Diana Funtana ESL Productions Short Grammar Lesson

1. Diana Funtana ESL Productions Short Grammar Lesson http://dianafuntanaesl.com

2. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous How to use the Present Perfect for facts: You can use the present perfect to talk about facts that began in the past and are still true, and likely to continue to be true in the future. In this case you can use the following key words: • since • for • How long Examples: I've been here for 2 hours. We've lived in this house since 2000. How long have you two known each other?

3. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Using since and for with the present perfect is one of the trickiest grammar points for non-native speakers whose language uses the simple present to express the same thing, or to talk about facts or actions that are finished in the past. Remember that in this case, you have to convert the present (what is) into the present perfect (what has been). Present Present Perfect I am I've been You can* You've been able to He has He's had She owns She's owned It exists It's existed We know We've known They live They've lived * The verb “can” has no past participle; therefore you have to use “to be able to”.

4. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Verbs that are frequently used in the present perfect with since and for: be, be able to, have, have to, know, exist, own, last Verbs are also used in the present perfect with since and for if they refer to a fact, rather than an action: smoke, play, work, live, wear, drive, teach, study, love, like, do, make, manage, operate, run (meaning manage or operate), speak, practise, write, paint Example: I've liked baseball ever since I was a kid. Steve has worn glasses for over 30 years. How long have you spoken Spanish fluently?

5. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect #3 Since or for? Both prepositions refer to a period of time. However, there is a difference in how they are used. Since + point in time for + a length of time 2000 fifteen years 8:00 2 hours Monday 3 days March 8 months last week a week I was a child for many years a long time ago a long time

6. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous I learned to ride a bike when I was 12. I'm 35, and I can still ride a bike. I've been able to ride a bike for 23 years/ since I was 35. How long have you been able to ride a bike?

7. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Bill started smoking 15 years ago. He still smokes. Bill has smoked for 15 years. How long has Bill smoked?

8. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Martin and Ellen got engaged at Christmas. They're still engaged. They've been engaged since Christmas. How long have they been engaged?

9. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Jane moved to Birmingham after she got married last year. She still lives there. Jane's lived in Birmingham since she got married. How long has Jane lived in Birmingham?

10. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous You caught a bad cold a week ago. It's Wednesday and you still have it. You've had a bad cold for a week. How long have you had a bad cold?

11. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous You can also use the present perfect with since and for to talk about things you haven't done for a period of time, or since a specific time or date. Examples: Past: The last time I saw David was three years ago at his graduation. Now: I haven't seen David for 3 years / since his graduation. How long has it been since you last saw David? Past: The last time we had a really long relaxing vacation was in 2010. Now: It's 2015, and we haven't had a really long relaxing vacation for five years / since 2010. How long has it been since you have a long vacation?

12. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous When you use the present perfect for things you haven't done, you convert the simple past into the present perfect. Simple past Present perfect I smoked I haven't smoked You watched You haven't watched He heard He hasn't heard She gave She hasn't given It rained It hasn't rained We couldn't We haven't been able to They saw They haven't seen

13. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Practice 2: Make a negative sentence with since and for and a How long question, using the given information. Examples: The last time I ate sushi was 6 months ago. I haven't eaten sushi for 6 months. How long has it been since you ate sushi? We used to play Bridge in our university days. We haven't played Bridge since our university days. How long has it been since you played Bridge?

14. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous The last time I went swimming in a lake was five summers ago. I haven't been / gone* swimming in a lake for five summers. How long has it been since you went swimming in a lake? * Here it is grammatically correct to use “been” rather than “gone” for first (I, we) and second person (you) because we can never be gone when we are here.

15. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous The last time Mary called was on my birthday. Mary hasn't called since my birthday. How long has it been since Mary called?

16. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Bob used to play in a rock 'n' roll band when he was in high school. Bob hasn't played in a rock 'n' roll band since he was in high school. How long has it been since Bob played in a rock 'n' roll band?

17. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous The last time it snowed more than a couple of inches was 10 weeks ago. It hasn't snowed more than a couple of inches for 10 weeks. How long has it been since it snowed more than a couple of inches?

18. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous The last time The Jinglebells had a big hit was in the 1970s. The Jinglebells haven't had a big hit since the 1970s. How long has it been since The Jinglebells had a big hit?

19. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous When I saw Janet last she lived in an apartment downtown, but now she's moved to the suburbs. Janet hasn't lived downtown since she moved to the suburbs. How long has it been since Janet lived downtown?

20. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Present Perfect or Simple Past For and how long can also be used with the simple past for facts that are no longer true. Since on the other hand is used only with the present perfect. If an action is happening now, you have to convert the present continuous into the present perfect continuous. Examples: We lived on Rose Street for 5 years. (We don't live there anymore.) We've lived on Queen Street for 2 years. (We still live there now.) How long did Jim work for Microsoft? (He used to work for Microsoft.) How long has Jim worked for Research in Motion? (He works there now.)

21. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous It's 2015, and George W. Bush was President for 8 years, and Barack Obama has been President for 7 years. How long was the store open yesterday? How long has the store been open today? What did you learn in your last German lesson? What have you learned since you began taking German lessons? When was the last time Claire taught your group? How long has it been since Claire taught your group?

22. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Present Perfect Continuous What is it? How do you form it? I / you / we / they have / 've been sitting haven't been working he / she / it has / 's been learning hasn't been going Examples: I've been waiting for 15 minutes. Janet's been talking on the phone since I came in. How long have they been looking for a new place to live?

23. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous When do you use it? You use the present perfect continuous with since, for and How long for actions that began in the past and are still going on; in other words, for continuous, or non-stop, actions. Because the action is still happening, you have to convert the present continuous to the present perfect continuous. Present Continuous Present Perfect Continuous I'm reading I've been reading you're talking you've been talking he's travelling he's been travelling she's looking she's been looking it's raining it's been raining we're studying we've been studying they're building they've been building

24. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Though it's more common to use the present perfect Continuous with since and for, you can use it with other key words. I've been trying to get you on the phone all morning. What have you been doing with yourself lately? So far he's been sitting there and doing absolutely nothing.

25. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Practice 5: Making a sentence with the present perfect continuous and since and for and a question with How long, using the given information. Examples: The students started writing an exam 30 minutes ago, and they're still writing. They've been writing an exam for 30 minutes. How long have they been writing an exam? I began making supper at 5:00. It's 5:30 and I'm still making supper. I've been making supper since 5:30. How long have you been making supper?

26. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous The Smiths started renovating their house 2 years ago, and they're still renovating it. The Smiths have been renovating their house for 2 years. How long have the Smiths been renovating their house?

27. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous I started cleaning my car early this morning, and I'm still cleaning it. I've been cleaning my car since early this morning. How long have you been cleaning your car?

28. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous My nose started bleeding after I banged it on the cupboard. My nose has been bleeding since I banged it on the cupboard. How long has your nose been bleeding?

29. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous We started painting the house on Monday, and we're still painting it. We've been paiting the house since Monday. How long have you been painting the house?

30. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Dick began looking for his lost cat over a week ago, and he's still looking. Dick has been looking for his lost cat for over a week. How long has Dick been looking for his lost cat?

31. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Present Perfect or Present Perfect Continuous Think of the present perfect continuous as a straight line running continuously from the past up to the present and potentially into the future, whereas the present perfect refers to a number of individual actions that have occurred along that same long line. Present Perfect past____X__X_____X____X__present future Present Perfect Continuous Past present future

32. Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Examples: The participants in the marathon have been running since 8:00 this morning, and most of them have run between 20 and 22 kilometers so far. I've been reading for half an hour, and this book is so interesting that I've already read two chapters. The neighbours have been holding a yard sale for only one hour, and so far they've sold most of the really good stuff. Barb hasn't been feeling well for some time. She's never felt this poorly.