Diana Funtana ESL Productions Short Grammar Lessons

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 How do you use the present perfect to talk about life experiences? You can use the Present Perfect to talk about life experiences; that is, all the things you've done, seen, eaten, read, played, bought, etc. in your life. When you talk about life experiences, you can use the following key words: never, ever, before once, twice, five times, often the best / funniest / most interesting / least expensive Watch Diana Funtana's video, Life Experiences, at see how you can use the present perfect in a conversation.

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 How to use the present perfect with before: Before establishes the fact that you have done something at some time in your life. Exactly when you did it is not important or necessary. Examples : I've been to Paris before. We've seen this movie before. John said he's eaten at this restaurant before. Think of: Which cities and countries you've been to before What kind of food you've eaten before What games or sports you've played before Which movies you've seen before Which books you've read before

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 How to use adverbs of frequency, such as how many times or how often: When we say we've done something before, we usually mean that we've done it once. However, there are things we've done more than once in our lives. Examples: Rita's seen Titanic ten times. Wow! You've travelled around the world twice? We've often gone jogging in the rain. How many times have you ridden a motorcycle?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 How to use never and ever for negative statements and questions: Examples: I've never eaten fried insects / I haven't ever eaten friend insects. My car hasn't ever broken down on the highway. You've never lost your wallet. How to use ever in a question: Have you ever flown in a hot air balloon? Has anyone in your family ever broken a leg? Has it ever snowed in July?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 It is possible to use before in a question, when you expect the answer to be positive. Examples: Have you been to Victoria before? Has everyone used this product before? These questions assume that this is probably not the first time that you've been to Victoria or that everyone has used the product. Sometimes native speakers use ever or never and before together, but this is not necessary. Examples: I've never been on a roller coaster before. Have you ever run in a marathon before?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 Practice 1: Make "have you ever..." questions, using the information given. Example: drive a Porsche? (you) Have you ever driven a Porsche? Fall of a ladder (your brother) Has your brother ever fallen off a ladder?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 Practice 1: Be to Disneyland? (you) Have you ever been to Disneyland?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 See a falling star? (your friends) Have your friends ever seen a falling star?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 Find money on the street? (you) Have you ever found money on the street?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 Read a Harry Potter book? (your best friend) Has your best friend ever read a Harry Potter book?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 Ride a camel? (Bob) Has Bob ever ridden a camel?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 Work on a farm? (Georgette) Has Georgette ever worked on a farm?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 How to use superlatives: When you talk about your life experiences, one of them may stick out as the best or worst, or funniest, or most or least interesting. This is the best dessert I've ever eaten. This is the longest conversation we've ever had. German is one of the most difficult languages we've ever studied. Jane says Paris is the most fascinating city she's ever visited. One of the funniest movies I've ever watched is Caddyshack. Think of: What's the most exciting place you've ever been to? What's the highest mountain your friend has ever climbed? Who's the most interesting person you've ever met? Note: Ever in a sentence or question shows emphasis, but it's not always necessary. This cafe has the best coffee I've (ever) tasted.

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 Practice 2: Make questions with the superlatives and verbs given. Example: The tallest building / be in? What's the tallest building you've ever been in?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 The scariest movie / see? What's the scariest movie you've ever seen?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 Hardest exam / write? What's the hardest exam you've ever written?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 The most expensive present / buy? What's the most expensive present you've ever bought?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 The longest distance / run? What's the longest distance you've ever run?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 The nicest thing / do for someone else? What's the nicest thing you've ever done for someone else?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 Present Perfect or Simple Past? When you talk about your life experiences, you use the present perfect UNLESS you mention exactly when something happened. Example: Present Perfect: I've been to Paris twice. Simple Past: I was in Paris last year and in Present Perfect: What's the best concert you've ever attended? Simple Past: I went to a fantastic Rolling Stones concert when I was 24, and that's a long time ago! Present Perfect: Have you ever watched a James Bond movie? Yes, I have. Simple Past: When did you watch it? I watched Goldfinger on TV last weekend.

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 Practice 3: Using the information in parentheses, change the sentence from the present perfect into the simple past. Examples: I've eaten souvlaki before. (on my holiday in Greece) I ate souvlaki on my holiday in Greece. Have you ever painted a picture? (yesterday at school) Did you paint a picture yesterday at school?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 My sister's won money in the lottery before. (the first time she played) My sister won money in the lottery the first time she played.

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 Have you ever broken your leg? (How long ago) How long ago did you break your leg?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 I've heard this song a hundred times. (yesterday morning) I heard this song yesterday morning.

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 Have you two met before? (at John's last birthday party) Did you two meet at John's last birthday party?

Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #2 Janet has failed her driving test two times. (a year ago, again six months ago) Janet failed her driving test a year ago, and again six months ago.

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