UNIT 2:

MODERN LIFE

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Contents:

Instituto de Idiomas
Lesson A: Present Perfect Simple and past simple.

We use the present perfect to talk about We use the present perfect to talk
our experieces in our lifetime, or another about news and recent events
unfinished time period. that have an effect on the present.

We use the present perfect to talk about

We use the past simple for completed past
unfinished states (when we want to talk
actions in a completed time period.
about duration)

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Present perfect simple

We use the present perfect simple to talk about:

experiences in our lifetime, or news and recent events, often with a

another unfinished time period. present result.
Have you ever had a job interview? They’ve just offered me the job.
We can use adverbs like ever, (result=I’ve got a job.)
never, three times, etc. We can use adverbs like just,
alrady and yet.

unfinished states (when we want to talk about the duration).

I’ve only had this phone for a week.
We use for to give the duration or since to give the starting point.

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Examples:

I’ve never worked in an office.

The interviews have already finished – you’re too late. (result=You can’t have an interview.)
He hasn’t called me back yet. (result= I’m still waiting to speak to her.)

We’ve lived in London since 2010.

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Past simple
We use the past simple for completed past actions
in a completed past time period:

The interviews
She didn’t get the finished five minutes Why did you miss
job. ago. the bus?

We often use the past time phrases like last week, a few days ago,
when I was a child.

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 Present perfect or past simple

We often introduce a topic with the

Don’t use the present perfect when
present perfect and then change to
you describe an action that happen at
the past simple in the next sentence
a particulat time. Use a past tense
to talk about the details:
instead.
I’ve had lots of interviews. The last
They left yesterday /at four o’clock
one was about three months ago-it
/ten minutes ago.
was terrible.

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 Examples:
Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate
tenses.
 

In the last hundred years, traveling ____________(become) much easier

and very comfortable. In the 19th century, it __________ (take) two or
three months to cross North America by covered wagon. The trip
________(be) very rough and often dangerous. Things
__________(change) a great deal in the last hundred and fifty years. Now
you can fly from New York to Los Angeles in a matter of hours.
 

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Examples:
ANSWER KEY:
 

In the last hundred years, traveling has become (become) much easier
and very comfortable. In the 19th century, it took (take) two or three
months to cross North America by covered wagon. The trip was (be) very
rough and often dangerous. Things have changed (change) a great deal
in the last hundred and fifty years. Now you can fly from New York to Los
Angeles in a matter of hours.
 

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NOW YOUR TURN:
Choose the correct form of the verb to complete the sentences.

1. Peter played/ has played/ have played football yesterday.

2. They cleaned/ has cleaned/ have cleaned the car. It looks new again.

3. Last year we went/ has gone/ have gone to Italy.

4. John and Peggy just have read/ read/ have just read the book. Now they can watch the film.

5. I met/ has met/ have met my friend two days ago.

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 NOW CHECK YOUR ANSWERS:

1. Peter played football yesterday.

2. They have cleaned the car. It looks new again.

3. Last year we went to Italy.

4. John and Peggy have just read the book. Now they can watch the film.

5. I met my friend two days ago.

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Lesson B: Present perfect simple and continuous.

Unfinished actions and

states (duration)

• We use the present perfect simple with state verbs:

We’ve owned this car for several years and it has never broken down.
• We use the present perfect continuous with action verbs:
How long have you been waiting?
I’ve been working on my essay since 6 o’clock.

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Some verbs can be used as action verbs or state verbs with no
important change of meaning:
How long have you worked here? / How long have you been
working here?

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Present perfect simple and continuous.

Recent past actions with

present results

• We use the present perfect simple when completing an action has a result now:
I’ve just finished my essay. (result of finishing writing = I can relax, I can
hand in the work, etc.)
• We use the present perfect continuous when doing an activity has a result now:
I’m tired because I’ve been writing an essay. (result of writing = I’m tired)

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Present perfect simple and continuous.

New habits and repeated

actions

• We use the present perfect continuous to describe repeated activities which

started recently:
I’ve been doing a lot of exercise lately. (In the past, I didn’t do much exercise.)

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Present perfect continuous

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NOW YOUR TURN:
Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses.
Present perfect simple or continuous.

Robin: I think the waiter ________(forget) us. We __________(wait)

here for over half an hour and nobody _________(take) our order yet.
Michele: I think you're right. He __________(walk) by us at least twenty times. He probably
thinks we ___________(order, already)
Robin: Look at that couple over there, they __________(be, only) here for five or ten minutes
and they already have their food.
Michele: He must realize we __________(order, not) yet! We __________(sit) here for over half
an hour staring at him.
Robin: I don't know if he __________(notice, even) us. He ____________(run) from table to
table taking orders and serving food.
Michele: That's true, and he ___________(look, not) in our direction once.

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 NOW CHECK YOUR ANSWERS:

Robin: I think the waiter has forgotten (forget) us. We have been waiting (wait)
here for over half an hour and nobody has taken (take) our order yet.
Michele: I think you're right. He has been walking (walk) by us at least twenty times. He
probably thinks we have already ordered (order, already)
Robin: Look at that couple over there, they have only been (be, only) here for five or ten
minutes and they already have their food.
Michele: He must realize we haven’t ordered (order, not) yet! We have been sitting (sit) here
for over half an hour staring at him.
Robin: I don't know if he has even noticed (notice, even) us. He has been running (run) from
table to table taking orders and serving food.
Michele: That's true, and he hasn’t looked (look, not) in our direction once.

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 NOW YOUR TURN:

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate
tenses. Present perfect simple or continuous.

1. Judy: How long __________(be) in Canada?

Claude: I ___________(study) here for more than three years.
 
2. I ___________(have) the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about buying a new one.
 
3. I ________(love) chocolate since I was a child. You might even call me a "chocoholic."
 
4. Matt and Sarah __________(have) some difficulties in their relationship lately, so they
___________(go) to a marriage counselor. I hope they work everything out.
 
5. John ___________(work) for the government since he graduated from Harvard University. Until
recently, he __________(enjoy) his work, but now he is talking about retiring.

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NOW CHECK YOUR ANSWERS:

1. Judy: How long have you been (be) in Canada?

Claude: I have been studying (study) here for more than three years.
 
2. I have had (have) the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about buying a new one.
 
3. I have loved (love) chocolate since I was a child. You might even call me a "chocoholic."
 
4. Matt and Sarah have had (have) some difficulties in their relationship lately, so they have been
going (go) to a marriage counselor. I hope they work everything out.
 
5. John has been working (work) for the government since he graduated from Harvard University.
Until recently, he has been enjoying (enjoy) his work, but now he is talking about retiring.

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References:
Empower- Students book – First edition- 2016.

https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs5.htm

 
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/simple_past_present_perfect.htm

 
https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs7.htm

 https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs8.htm

https://www.curso-ingles.com/en/practice/exercises/adding-information
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