J N I T

Prese n t Perfe ct (I h a v e d o n e)

Study this example conversation:

Dave: H av e you tra v e le d a lot, Jane?

Jane: Yes, I’ve b e e n to lots o f places.
Dave: Really? H av e you ever b e e n to China? Jane’s life
Jane: Yes, I’ve b e e n to C hina twice. (a period until now)
Dave: W hat about India?
Jane: N o, I h a v e n ’t b e e n to India. past now
H a v e /h a s + tra v e le d /b e e n /d o n e , etc., (past participle) is the present perfect:

I/w e /th e v /y o u have (= I’ve, etc.) trav e led

b een
h e /s h e /it has (= he’s, etc.) d o n e. etc.

The past papriciple often ends in -ed (traveled/decided, etc.), but many im portant verbs are
irregular (been d o n e /w r itte n , etc.). For a list o f irregular verbs, see Appendix 1.

W e use the present perfect w hen we talk about a period of tim e that continues from the past
until now. In the conversation in A, Dave and Jane are talking about the places Jane has
visited in her life - w hich is a period that continues until now. Some m ore examples:
■ H ave you ever e a te n caviar? (in your life)
■ W e’ve never h a d a car.
■ “H ave you re a d Hamlet?” “N o, I h a v e n ’t re a d any o f Shakespeare’s plays.”
■ Susan really loves that movie. She’s seen it eight times!
■ W hat a boring movie! It’s the m ost boring movie I’ve ever seen.

In the following examples, too, the speakers are talking about a period that continues until
now (re c e n tly / in th e la st few days / so fa r / sin ce b re a k fa st, etc.).
■ H ave you h e a rd from Brian re cen tly ?
■ I’ve m e t a lot o f people in th e la s t few days. recently---------
■ Everything is going well. W e h a v e n ’t h a d any problem s
so far. in the last few days -
■ I’m hungry. I h a v e n ’t e a te n anything since b re ak fa st. — since breakfast----
■ It’s nice to see you again. W e h a v e n ’t seen each other
past now
fo r a lo n g tim e .

W e use the present perfect w ith to d a y / th is m o r n in g / th is year, etc., w hen these

periods are not finished at the tim e o f speaking (see also U nit 9B):
■ I’ve d r u n k four cups o f coffee today.
■ H ave you h ad a vacation th is y e a r (yet)?
■ I h a v e n ’t seen Tom th is m o rn in g . H av e you? today
■ Rob h a s n ’t s tu d ie d very hard th is sem ester. past now

We say: It’s the (first) tim e som ething has h a p p e n e d . For example: This is the first tim e
■ D on is taking a driving lesson. It’s his first one. I'v e d r i v e n a car.
It’s the first tim e he has d riv e n a car. (not drives)
or H e has n ev e r d riv e n a car b efo re.
■ Sarah has lost her passport again. This is the second
tim e this has h a p p e n e d . (not happens)
■ Bill is calling his girlfriend again. T hat’s the third
tim e h e’s ca lle d her to n ig h t.

*<r a n d Dast . n :ts 8 - 9 “ r e se n t P e r f e c t C o n t i n u o u s U n i ts 1 0-11

 e ref s e s u n i t y
* 1 You are asking people q u estio ns a b o u t t hin gs t h e y have d on e. M ake q u estio ns wit h e v e r
jsin g t he w o rds in p are nt heses.
1. (ride / horse?) Have you e v e r ridden a horse? _________________________________________________
2. (be / Mexico?) H a v e _______________________________________________________________
3. (run / m arath on?)_________________________________________________________________
-. (speak / famous p erso n ?)___________________________________________________________
3. (most beautiful place / visit?) W hat’s ________________________________________________

' 2 Co m plet e B's answ ers. So me se n t e nces are p ositive and some n e ga tive. Use t he
f ollo win g verbs:
be be eat happen have m eet p lay re a d see see try
A
N
1. W hat’s Mark’s sister like? T have no idea. I've n e v e r m e t her.
2 How is Diane these days? I don’t know. I her recently.
3. Are you hungry? Yes. T much today.
4. Can you play chess? Yes, but in apes.
5. Are you enjoying your vacation? Yes, it’s the best vacation for
a long time.
6. W hat’s that book like? I don’t know. it.
7. Is Sydney an interesting place? I have no idea. there.
8. Mike was late for work again today. Again? He late every day
this week.
9. Do you like caviar? I don’t know. it.
0. I hear your car broke down Yes, it’s the second time
again yesterday. this week.
11. her before.
W ho’s that woman by the door? VI don’t know. J

3 Co m plet e t he sen t e nces using t o d a y / t h is y e a r / t h is se m est e r , etc.

1. I saw Tom yesterday, but / haven f seen him today ___________________________________________
2. I read a new spaper yesterday, but I _____________________________________________today
3. Last year the com pany made a profit, but this y e a r__________________________________
4. Tracy w orked hard at school last semester, b u t ______________________________________
5. It snowed a lot last winter, b u t _____________________________________________________
6. O u r football team w on a lot o f games last season, but w e ____________________________

i Read t he sit ua tio ns and w rit e se n t e nces as sh o w n in t he e x a m ple.

1. Jack is driving a car, but he’s very nervous and not sure w hat to do.
You ask: Have you driven a car before? ________________________________________________________
He says: No, this is the fir s t tim e I've driven a . ; •___________________________________________
2. Ben is playing tennis. H e’s not good at it, and he doesn’t know the rules.
You ask: H a v e ____________________________________________________________________
H e says: N o, this is the f ir s t________________________________________________________
3. Sue is riding a horse. She doesn’t look very confident or comfortable.
You ask :__________________________________________________________________________
She says:_________________________________________________________________________
4. M aria is in Los Angeles. She has ju st arrived, and it’s very new for her.
You ask :_________________________________________________ ________________________
She says:___________________________________________________ .______________________

)
15
Pre s e n t P e rf e c t a n d Past 1
(I h a v e d o n e a n d I di d)
You can use the present perfect (I have done) for new or recent happenings:
■ I’ve lo s t my keys. H ave you seen them?
■ “Is Sally here?” “N o, she’s g o n e out.”
■ The police have a rre ste d two people in connection w ith the robbery.
You can also use the simple past (I lost, she w e n t, etc.):
■ I lo st mv ke"s. D id you see them?
■ “Is Sally here?” “N o, she w e n t out.”
■ The police a rre ste d two people in connection w ith the robbery.

