. 1. Actions which started in the past and are still continuing. The present perfect is often used for an action that started at some time in the past and is still continuing now. Often, the words for (with a length of time) and since (with a starting time) are used along with the present perfect. He has lived in Canada for five years. (He started living in Canada five years ago, and he's still living there now.) She has worked at the University since 1994. (She started working at the University in 1994, and she's still working there now.)

Review: Uses of the present perfect tense. 2. Actions which happened at some unknown time in the past. Sometimes, it's important to say that something happened (or didn't happen), but it's not important (or not known) when it happened. In this case, we can use the present perfect too. In this case, we often use the words already, yet, ever or never along with the present perfect. These words usually go before the past participle in the sentence. I've already seen that film. I don't want to see it again. (It doesn't matter when I saw it.) Have you ever been to Germany? (It doesn't matter when you went — I just want to know whether you have been there or not.)

Review: Uses of the present perfect tense. 3. Actions which happened in the past, but have an effect in the present. This use is a little more difficult than the other two. In this case, the action happened at some time in the past, but the effect of the action is still important now. It's easiest to understand this use if we compare present perfect sentences with simple past sentences. Tense Sentence Meaning Present perfect I've lost my keys. I don't have the keys. They are still missing. Simple past I lost my keys yesterday. I didn't have them yesterday, but maybe today I found them. Present perfect She's broken her arm. The arm is still injured. Simple past She broke her arm. The arm is probably OK now.

Practice: Fill in the blank using either for or since Mary has kept a diary ________ the last ten years. for A: for B: since

Practice: Fill in the blanks using either for or since So far, it has rained ________ five hours. for A: for B: since

Practice: Fill in the blank using either for or since Joe has been a student here ________ March. since A: for B: since

Practice: Fill in the blank using either for or since Maya has been a professional singer ________ 1989. since A: for B: since

Practice: Fill in the blank using either for or since They've been married ________ twenty-five years. for A: for B: since

Practice: Simple present or present perfect Junko ________ bacon in her life!  A: never ate B: has never eaten

Practice: Simple present or present perfect The Titanic ________ in 1912. A: sank B: has sunk

Practice: Simple present or present perfect We ________ this TV set since 1968, and it still works! A: owned B: have owned

Practice: Simple present or present perfect I ________ these boots to go hiking yesterday. A: wore B: have worn

Practice: Simple present or present perfect The children ________ all the orange juice! We'll need to get some more. A: drank B: have drunk

Homework Your homework is on the class website.

Practice the following dialog with a partner Ms. Green: Have you ever had an interview with us before? Palmer: No, I haven't. Ms. Green: Can you drive? Palmer: Yes, I've had my license for five years. Ms. Green: Have you ever had an accident? Palmer: I crashed once while trying to park. Ms. Green: I see. Have you ever been arrested? Palmer: I was arrested once for drinking and fighting. Ms. Green: I see. Mrs. Palmer, why do you want to work for us? Palmer: I've never driven a truck before. I think it might be fun. Ms. Green: Have you ever been seriously ill? Palmer: I was in the hospital once after somebody stabbed me with a knife, but I've never been sick. Ms. Green: I see. Well, thanks for coming.