PRESENT PERFECT

We use the present perfect simple (have or has + past participle) to talk about past actions or
states which are still connected to the present.
Unfinished time and states
We often use the present perfect to say what we've done in an unfinished time period, such as
today, this week, this year, etc., and with expressions such as so far, until now, before, etc.
They've been on holiday twice this year.
We haven't had a lot of positive feedback so far.
I'm sure I've seen that film before.
We also use it to talk about life experiences, as our life is also an unfinished time period. We often
use never in negative sentences and ever in questions.
I've worked for six different companies.
He's never won a gold medal.
Have you ever been to Australia?
We also use the present perfect to talk about unfinished states, especially with for, since and how
long.
She's wanted to be a police officer since she was a child.
I haven't known him for very long.
How long have you had that phone?

Finished time and states

If we say when something happened, or we feel that that part of our life is finished, we use the
past simple.
We visited Russia for the first time in 1992.
I went to three different primary schools.
Before she retired, she worked in several different countries.
We also use the past simple for finished states.
We knew all our neighbours when we were children.
I didn't like bananas for a really long time. Now I love them!

Past actions with a result in the present

We can use the present perfect to talk about a past action that has a result in the present.
He's broken his leg so he can't go on holiday.
There's been an accident on the main road, so let's take a different route.
They haven't called me, so I don't think they need me today.
Again, if we say when it happened, we use the past simple.
He broke his leg last week so he can't go on holiday.
However, we often use the present perfect with words like just, recently, already, yet and still.
We've recently started going to the gym.
She's already finished season one and now she's watching season two.
Have you checked your emails yet?
Grammar: Present perfect

1. I ___ in this flat since I moved here. lived/ 've lived

2. ___ anyone famous when you were in New York? Did you see/ Have you seen
3. It ___ on our holiday so far. doesn't rain/ hasn't rained
4. She loves animals, but she ___ a pet. never had/ 's never had
5. My laptop ___ working last week so I'm using the computers in the office until it's
fixed. stopped/ 's stopped
6. We ___ a great new coffee shop near our flat. just discover/ 've just discovered
7. ___ the heating off? It's really cold in here. Do they turn/ Have they turned

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS

We use both the present perfect simple (have or has + past participle) and the present
perfect continuous (have or has + been + -ing form) to talk about past actions or states
which are still connected to the present.

Focusing on result or activity

The present perfect simple usually focuses on the result of the activity in some way, and
the present perfect continuous usually focuses on the activity itself in some way. 

Present perfect simple Present perfect continuous

Focuses on the result Focuses on the activity

You've cleaned the bathroom!

I've been gardening. It's so nice out there.
It looks lovely!

Says 'how many' Says 'how long'

 Present perfect simple Present perfect continuous

She's read ten books this

She's been reading that book all day.
summer.

Describes a completed
Describes an activity which may continue
action

I've written you an email.  I've been writing emails.

  When we can see evidence of recent activity

The grass looks wet. Has it been raining?

 
I know, I'm really red. I've been running!

Ongoing states and actions

We often use for, since and how long with the present perfect simple to talk about ongoing
states.
How long have you known each other?
We've known each other since we were at school. 
We often use for, since and how long with the present perfect continuous to talk about
ongoing single or repeated actions.
How long have they been playing tennis?
They've been playing tennis for an hour.
They've been playing tennis every Sunday for years.
Sometimes the present perfect continuous can emphasise that a situation is temporary.
I usually go to the gym on the High Street, but it's closed for repairs at the moment so I've
been going to the one in the shopping centre. 
Grammar: Present perfect simple and continuous:
Choose the correct verb forms to complete the sentences.

1. Have you always ___ garlic? been hating/ hated

2. Thanks for the recipe book! We've ___ two different recipes so far. been trying/
tried
3. I'm worried about Sam. She's ___ too hard recently. been working/ worked
4. I've ___ to call the internet company all morning but I can't get through. been
trying/ tried
5. She's ___ three main ways our company can reduce costs. been finding/ found
6. He's ___ for the party for weeks. been preparing/ prepared
7. You've got white dust all over you! What have you ___? been doing/ done
8. Have your parents ___ yet? been arriving/ arrived

PAST CONTINUOUS
The past continuous is made from the past tense of the verb be and the –ing  form of a verb:

I  was
You  were working
He  was playing
She was living
It was talking
We  were
You  were etc.
They were

We use the past continuous to talk about the past:

 for something which happened before and after another action:
The children were doing  their homework when  I  got  home.
Compare: The children  did their homework when (= after) I  got  home.
This use of the past continuous is very common at the beginning of a story:
The other day  I was waiting for a bus when …
Last week, as I was driving to work, … 

 for something that happened before and after a specific time:

It was  eight o'clock. I  was writing a letter.