W hen we sav that “som ething has happened,” this is new inform ation:
■ H*ve vou heard? Bill and Sarah have w o n the lottery!
('>•6111 and Sarah w o n . . .)
■ The road is closed. T here’s b e e n (there has been) an accident.
(or There w as an accident)
Use the simple past only (not the present perfect) for things that are not recent or new:
■ M ozart w as a composer. H e w ro te m ore than 600 pieces o f music.
(not has been . . . has w ritten)
■ My m other g re w up in Chile. (not has grown)
Com pare:
■ Shakespeare w ro te many plays.
■ My brother is a writer. He has w r itte n many books, (he still writes books)

The present perfect always tells us som ething about now:

■ I’m sorry, but I’ve fo r g o tte n your name. (= I can’t rem em ber it now)
■ Sally isn’t here. She’s g o n e out. (= she is out now)
■ I can’t find my bag. H ave you seen it? (= do you know w here it is now?)
You can also use the simple past in all these examples (“I fo r g o t your nam e,” etc.).
Use the simple past only (not the present perfect) if the situation now is different.
Compare:
■ It h as s to p p e d raining, so you don’t need the umbrella.
It sto p p e d raining for a while, but now it’s raining again.

You can use the simple past or present perfect w ith ju s t, already, and yet.

J u s t = a short tim e ago:

■ .4: Are you hungry?
B N o, I j u s t h ad lunch or I’ve j u s t h a d lunch.
■ A: W hy are you so happy?
B: I j u s t h e a rd some good news, orI’ve j u s t h e a rd some good news.
We use a lre a d y to sav that som ething happened sooner than expected:
■ A: D on’t forget to mail the letter.
B: I a lre a d y m a ile d it. or I’ve a lre a d y m a ile d it.
■ A: W hat tim e is M ark leaving?
B: H e a lre a d y left, or H e ’s a lre a d y left.
Yet = until now. Yet shows that the speaker is expecting som ething to happen. Use yet
only in questions and negative sentences:
■ D id it sto p raining yet? or H as it s to p p e d raining yet?
■ I wrote the letter, but I d id n ’t m a il it y et. or . . . I h a v e n ’t m a ile d it yet.

Bre s e n t P e r f e c t U n i t 7 P r e se n t P e r f e c t a n d P ast 2 U n i t 9 B ri t ish E n g lish A p p e n d i x 7

E x e rcises U N I

8.1 Co m plet e t he sen t e nces using t he verbs in p are n t heses. Use t he prese nt p erf ect w h ere
p ossible. O t h erw ise, use t he sim ple past.
1. 2. before

It h a s s to p p e d (sto p)
rainin g , so you d o n't need The to w n is very d iffere n t n o w. It
your u m brella. (ch a n g e) a lot.

I m eant to call you last night,

but I (g o) to Peru for
a va c a tio n , but sh e's b ack hom e in A ustin now.

Are you O K?

You lo ok gre a t! You

(h ave) a h e a d ach e, but I feel
fin e n ow. (lo st) w e ig h t.

8.2 W hich se n t ence is correct: (a), (b), or both of t he m?

1. a) My m other has grown up in Chile. b) My m other grew up in Chile.
2. a) D id you see my purse? b) Flave you seen my purse? b o th
3. a) I already paid the gas bill. b) I’ve already paid the gas bill.
4. a) The Chinese invented paper. b) The Chinese have invented paper.
5. a) W here have you been born? b) W here were you born?
6. a) Ow! I cut my finger. b) Ow! I’ve cut my finger.
7. a) I forgot Jerry ’s address. b) I’ve forgotten Jerry ’s address.
8. a) Did you go to the store yet? b) Have you gone to the store yet?
9. a) Albert Einstein has been the b) Albert Einstein was the scientist w ho
scientist w ho has developed the developed the theory of relativity.
theory o f relativity.
10. a) My father was raised by his aunt. b) My father has been raised by his aunt.
8.3 Read t he situa tio ns and w rit e sen t e nces wit h j u s t , a l r e a d y , or y e t . You can use t he prese nt
perf ect or sim ple past.
1. After lunch you go to see a friend at her house. She says, “W ould you like som ething to eat?”
You say: No, thank you. I've j u s t h a d lunch OR / ju s t h a d lunch . (have lunch)
2. Joe goes out. Five m inutes later, the phone rings and the caller says, “Can I speak to Joe?”
You say: I’m sorry, . (go out)
3. You are eating in a restaurant. The w aiter thinks you have finished and starts to clear the table.
You say: W ait a m in u te !__________________________________________________ . (not / finish)
4. You are going to a restaurant tonight. You call to reserve a table. Later your friend says,
“Should I call to reserve a table?” You say: N o ,___________________________________ . (do it)
5. You know that a friend of yours is looking for a place to live. Perhaps she has been successful.
Ask her. You say: ? (find)
6. You are still thinking about w here to go on vacation. A friend asks, “W here are you going
on vacation?” You say: . (not / decide)
7. Linda w ent to the bank, but a few m inutes ago she returned. Somebody asks, “Is Linda still
at the bank?” You say: N o ,_________________________________________________ . (come back)
8. Yesterday Carol invited you to a party on Saturday. N ow another friend is inviting you to the
same party. You say: Thanks, but C a ro l__________________________________________ . (invite)
Pre s e n t P e rf e c t a n d Past 2
(I h a v e d o n e a n d I di d)
Do not use the present perfect (I have done) w hen you talk about a finished tim e (for example,
y e ste rd a y / 10 m in u te s ago in 1999 / w h e n I w as a ch ild ). Use a past tense:
■ It w as very cold yesterday, {not has been)
■ Paul and Lucy w e n t out 10 m in u te s ago. (not have gone)
■ D id vou eat - lot o f candy w h e n y o u w e re a ch ild ? (not have you eaten)
■ I g o t hom e late la st n ig h t. I w as very tired and w e n t straight to bed.
Use the simple past to ask W h e n . . . ? or W h a t tim e . . . :
■ W h e n d id your friends g e t here? (not have .. . gotten)
■ W h a t tim e d id you fin is h work?
Com pare:
Present Perfect or Simple Past Simple Past only
■ Tom has lo st his key. He can’t get into ■ Tom lo s t his key yesterday. He
the house, (or Tom l o s t . . .) couldn’t get into the house.
■ Is Carla here or has she left? ■ W h e n d id Carla leave?
(or D id she leave?)

Com pare:

Present Perfect (have d o n e) Simple Past (did)

■ I’ve d o n e a lot o f w ork today. ■ I d id a lot o f w ork yesterday.
We use the present perfect for a period of W e use the simple past for a finished time in
time that continues until now. For example: the past. For example:
to d a y / th is w e ek / sin ce 1999. y e ste rd a y / last w e ek / fr o m 1999 to 2005.

-unfinished- —finished—

to«jlay y esterd ay
past now past now
* It h a s n ’t ra in e d th is w eek. ■ It d id n ’t ra in la st w eek.
■ H av e you seen Lisa th is m o rn in g ? hi D id you see Lisa th is m o rn in g ?
(It is still m orning) (it is now afternoon or evening)
* H ave you seen Tim re cen tly ? b D id you see Tim o n S unday?
■ I don’t know w here Lisa is. I h a v e n ’t ■ A : W as Lisa at the party o n Sunday?
seen her. (= I haven’t seen her B: I don’t think so. I d id n ’t see her.
recently)
■ W e’ve b een w a itin g fo r an h o u r. ■ W e w a ite d (or w e re w a itin g ) fo r an
(We are still w airing now) h o u r. (We are no longer waiting)
* Joh n lives in Los Angeles. He has lived ■ John lived in N ew York fo r 10 years.
there fo r seven years. N ow he lives in Los Angeles.
*> I have n ev e r p lay ed g o lf (in my life) ■ I d id n ’t p la y golf last s u m m e r.
■ It’s the last day of your vacation. You ■ After you come back jrom vacation, you say:
say: It’s been a really good vacation. It w as a really good vacation. I really
I’ve really en jo y ed it. en jo y ed it.

