Monday, June 15, 2015

Present Perfect Continuous (Listening)

Have been +ing

This tense is used to talk about an action or actions that started in the past and continued until recently or that continue into the future:

We can use it to refer to an action that has finished but you can still see evidence.
  • Oh, the kitchen is a mess. Who has been cooking?
  • You look tired. Have you been sleeping properly?
  • I've got a a stiff neck. I've been working too long on computer.
It can refer to an action that has not finished.
  • I've been learning Spanish for 20 years and I still don't know very much.
  • I've been waiting for him for 30 minutes and he still hasn't arrived.
  • He's been telling me about it for days. I wish he would stop.
It can refer to a series of actions.
  • She's been writing to her regularly for a couple of years.
  • He's been phoning me all week for an answer.
  • The university has been sending students here for over twenty years to do work experience.
The present perfect continuous is often used with 'since', 'for', 'all week', 'for days', 'lately', 'recently', 'over the last few months'.
  • I've been wanting to do that for ten years.
  • You haven't been getting good results over the last few months.
  • They haven't been working all week. They're on strike
  • He hasn't been talking to me for weeks.
  • We've been working hard on it for ages.
  • I've been looking at other options recently.
  • He's been working here since 2001.
Exercises:

Who Say What
http://englishallyear.com/listening26/exercise76.html

Match the sentences
http://englishallyear.com/listening26/exercise77.html

Reorganize the sentences
http://englishallyear.com/listening26/exercise78.html

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Present Perfect (listening)

(Please note that British and American English have different rules for the use of this tense. The explanation and exercises here refer to British English. In American English, it is often acceptable to use the past simple in some of these examples.)
We use the present perfect when we want to look back from the present to the past.
We can use it to look back on the recent past.
  • I've broken my watch so I don't know what time it is.
  • They have cancelled the meeting.
  • She's taken my copy. I don't have one.
  • The sales team has doubled its turnover.
When we look back on the recent past, we often use the words 'just' 'already' or the word 'yet' (in negatives and questions only).
  • We've already talked about that.
  • She hasn't arrived yet.
  • I've just done it.
  • They've already met.
  • They don't know yet.
  • Have you spoken to him yet?
  • Have they got back to you yet?
It can also be used to look back on the more distant past.
  • We've been to Singapore a lot over the last few years.
  • She's done this type of project many times before.
  • We've mentioned it to them on several occasions over the last six months.
  • They've often talked about it in the past.
When we look back on the more distant past, we often use the words 'ever' (in questions) and 'never'.
  • Have you ever been to Argentina?
  • Has he ever talked to you about the problem?
  • I've never met Jim and Sally.
  • We've never considered investing in Mexico.
Exercise:

True or False
http://englishallyear.com/listening25/exercise73.html

Listen and Match
http://englishallyear.com/listening25/exercise74.html

Complete the Dialogue
http://englishallyear.com/listening25/exercise75.html