Compare: At eight o'clock I wrote (= started writing) some letters.

 to show that something continued for some time:

My head was aching.
Everyone  was shouting.

 for something that happened again and again:

I  was practising every day, three times a day.

They were meeting  secretly after school.
They were always quarrelling.

 with verbs which show change or growth:

The children were growing up  quickly.

Her English was improving.
My hair  was going  grey.
The town  was changing quickly.
We do not normally use the past continuous with stative verbs. We use the past simple instead:
When I got home, I really needed (NOT was needing) a shower.

Grammar reference: Past continuous and past simple

Using the verbs in brackets ( ), complete them with the past simple and/or the past continuous.
PAST PERFECT
The past perfect is made from the verb had and the past participle of a verb:
I  had finished the work.
She had gone.
The past perfect continuous is made from had been  and the -ing  form of a verb:
I  had been working there for a year.
They had been  painting the bedroom.
The past perfect is used in the same way as the present perfect, but it refers to a time in the past,
not the present. We use the past perfect:

 for something that started in the past and continued up to a given time in the past:

When George died, he and Anne had been married for nearly fifty years.
She didn't want to move. She  had lived  in Liverpool all her life.
For this use, we often use the past perfect continuous:
She didn't want to move. She  had been living  in Liverpool all her life.
Everything was wet. It had been raining for hours.

 for something that happened several times before a point in the past and continued after

that point:

He was a wonderful guitarist. He  had been playing ever since he was a teenager.
He  had written  three books and he was working on another one.

 when we are reporting our experience up to a point in the past:

My eighteenth birthday was the worst day I  had ever had.
I was pleased to meet George. I hadn’t met  him before,  even though I had met his wife several
times.

 for something that happened in the past and is important at a later time in the past: 

I couldn't get into the house.  I had lost  my keys.

Teresa wasn't at home.  She  had gone shopping.
We often use expressions with for and since with the past perfect:
I was sorry when the factory closed. I had worked  there for ten years. 
I  had been watching that programme every week since  it started, but I missed the last episode. 
We do not normally use the past perfect continuous with stative verbs. We use the past perfect
simple instead:
Up until that moment, I'd  never  believed (NOT been believing) in astrology.

Grammar reference: Past perfect and past simple

PAST HABITS – 'USED TO', 'WOULD' AND THE PAST SIMPLE

Used to + infinitive

We can use used to to talk about past states that are not true any more.
We used to live in New York when I was a kid.
There didn't use to be a supermarket there. When did it open?
Did you use to have a garden?
We can also use used to to talk about past habits (repeated past actions) that don't happen any
more.
I used to go swimming every Thursday when I was at school.
She used to smoke but she gave up a few years ago.
used to + infinitive should not be confused with be/get used to + -ing, which has a different
meaning. The difference is covered here.

Would

We can use would to talk about repeated past actions that don't happen any more.
Every Saturday I would go on a long bike ride.
My dad would read me amazing stories every night at bedtime.
would for past habits is slightly more formal than used to.  It is often used in stories. We don't
normally use the negative or question form of would for past habits. Note that we can't usually
use would to talk about past states. 

Past simple

We can always use the past simple as an alternative to used to  or would to talk about past states
or habits. The main difference is that the past simple doesn't emphasise the repeated or
continuous nature of the action or situation. Also, the past simple doesn't make it so clear that the
thing is no longer true.
We went to the same beach every summer.
We used to go to the same beach every summer.
We would go to the same beach every summer.
If something happened only once, we must use the past simple.
I went to Egypt in 2014. 
Grammar : Past habits:
Choose the correct option to complete the sentence.
1. I ___ a really sporty person. would be/ used to be
2. In my first year at university, I ___ for an hour every morning before breakfast. have run/ would
run
3. Then I ___ the university boxing team and I really started to train hard. Joined/ used to join
4. During that time, I ___ to spend at least two hours in the gym every day. would like/ used to like
5. When I started my training, I ___ my diet completely. would change/ changed
6. I ___ three eggs with toast and fruit for breakfast. have had/ used to have
7. I ___ sugar in my tea because it wasn't on my diet plan. didn't use to have/ wouldn't have
8. But then I ___ my arm and that was the end of my boxing career! would break/ broke