S« -p 4 e P ast P r e se n t P e r f e c t U n i t 7 P r e se n t P e r f e c t a n d P ast 1 U n i t 8 P r e se n t P e r f e c t C o n t i n u o u s U n i ts 1
E «ercises U N I

Are t he und erline d parts o f t hese se n t e nces right or w r o n g? Correct t he m w h ere necessary.
I ve lost my key. I can’t find it anywhere. OK
Have you eaten a lot o f candy w hen you were a child? D id y o u e a t
I’ve bought a new car. You have to come and see it.
I’ve bought a new car last week.
W here have you been last night?
Maria has graduated from high school in 2004.
I’m looking for Mike. Have you seen him?
“Have you been to Paris?” “Yes, many times.”
I’m very hungry. I haven’t eaten m uch today.
W hen has this book been published?

Make sen t e nces from t he w o rds in p are n t heses. Use t he prese nt p erf ect or si m ple past.
(it / not / rain / this week) It hasn 't r a in e d this w eek.
(the w eather / be / cold / recently) The w e a th e r________
(it / cold / last week) I t .
(I / not / read / a new spaper yesterday) I
(I / not / read / a new spaper today)
(Kate / make / a lot o f m oney / this year)
(she / not / make / so m uch / last year) _
(you / take / a vacation recently?) _______

Put t he verb into t he correct for m, prese n t p erf ect or si m ple past.
I don’t know w here Lisa i s .. H ave y o u se e n (you / see) her?
W hen I _________________ (get) hom e last night, I . (be)
very tired, so I (go) straight to bed.
3. A: __________ __________ (you / eat) at the new sushi place on Jo e’s birthday?
B: N o, b u t . _________________ (we / be) there twice this m onth.
4 . There was a bus drivers’ strike last week. T h e r e _____________________ (not / be) any buses.
5. Mr. Lee (work) in a bank for 15 years. T hen he quit.
6 . Kelly lives in Toronto. She (live) there all her life.
7. A: _____________________ (you / go) to the movies last night?
B: Yes, but i t ____________ (be) a mistake. The movie (be) awful.
My grandfather . (die) before I was born. I .
(never / m eet) him.
9. I don’t know Karen’s husband. I (never / meet) him.
It’s nearly lunchtim e, and I ____ (not / see) M artin all m orning.
I w onder w here he is.
11. A: W here do you live?
B: In Rio de Janeiro.
A: H ow lo n g ________________ (you / live) there?
B: Five years.
A: W h e re ___________________ (you / live) before that?
B: In Buenos Aires.
A: A nd how lo n g __ ______ (you / live) there?
B: Tw o years.

~ A Write sen t e nces a b o u t y o urself using t he ideas in p are nt heses.

1. (som ething you haven’t done today) / h a v e n 't e a te n a n y fr u it today.
2 . (som ething you haven’t done today)
3. (som ething you didn’t do yesterday)
4. (som ething you did last night)
D. (som ething you haven’t done recently)
6 . (som ething you’ve done a lot recently)

i3 E x e rc ise s 2 - 4 ( p a g e s 2 9 7 - 2 9 8 ), 1 4 - 1 5 ( p a g e s 3 0 4 - 3 0 5 )
Pre s e n t P e rf e c t C o n t in u o u s (I h a v e b e e n d o i n g )

I t has b ee n ra in in g .
Study this example situation:
Is it raining?
N o, but the ground is wet.
It has b ee n ra in in g .
H a v e /h a s b e e n -in g is the present petfect continuous:

do in g
I / w e/th ey /y o u have (= I’ve, etc.)
b ee n w aitin g
h e /s h e /it has (= he’s, etc.)
playing, etc.

We use the present perfect continuous for an activity that has recently stopped or just
stopped. T here is a connection w ith now:
■ You’re out o f breath. H av e you b e e n ru n n in g ? (= you’re out o f breath now)
■ Jason is very tired. H e’s b e e n w o rk in g very hard. (= he’s tired now)
■ W hy are your clothes so dirty? W hat have you b e e n d o in g ?
■ (on the phone) I’m glad you called. I’ve b e e n th in k in g about calling you . . .
■ W here have you been? I’ve b e e n lo o k in g everywhere for you.

It has b ee n r a in in g fo r tw o h o u rs .
Study this example situation:

It began raining two hours ago, and it is still raining.

H ow long has it b e e n ra in in g ?
It has b e e n ra in in g for two hours.
W e use the present perfect continuous in this way with
h o w lo n g , fo r, and since. The activity is still happening (as in
this example) or has ju st stopped.

■ H o w lo n g h ave you b e e n s tu d y in g English? (= you’re still studying English)

■ Tim is still watching television. H e’s b e e n w a tc h in g television all day.
■ W here have you been? I’ve b e e n lo o k in g for you fo r th e last h a l f h o u r.
■ C hristopher h a s n ’t b e e n fe e lin g well re cen tly .
You can use the present prefect continuous for actions repeated over a period o f time:
■ Debbie is a very good tennis player. She’s b e e n p la y in g since she w as eight.
■ Even- m orning they m eet in the same cafe. T hey’ve b e e n g o in g there fo r years.

C om pare I a m d o in g (see U nit 1) and I have b e e n d o in g :

I I have b ee n d o in g
I a m d o in g
present continuous present perfect continuous
1
now
D on’t bother me now. I’m w o rk in g . I’ve b e e n w o rk in g hard. N ow I’m
going to take a break.
We need an um brella. It’s ra in in g . The ground is wet. It’s b e e n ra in in g .
H u n up! W e’re w a itin g . W e’ve b e e n w a itin g for an hour.

Pe- ^ ect S m >le a n d C o n t i n u o u s U n i ts 1 1 - 1 2 P r e se n t P e r f e c t w i t h f o r / s i n c e U n i ts 1 2 - 1 3

Exercises U N I
10.1 W ha t have t hese pe ople been d oing or w h a t has been ha p p e nin g?
1. 2. earlier now

They ve b een shopping.

3. now 4. now

10.2 Write a qu estio n f or each sit ua tio n.

1. You m eet Paul as he is leaving the swim m ing pool.
You ask: (you / swim?) H a ve y o u b ee n sw im m ing?
2. You have ju st arrived to m eet a friend w ho is waiting for you.
You ask: (you / w ait / long?)
3. You m eet a friend at the store. His face and hands are very dirty.
You ask: (what / you / do?)
A friend o f yours is now w orking at a gym. You w ant to know how long.
You ask: (how long / you / w ork / there?)
5. A friend tells you about his jo b - he sells com puters. You w ant to know how long.
You ask: (how long / you / sell / com puters?)_________________________________

10.3 Read t he sit ua tio ns and co m ple t e t he se n t ences.

1. It’s raining. The rain started two hours ago.
It 5 been raining for two hours.
2. We are waiting for the bus. W e got to the bus stop 20 m inutes ago.
W e ______________________________________________________ for 20 m inutes.
3. I’m studying Spanish. I started classes in December.
I ______________________________________________________ since December.
4. Jessica is working in Tokyo. She started working there on January 18.
_______________________________________________________since January 18.
5. O ur friends always spend their sum m ers in the m ountains. They started going there
years a g o .______________________________________________________ for years.

10.4 Put t he verb into t he presen t co n tin u ous (/ a m -ing) or prese nt p erf ect co ntinu o us
(I h a v e b e e n -ing).
1. M a ria has been studying (Maria / study) English for two years.
2. Hello. T o m .______________________________ (I / look) for you all m orning. W here have
you been?
3. W h y ______________________________ (you / look) at me like that? Stop it!
4. Linda is a teach er.______________________________ (she / teach) for 10 years.
5. (I / think) about w hat you said, and I’ve decided to take
your advice.
6. “Is Kim on vacation this week?” “N o ,______________________________ (she / w ork).”
7. Sarah is very tire d .______________________________ (she / work) very hard recently.
Prese n t Perfe ct C o n tin u o us an d Sim ple
(I h a v e b e e n d oin g an d I h a v e d o n e)
Study this example situation:

Ling’s clothes are covered w ith paint. The ceiling was white. N ow it is red.
She has b ee n p a in tin g the ceihng. She has p a in te d the ceiling.
H as b ee n p a in tin g is the present perfect H as p a in te d is the present perfect simple.
continuous.
We are interested in the activity. It does not Here, the im portant thing is that som ething
m atter w hether som ething has been finished has been finished. H as p a in te d is a
or not. In this example, the activity (painting com pleted action. We are interested in the
the ceiling) has not been finished. result o f the activity (the painted ceiling), not
the activity itself.

Com pare these examples:

■ My hands are very dirty. I’ve b e e n fix in g ■ The car is O K again now. I’ve fix e d it.
the car.
■ Joe has b e e n e a tin g too m uch recently. ■ Somebody has e a te n all my candy. The
He should eat less. box is empty.
m It’s nice to see you again. W hat have you ■ W h ere’s the book I gave you? W hat
b e e n d o in g since the last tim e we saw you? have you d o n e w ith it?
■ W here have you been? H av e you b ee n ■ H ave you ever p lay ed tennis?
p la y in g tennis?

W e use the continuous to say or ask how long We use the simple to say or ask hoiv much,
(for an activity that is still happening): how many, or how many times (for com pleted
actions):
■ How long have you b e e n re a d in g that ■ H ow m uch o f that book have you read :
book?
■ Lisa is still writing her report. She’s b ee n ■ Lisa has w r itte n 10 pages today.
w r itin g it all day.
■ T hey’ve b ee n p la y in g tennis since 2:00. ■ T hey’ve p lay ed tennis three times
this week.
■ I’m studying Spanish, but I h a v e n ’t b ee n ■ I’m studying Spanish, but I h a v e n ’t
stu d y in g it very long. le a rn e d very m uch yet.

Some verbs (for example, k n o w /lik e /b e lie v e ) are not norm ally used in the continuous:
■ I’ve k n o w n about it for a long time. (not I’ve been knowing)
For a list o f these verbs, see U nit 4A. But note that you can use w a n t and m e a n in the
present perfect continuous:
■ I’ve t e e n m e a n in g to phone Pat, but I keep forgetting.

5 —: e P rese n t'e rf e c t n its 7 - 8 P r e se n t P e r f e c t C o n t i n u o u s U n i t I O P r ese n t P e r f e c t w i t h f o r / si n c e U n i ts 12- 13

Ex e rcises U N I

' 1 For each sit ua tio n, writ e t w o sen t e nces using t he w o rds in p are nt heses.
1. Luis started reading a book two hours ago. H e is still reading it, and now he is on page 53.
(read / for two hours) He has been reading fo r tw o hours.___________________________________
(read / 53 pages so far) He has r e a d 53 pages so far.___________________________________________
2. M in is from Korea. She is traveling around Asia right now. She began her trip three
m onths ago.
(travel / for three months) S h e ______________________________________________________
(visit / six countries so fa r)__________________________________________________________
3. Jim m y is a tennis player. H e began playing tennis w hen he was 10 years old. This year he is
national cham pion again - for the fourth time.
(win / the national championships / four tim e s)_______________________________________
(play / tennis since he was 1 0 )_______________________________________________________
4. W hen they graduated from college, Lisa and Amy started m aking movies together. They
still make movies.
(make / five movies since they finished college) T h e y _________________________________

(make / movies since they finished college)___________________________________________

2 For each situa tio n, ask a q u estio n using t he w o rds in p are nt heses.
1. You have a friend who is studying Arabic. You ask:
(how long / study / Arabic?) H ow Iona have you been studying A rabic?
2. You have ju st arrived to m eet a friend. She is waiting for you. You ask:
(wait / long?) Have .
3. You see som ebody fishing by the river. You ask:
(catch / any fish?)
Some friends o f yours are having a party next week. You ask:
(how many people / invite?)
A friend o f yours is a teacher. You ask:
(how long / teach?)
You m eet som ebody w ho is a writer. You ask:
(how many books / w rite ? )_____________ _
(how long / w rite / books?)
A friend o f yours is saving m oney to take a trip. You ask:
(how long / save?)
(how m uch m oney / save?)

! 3 Put t he verb into t he more a p pro pria t e f or m, prese nt perf ect sim ple (/ h a v e d o n e) or
co n tin uo us (/ h a v e b e e n d o i n g).
1. W here have you been? H ave y o u b een playing (you / play) tennis?
2. Look! (somebody / break) that window.
3. You look tire d .___________________________________ (you / work) hard?
4. “ (you / ever / work) in a factory?” “No, never.”
5. “Hi, is Sam there?” “N o, h e ___________________________________ (go) for a run.”
6. My brother is an actor_____________________________________ (he / appear) in several films.
7. “Sorry I’m late.” “T hat’s all rig h t._________________________ (I / not / wait) long.”
8. “Is it still raining?” “N o ,_________________________ (it / stop).”
9. (I / lose) my cellp h o n e .______________________________
(you / see) it anywhere?
10. (I / read) the book you lent me, b u t _________________
(I / not / finish) it yet. It’s very interesting.
11. (I / read) the book you lent me, so you can have
it back now.
U N I T
H o w lon g h a v e y o u ( b e e n ) . . . ?
12 Study this example situation:

Bob and Alice are m arried. They got m arried exactly 20 years
ago, so today is their 20th wedding anniversary. They have b ee n
married for 20 years.
We say: They are m arried, (present)
but H o w lo n g have they b e e n m arried? (present perfect)
(not H ow long are they married?)

They have b e e n m arried for 20 years.

(not They are m arried for 20 years)

W e use the present perfect (especially w ith h o w lo n g , fo r, and since) to talk about
som ething that began in the past and continues to the present time. Com pare the present and
the present perfect:
■ Bill is in the hospital.
but H e has b e e n in the hospital sin ce M onday. past ■J MM
(not Bill is in the hospital since Monday)
■ D o you k n o w each other well?
present perfict
but H av e you k n o w n each other fo r a lo n g tim e ?
(not Do you know)
now
■ She’s w a itin g lor somebody.
but She’s b e e n w a itin g a ll m o rn in g .
■ D o they h av e a car?
but H o w lo n g have they h a d their car?

I h av e k n o w n /h a d /liv e d , etc., is the present perfect simple.

I h av e b e e n le a r n in g / b e e n w a itin g / b e e n d o in g , etc., is the present perfect continuous.
W hen we ask or say “how long,” the continuous is m ore com m on (see U nit 10):
■ I’ve b e e n stu d y in g English fo r six m o n th s.
■ It’s b e e n r a in in g since lu n c h tim e .
■ Richard has b ee n d o in g the same jo b fo r 20 years.
■ H o w lo n g have you b e e n d riv in g ? ” “Since I was 17.”
Some verbs (for example, k n o w /lik e /b e lie v e ) are not norm ally used in the continuous:
■ How long have you k n o w n Emily? (not have you been knowing)
■ I’ve h a d a stomachache all day. ( not I’ve been having)
See also Units 4A and 10C. For have, see U nit 16A.

You can use either the present perfect continuous or simple w ith live and w o rk :
■ John has b ee n liv in g / has lived in M ontreal for a long time.
■ How long h ave you b ee n w o rk in g / have you w o rk e d here?
B ut we use the simple (I’ve lived / I’ve d o n e, etc.) w ith always:
■ H ave you alw ays liv ed in the country? (not always been living)

e sav “I h a v e n ’t d o n e som ething s in c e /fo r . . . ” (present perfect simple):

■ I h a v e n ’t seen Tom since Monday. (= M onday was the last tim e I saw him)
■ S^-j h a s n ’t ca lle d fo r ages. (= the last tim e she called was ages ago)

s- '.e for U n ' 7 C P r ese n t P e r f e c t C o n t i n u o u s U n i ts 1 0 - 1 1 F o r a n d s i n c e U n i t 13

rcises U N I

- _r the u nderlined verbs right or w r o n g? Correct the m w h ere necessary.

L Bob is a friend of mine. I know him very well. OK _________________________
2. Bob is a friend o f mine. I know him for a long time. / ve kn o w n him _____________
; Sue and Scott are m arried since July.___________________ ______________________________
- Tlie w eather is awful. It’s raining again. ______________________________
r. The w eather is awful. It’s raining all day. ______________________________
& I like your house. H ow long are you living there? ______________________________
Gary is working in a store for the last few m onths. ______________________________
I don’t know Tim well. W e’ve only m et a few times. ______________________________
V I quit drinking coffee. I don’t drink it for a year._________ ______________________________
T hat’s a very old bike. H ow long do you have it? ______________________________

: ead t he sit ua tio ns and w rit e q u estio ns from t he w o rds in p are nt heses.
John tells you that his m other is in the hospital. You ask him:
(how long / be / in the hospital?) H o w Iona h as y o u r m o th e r b ee n in th e hospital?
2. You m eet a w om an w ho tells you that she teaches English. You ask her:
(how long / teach / E nglish?)____________________________________________________ ____
You know that Erica is a good friend o f C arol’s. You ask Erica:
(how long / know / C aro l?)________________________________________________________ _
- Your friend’s brother m oved to Costa Rica a while ago. You ask your friend:
(how long / be / in Costa R ica?)_____________________________________________________
5. Chris drives a very old car. You ask him:
(how long / have / that car?)_______________________________________________________
You are talking to a friend about Scott. Scott now works at the airport. You ask your friend:
(how long / w ork / at the airp o rt?)___________________________________________________
A friend o f yours is taking guitar lessons. You ask him:
(how long / take / guitar lessons?)___________________________________________________
You m eet somebody on a plane. She says that she lives in Chicago. You ask her:
(always / live / in C hicago?)_________________________________________________________

Co m plet e B's a nsw ers to A's q u estio ns.

A B
1. Amy is in the hospital, isn’t she? Yes, she has b een in the hospital since Mondav.
1 Do you see Ann very often? No. I h a ve n 't see n her for three months.
3. Is Margaret married? Yes, she married for 10 years.
4. Are you waiting for me? Yes. I for the last half hour.
5. You know Linda, don’t you? Yes. we each other a long time.
6. Do you still play tennis? No. I tennis for years.
7. Is Jim watching TV? Yes. he TV all night.
8. Do you watch TV a lot? No, I TV for ages.
9. Do you have a headache? Yes. I a headache all morning.
10. George is never sick, is he? No. he sick since I m et him.
11. Are you feeling sick? Yes, I sick all dav.
12. Sue lives in Miami, doesn’t she? Yes, she in Miami
for the last few years.
13. Do you go to the movies a lot? No, I to the movies for ages.
14. W ould you like to go to Taiwan Yes. I to go to Taiwan.
one day? (use always / w ant)
U N I
F o r a n d si n c e
11 W h e n . . . ? an d H o w long
W e use fo r and sin ce to say how long som ething has been happening.

W e use fo r + a period o f time W e use sin ce + the start o f a period

(tw o h o u rs, six w eeks, etc.): (8:00, M o n day, 1999, etc.):
■ I’ve been waiting fo r tw o h o u rs. ■ I’ve been waiting since 8:00.

for tw o hours since 8:00

two hours aoo ■ —► now 8:00-------- ----------► now

fo r sin ce
two hours a long tim e a week 8:00 April lunchtim e
20 m inutes six m onths ages Monday 1985 we arrived
five davs 50 years years May 12 Christmas yesterday

Kelly has been w orking here fo r six Kelly has been working here since
m o n th s. (not since six months) A p ril. (= from April until now)
I haven’t seen Tom fo r th re e days. I haven’t seen Tom sin ce M onday.

It is possible to leave out fo r (but not in negative sentences):

■ They’ve been m arried (for) 10 years, (with or w ithout for)
■ They h a v e n ’t h a d a vacation fo r 10 years, (you m ust use for)
We do not use f o r + a l l . . . (all d ay / all m y life, etc.):
■ I’ve lived here all m y life. (not for all my life)
You can use in instead o f f o r in negative sentences:
■ They h a v e n ’t h a d a vacation in 10 years.

C om pare W h e n . , . ? ( + simple past) and H o w lo n g . . . ? ( + present perfect):

A: W h e n did it start raining?

B: It started raining an h o u r ag o / a t 1:00.
A: H o w lo n g has it been raining?
B: It’s been raining fo r an h o u r / sin ce 1:00.

A: W h e n did Joe and Carol first meet?

a long tim e ago.
B: They first m et
w h e n they were in high school.

A: H o w lo n g have they k n o w n each other?

fo r a long time.
B: T hey’ve k n o w n each other
since they were in high school.

a We say “I t ’s (= It has) b e e n a lo n g tim e / tw o years, etc., sin ce som ething happened”:

■ I t ’s b e e n tw o years since I saw Joe. (= I h a v e n ’t seen Joe for two years)
■ I t ’s b e e n ages sin ce we w'ent to the movies. (= W e h a v e n ’t g o n e to the movies
for ages)
You can ask “H o w lo n g has it b e e n since
■ H o w lo n g has i t b e e n sin ce you saw Joe? (= W hen did you last see Joe?)
■ H o w lo n g has i t b ee n sin ce Mrs. Hill died? (= W h en did Mrs. Hill die?)

H o w o r t g h a v e y o u b e e n ) . . . ? U n i t 12
E x e r c is e s u N 1T |J
Write f o r or si n c e .
1 It’s been raining since lunchtime.
2 Sarah has lived in C h icag o ________ 1995.
5. Joe has lived in D allas________ 10 years.
I’m tired o f waiting. W e’ve been sitting h e r e _________ an hour.
5 Kevin has been looking for a j o b _________ he graduated.
I haven’t been to a p a r ty _________ ages.
I w onder how Joe is. I haven’t seen h im ________ last week.
Jane is away at college. She’s been aw ay ________ last August.
■> The w eather is dry. It hasn’t ra in e d _________ a few weeks.

Write q u estio ns w it h h o w l o n g and w h e n .

i. It’s raining.
(how long?) H ow Iona has i t been raining? _____________________
(when?) W hen did it s ta r t raining?
Kate is studying Japanese.
(how long / study?) ;_____
(when / start?)__________
I know Jeff.
(how long / you / know?)
(when / you / meet?)
Rebecca and David are m arried.
(how lo n g ?)__________________
(when / g et?)________________

V 3 Read t he sit ua tio ns and co m ple te t he sen t ences.

It’s raining. It’s been raining since lunchtim e. It s ta r te d raining at lunchtim e.
Ann and Sue are friends. They m et years ago. They \/e been friends fo r ________ years.
M ark is sick. He got sick on Sunday. H e h a s __________________________________ Sunday.
M ark is sick. He got sick a few days ago. H e h a s ____________________________a few days.
Sarah is m arried. She’s been m arried for a year. She g o t_______________________________ .
You have a headache. It started w hen you woke up.
I’v e I woke up.
M egan has been in France for the last three weeks.
She w e n t______________________________________________________________ ■
You’re working in a hotel. You started six m onths ago.
I’v e ______________________________________________

- - /rite B's se n t e nces using t he w o rds in p are nt heses.

.. A: Do you take vacations often?
B: (no / five years) No. / haven't taken a vacation fo r five years.
2. A: Do you see Laura often?
( B: (no / about a m o n th )_________
3. A: Do you go to the movies often?
B: (no / a long time)
4. A: Do you eat out often?
B: (no / ag es)__________

N ow w rit e B's a nsw ers ag ain. This ti me use I t ’s b e e n . . . si n c e . . . .

5. (1) No. it 's been five y e a rs since / took a vacation._____________
6. (2) N o, it’s
7. (3) N o ,.
8. (4 )------

27
Past Perfe ct (I ha d d o n e)

Study this example situation:

A t 10:30 A t 11:00 Sarah w ent to a party last week. Eric w ent to the
party, too, but they didn’t see each other. Eric left
the party at 10:30 and Sarah got there at 11:00. So:
W h en Sarah got to the party, Eric wasn’t there.
He h a d g o n e home.
H a d g o n e is the past perfect (simple):
gone
I/w e /th e y /y o u ^ ^ (= I’d, etc.)
seen
h e /s h e /it (= h e’d, etc.) ~ . , ,
fin ish ed , etc.

Sara h

The past perfect is h a d + past participle (g o n e / seen / fin ish e d , etc).

Sometimes we talk about som ething that happened in the past:
■ Sarah g o t to the party.
This is the starting point o f the story. Then, if we w ant to talk about things that happened
before this time, we use the past perfect (had . . .):
■ W hen Sarah arrived at the party, Eric h a d already g o n e home.
Some m ore examples:
■ W hen we got hom e last night, we found that somebody h a d b ro k e n into our house.
■ Karen didn’t w ant to go to the movies w ith us because she’d already seen the film.
■ At first I thought I’d d o n e the right thing, but I soon realized that I’d m a d e a
big mistake.
■ The m an sitting next to me on the plane was very nervous. H e h a d n ’t flo w n before.
or . . . He h a d never flo w n before.

Com pare the present perfect (have seen, etc.) and the past perfect (had seen, etc.):

Present Perfect Past Perfect

h ave seen h a d seen

past now past now

■ W ho is that woman? I’ve never seen ■ I didn’t know who she was. I’d never
her before. seen her before. (= before that time)
■ W e aren’t hungry. W e’ve ju st h a d lunch. ■ W e w eren’t hungry. W e’d ju st h a d lunch.
■ The house is dirty. They h a v e n ’t ■ The house was dirty. They h a d n ’t
c le a n e d it for weeks. c le a n e d it for weeks.

C om pare the simple past (left, was, etc.) and the past perfect (had left, h a d been, etc.):

A: Was Tom there w hen you arrived? ■ A: Was Tom there w hen you arrived?
B: Yes, but he le ft a little later. B: No, he h a d already left.
Amy w a sn ’t at hom e w hen I called. ■ Amy h a d ju st g o tte n hom e w hen I called.
She w as at her m o th er’s house. She h a d b e e n at her m o th er’s house.

" a s t P e r f e c t C o n t i n u o u s U n i t 15 Ir r e g u l a r V e r b s (h a d g o n e , h a d s e e n , e t c.) A p p e n d i x 1
E x e rcises U N I

14.1 Read t he sit ua tio ns and w rit e se n t e nces using t he w o rds in p are n t heses.
1. You w ent to Jill’s house, but she wasn’t there.
(she / go / out) Sh e h a d gone out.___________________________________________
2 . You w ent back to your hom etow n after many years. It wasn’t the same as before,
(it / change / a lot)
3. I invited Rachel to the party, but she couldn’t come,
(she / make / plans to do som ething else)
4. You w ent to the movies last night. You got there late,
(the movie / already / b e g in )______________________
It was nice to see Daniel again after such a long time.
(I / not / see / him in five years)
6 . I offered Sue som ething to eat, but she wasn’t hungry,
(she / ju st / have / breakfast)______________________

14.2 For each sit ua tio n, w rit e a se n t e nce e n din g w it h n e v e r . . . b e f o r e . Use t he verb
in p are n t heses.
1. The m an sitting next to you on the plane was very nervous. It was his first flight.
(f ly ) He h a d n e v e r flow n before .____________________________________________________________________
2. A w om an walked into the room . She was a com plete stranger to me.
(see) I _______________________________________________________________________ before.
3. Sam played tennis yesterday. H e wasn’t very good at it because it was his first game.
(play) H e ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Last year we w ent to Mexico. It was our first tim e there.
(be there) W e ______________________________________________________________________

4.3 Use t he se n t e nces on t he lef t t o co m ple t e t he p ara gra p hs on t he right. These se n te nces
are in t he order in w h ich t h e y ha p p e ne d - so (1) ha p p e ne d b ef ore (2), (2) before (3), etc.
But y o ur p aragra p h b egins w it h t he u n derline d se n t e nce, so so m e tim es you need t he
p ast perf ect.
1. (l) Somebody broke into the office during W e arrived at w ork in the m orning and
the night. found that somebody ||a c. boo ''an
(2) W e arrived at w ork in the m orning. into the office during the night. So we
(3) W e called the police.
2. (1) Laura w ent out this m orning. I tried to call Laura this m orning, but
(2) I tried to call her. ____________________________ no answer.
(3) T here was no answer. S h e ___________________
___________________________out.
3. (l) Jim came back from vacation a few I m et Jim a few days a g o ..
days ago. j u s t ------------------------------ . vacation.
(2) I m et him the same day. _ relaxed.
(3) H e looked relaxed.
4. (l) Kevin sent Sally lots o f e-mails. Yesterday K evin.
(2) She never answered them . from Sally. H e _ . very surprised.
(3) Yesterday he got a phone call from her. H e ____________ _ lots o f e-mails,
(4) He was very surprised. but s h e ________

M 4 Put t he verb into t he correct f or m, p ast p erfect (/ h a d d o n e) or sim ple past (/ d i d ).

1. “Was Ben at the party w hen you got there?” “N o, he h a d gone (go) hom e.”
2. I felt very tired w hen I got hom e, so I ____________________ (go) straight to bed.
3. The house was very quiet w hen I got hom e. E verybody____________________ (go) to bed.
4. Sorry I’m late. My c a r ____________________ (break) down on the way here.
5. We w ere driving on the highway w hen w e (see) a car that
(break) down, so we . (stop) to help.

= E x e rc ise s 5 - 8 ( p a g e s 2 9 8 - 3 0 1 )
Past Perfe ct C o n tin u o us (I had b ee n d oin g)

Study this example situation:

Yesterday morning Yesterday m orning I got up and looked out o f the window.
The sun was shining, but the ground was very wet.
It h a d b e e n ra in in g .
It was not raining w hen I looked out o f the window; the sun
was shining. B ut it h a d b e e n raining before.

H a d b ee n -in g is the past perfect continuous:

I we vou/thev . , (= I’d. etc.) . do in g

, . had . , . . been w ork ing
h e /s^ e it i = h e d. etc.) , .
playing, etc.

Some m ore examples:

■ W hen the boys came into the house, their clothes were d ir r - their hair was messy,
and one o f them had a black eye. T hey’d b e e n fig h tin g .
■ I was very tired w hen I got hom e. I’d b e e n w o rk in g hard all day.
■ W hen I w ent to Tokyo a few years ago, I stayed w ith a friend o f mine. She’d b ee n
liv in g there only a short tim e but knew the city very well.

You can say that som ething h a d b e e n h a p p e n in g for a period o f time before som ething
else happened:
■ W e’d b e e n p la y in g tennis for about half an hour w hen it started to rain hard.
■ Jim w ent to the doctor last Friday. H e h a d n ’t b e e n fe e lin g well for some time.

Com pare h ave b e e n -in g (present perfect continuous) and h a d b e e n -in g (past perfect continuous):

Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

I h av e b e e n -in g I h a d b e e n - in g

past nou> past now

■ I hope the bus comes soon. I’ve b e e n The bus finally came. I’d b e e n w a itin g
w a itin g for 20 m inutes, (bejore now) for 20 minutes, (before the bus came)
■ Jam es is out of breath. He has b e e n Jam es was out o f breath. He h a d b een
ru n n in g . ru n n in g .

Com pare w as -in g (past continuous) and h a d b ee n -ing:

■ It w a sn ’t ra in in g w hen we w ent out. The sun w as sh in in g . B ut it h a d b een
ra in in g , so the ground was wet.
■ Stephanie w as s ittin g in an armchair resting. She was tired because she’d b e e n
w o rk in g very hard.

Some verbs (for example, k n o w and lik e) are not norm ally used in the continuous:
■ We were good friends. We h a d k n o w n each other for years. (not had been knowing)
For a list o f these verbs, see U nit 4A.

P ' e se n t P e r f e c t C o n t i n u o u s U n i t 10 P ast P e r f e c t U n i t 14
 U N I
Ex e rcises
B 1 Read t he sit ua tio ns and mak e se n t e nces fro m t he w o rds in p are nt heses.
1. I was very tired w hen I got home.
(I / w ork / hard all day) I d been working h a rd all day._______________________________________
2. The two boys came into the house. They had a soccer ball, and they were both very tired,
(they / play / so ccer)_____________________________________________________________
3. I was disappointed w hen I had to cancel my vacation.
(I / look / forward to i t ) ________________________________________________________ ___
4. Ann woke up in the m iddle o f the night. She was scared and didn’t know w here she was.
(she / d re a m )_____________________________________________________________________
5. W hen I got hom e, M ike was sitting in front o f the TV. He had ju st turned it off.
(he / w atch / a D V D )_____________________________________________________________

'5 2 Read t he sit ua tio ns and co m ple t e t he se n t e nces.

1. W e played tennis yesterday. H alf an hour after we began playing, it started to rain.
W e h a d been playing fo r h a lf an hour w hen i t s ta r te d to rain .
2. I had arranged to m eet R obert in a restaurant. I arrived and w aited for him. After 20
m inutes I suddenly realized that I was in the w rong restaurant.
I ____________________________________for 20 m inutes w hen I ________________________
the w rong restaurant.
3. Sarah got a jo b in a factory. Five years later the factory closed down.
W hen the facto ry____________________________________,S arah________________________
___________________________________ there for five years.
4. I w ent to a concert last week. The orchestra began playing. After about 10 m inutes a man
in the audience suddenly started shouting.
The o rch estra_____________________________________________________________________
w h e n ________________________________________________________________________ ____
This ti me mak e y o ur o w n se nt e nce:
5. I began driving hom e from work. I
w h e n ___________________________

Put t he verb into t he m ost a p pro pria t e f or m, p ast co n tinu ous (I w a s d o i n g ), p ast perf ect
(/ h a d d o n e), or p ast perf ect co n tinu o us (/ h a d b e e n d o i n g).
1. It was very noisy next door. O u r neighbors w e re having (have) a party.
2. W e were good friends. W e h a d know n (know) each other for years.
3. Joh n and I w ent for a walk. I had trouble keeping up w ith him because he
______________________________ (walk) so fast.
4. Sue was sitting on the ground. She was out o f breath. S h e ________________________ (run).
5. W hen I arrived, everybody was sitting around the table w ith their m ouths full. They
(eat)-
6. W hen I arrived, everybody was sitting around the table and talking. T heir m ouths were
empty, but their stomachs were full. T h e y ______________________________ (eat).
7. Jim was on his hands and knees on the floor. H e ______________________________ (look)
for his contact lens.
8. W hen I arrived, K a te ______________________________ (wait) for me. She was upset with
me because I was late and s h e (wait) for a long time.
9. I was sad w hen I sold my car. I ______________________________ (have) it for a long time.
10. W e were exhausted at the end o f our trip. W e ______________________________ (travel) for
m ore than 24 hours.

: t i o n a l E x e r c is e s 5 - 8 ( p a g e s 2 9 8 - 3 0 1 )
UNIT
H ave and have got
16 A H av e and have g o t (for possession, relationships, illnesses, etc.)
I'v e got a new
You can use have g o t or have (w ithout got). T here is no difference cell p hone, to o.
m meaning:
I h a v e a n e w cell p hone.
■ They have a new car. or T hey’ve g o t a new car.
■ Nancy has two sisters. or Nancy has g o t two sisters.
■ I have a headache, or I’ve g o t a headache.
■ He has a few problem s, or H e’s g o t a few problems.
■ O ur house has a big yard, or O ur house has g o t a big yard.

W hen have means “possess,” etc., you cannot use continuous forms
(is h a v in g / are hav in g , etc.):
■ W e’re enjoying our vacation. W e have / h av e g o t a nice room
in the hotel. (not W e’re having)
In questions and negative sentences there are two possible forms:

D o you have any questions? H av e you g o t any questions?

I d o n ’t have any questions. I h a v e n ’t g o t any questions.
D o es she have a car? H as she g o t a car?
She d o e s n ’t have a car. She h a s n ’t g o t a car.

For the past we use h a d (w ithout got):

■ Ann h a d long hair w hen she was a child.
In past questions and negative sentences, we use d i d / d i d n ’t:
■ D id they h ave a car w hen they were living in Miami?
■ I d id n ’t h av e a watch, so I didn’t know w hat tim e it was.
■ Ann h a d long hair, d id n ’t she?

H av e b re a k fa s t / have tro u b le / have a g o o d tim e , etc.

W e also use have (but not h ave got) for many actions and experiences. For example:
b re a k fa st / d in n e r / a c u p o f co ffee / s o m e th in g to eat
a p a r ty / a safe tr ip / a g o o d f lig h t
an a c c id e n t / a n e x p e rie n c e / a d re a m
have a lo o k (at something)
a c o n v e rsa tio n / a d isc u ssio n / a ta lk (with somebody)
tro u b le / d if f ic u lty / fu n / a g o o d tim e , etc.
a b a b y (= give birth to a baby) / an o p e ra tio n

H av e g o t is not possible in the expressions in the box. Com pare:

■ Sometimes I have (= eat) a sandwich for lunch. (not I’ve got)
but I’ve g o t / 'I have some sandwiches. W ould you like one?
You can use continuous forms (am hav in g , etc.) w ith the expressions in the box:
■ W e’re enjoying our vacation. W e’re h a v in g a great time. (not W e have)
■ M ike is h a v in g trouble w ith his car. He often has trouble w ith his car.
In questions and negative sentences, we use d o /d o e s /d id :
■ I d o n ’t usually have a big breakfast. (not I usually haven’t)
■ W hat time does Ann have lunch? (not has Ann lunch)
■ D id vou have any trouble finding a place to live?

H ave to . . u n i t 30
 U N I
Ex e rcises
16.1 W rite n e g a tive se n t e nces w it h h a v e . So m e are presen t (c a n't) and so me are p ast (co u l d n 't).
1. I can’t get into the house, (a key) / don t h a v e a key.
2. I couldn’t read the letter, (my glasses) / didn t h a v e m y qh'asses.
3. I can’t climb up on the roof, (a ladder)
4. W e couldn’t visit the m useum , (enough time) We
5. H e couldn’t find our house, (a m a p )____________
6. She can’t pay her bills, (any money)
7. I can’t fix the car tonight, (enough energy) .
8. T hey couldn’t take any pictures, (a camera)

16.2 Co m plet e t he q u estio ns w it h h a v e. So m e are presen t and so me are past.

1. Excuse me, do you h a v e a pen I could borrow?
2. W hy are you holding your face like th a t? ________________________a toothache?
3. ________________________ a lot o f toys w hen you were a child?
4. A: ________________________ the time, please?
B: Yes, it’s ten after seven.
5. I need a stamp for this le tte r.________________________ one?
6. W h en you took the te s t,____________________ tim e to answer all the questions?
7. A: It started to rain very hard while I was taking a walk.
B: D id i t ? _____________________ an umbrella?

16.3 W rite se n t e nces a b o u t y o urself. Do you have t hese t hin gs n o w ? Did y o u have the m
10 ye ars a g o? W rite t w o se n t e nces each time using I h a v e / I d o n ' t h a v e and
I h a d / I d i d n ' t h a v e.
N ow 10 years ago (or 5 i f yo u ’re young)
1. (a car) / h a v e a car. OR I ’v e got a car. / didr. . h a v e a car.___________
2. (a bike) I ________________________________ I _____________________________
3. (a cell p h o n e )____________________________ _______________________________
4. (a dog)
5. (a g u ita r)________
6. (long h a ir)______
7. (a driver’s license)

‘ 6.4 Co m ple t e t he se n t e nces. Use an e x pression from t he list and put t he verb into t he correct
f or m w h ere necessary.
ha ve a b a b y have a d re a m have a t a l k ha ve t r o u b le have a g o o d f li g h t
ha ve a l o o k have l u n c h ha ve a p a r t y ha ve a n ic e t i m e have d i n n e r
1. I don’t eat m uch during the day. I never have lunch .
2. If you’re angry w ith your friend, it m ight be a good idea to sit down and
____________________________________w ith her.
3. W e ___________________________________ last week. It was great - we invited lots o f people.
4. Excuse me, can I ___________________________________ at your newspaper, please?
5. Jim is on vacation in Hawaii. I hope h e ____________________________________.
6. I didn’t sleep well last night. I about my exam.
7. A: ___________________________________ finding the book you wanted?
B: N o, I found it OK.
8. C ry stal___________________________________ a few weeks ago. It’s her second child.
9. A: W hy didn’t you answer the phone?
B: W e ___________________________________ w ith friends.
10. You meet your frien d Sally at the airport. She has ju st arrived. You say:
Hi, Sally. H ow are y o u ? ____________________________________?