Present perfect and past simple

Present Perfect (have done)

Past Simple (did)

I’ve done a lot of work today. We use the Present Perfect for a period of time that continues from the past until now. For example, today, this week, since 1985. It hasn’t rained this week. Have you seen Ann this morning? (it is still morning) Ian lives in London. He has lived there for seven years. I have never played golf. (in my life) The Present Perfect always has a connection with now.

I did a lot of work yesterday. We use the Past Simple for a finished time in the past. For example, yesterday, last week, from 1985 to 1991. It didn’t rain last week. Did you see Ann this morning? (it is now afternoon or evening) Did you see Ann on Sunday? Ian lived in Scotland for ten years. Now he lives in London. I didn’t play golf when I was on holiday last summer. The Past Simple tells us only about the past.

You may write the examples on the blackboard/whiteboard and ask students to write them down.

The Present Perfect is a present tense. It always tells us something about now.

Tom has lost his key. – He doesn’t have his key now. Here, we are not thinking of the past action. We are thinking of the present result of the action.

The Past Simple tells us only about the past. If someone says “Tom lost his key”, we do not know whether he has it or not. We only know that he lost it at some time in the past.

We use the Present Perfect to give new information. But if we continue to talk about it, we normally use the Past Simple. For example:

A: Look! Somebody has spilt milk on the carpet.

B: Well, it wasn’t me. I didn’t do it.

A: I wonder who it was then.

We use the present perfect when we are considering something that started in the past and which we want to connect with the present.

It may be something that started in the recent past, or it may have started a long time ago. Look at the following examples:

– I've lived in this small village all my life' (i.e. up to the present and probably into the future too.)

– I haven't yet visited the capital city and I've only been to the provincial capital once. (i.e. in my entire life)

– But I've just passed my driving test and I've bought a new car (both in the very recent past) and I intend to travel soon.

In the affirmative, we often use the prepositions for or since with a time phrase and the adverbs just and already.

In the negative we often combine the present perfect with the adverbs never and yet. Look at the way they are used in the following and the preceding examples.

– She's worked as a doctor for the last twenty five years and has never been ill herself.

– I've known Tom's sister since we were at school together.

– You've already cleaned the house and prepared lunch and it's only eleven o'clock. Slow down!

Present perfect: interrogative

When we want to ask questions using the present perfect, we often use the adverbs ever and yet or use the How long...? construction.

For the interrogative, we must also remember to invert subject and verb. Study the following:

– “Have you ever tried to swim in the North Sea?” “No I never have. It's far too rough.”

“Has the doctor called yet to see mother?” “Yes, he's just been.”

– “Have you finished your homework?” “No, not yet. I still have maths to do.”

– “ How long have you had that coat?” “Oh, for about two years now. It's not new.”

– “ How long have you been in Britain?” “I've been here for two weeks already.”

Past simple: affirmative and negative

We use the past simple when we want to refer to actions which were completed in the past. It is used with a wide variety of past time phrases or expressions in reply to the question When….?, such as; earlier this morning, yesterday, last week, from April until June last year, in 1999, during the war, between 1985 and 1988, before we got married.

The negative is formed with the auxiliary verb didn't. Study the following examples:

– I saw Henry at the meeting this morning, but I didn't see Sue.

– I bought a lot of language books when I was in London last week.

– Over fifteen million people emigrated to the United States during the 19th century.

– I didn't have time to finish the article before I left for work.

Pay students’ attention that

In the past participle in the present perfect, and in the affirmative in the past simple, regular verbs end in - ed, but notice also how many common irregular verbs there are in the above examples. The past simple is the standard tense used to describe actions which follow each other when telling a story. But in the following example notice how the present perfect is used:

– I came home late last night. Fred was in the kitchen but he didn't say anything. He just looked at me as if to say: “I know where you have been.” We ate our supper in silence and then we went to bed.

Past simple: interrogative

In the interrogative, we must always remember to use the auxiliary verb did with normal inversion. It is always associated with the When...? question and may be used with a wide variety of other question forms too. Study the following examples:

It is early evening in Henry's home in the country.

Exercise 1. Ask students to use the words in brackets (…) to answer the question.

Have you seen Ann? (5 minutes ago) Yes, I saw her 5 minutes ago.

Have you started your new job? Have you friends arrived? Has Sarah gone away Have you worn your new shoes?

(last week) Yes, I started it last week. (at 5 o’clock) Yes, they arrived at 5 o’clock. (on Friday) Yes, she went away on Friday. (yesterday) Yes, I wore them yesterday.

Exercise 2. Are the underlined parts of these sentences right or wrong? Ask students to correct the ones that are wrong.

The Chinese have invented printing. WRONG: The Chinese invented.

Do you know about Sue? She’s given up her job. RIGHT

How many plays has Shakespeare written? WRONG: did Shakespeare write?

Have you read any of Shakespeare’s plays? RIGHT

Aristotle has been a Greek philosopher. WRONG: was

Ow! I’ve cut my finger. It’s bleeding. RIGHT

My grandparents have got married in London. WRONG: My grandparents got married…

Where have you been born? WRONG: were you born?

Mary isn’t at home. She’s gone shopping. RIGHT

Albert Einstein has been the scientist who has developed the theory of relativity. WRONG: was the scientist who developed …

Exercise 3. Put the verb into the most suitable form, Present Perfect or Past Simple.

1. “Look! Somebody has spilt coffee on the carpet.” “Well, it wasn’t me. I didn’t do it.”

2. “Ben has broken his leg.” “Really? How did that happen?” “He fell off a ladder.”

3. “Your hair looks nice. Have you had a haircut?” “Yes.” “Who cut it? Did you go to the hairdresser?” “No, a friend of mine did it for me.”

Exercise 4. Are the underlined parts of these sentences right or wrong? Ask students to correct the ones that are wrong.

1. I’ve lost my key. I can’t find it anywhere. RIGHT

2. Have you seen the news on television last night? WRONG: Did you see?

3. I’ve bought a new car. Do you want to see it? RIGHT

4. I’ve bought a new car last week. WRONG: I bought

5. Where have you been yesterday evening? WRONG: were you

6. Jenny has left school in 1991. WRONG: Jenny left school

7. I’m looking for Mike. Have you seen him? RIGHT

8. I’m very hungry. I haven’t eaten anything today. RIGHT

9. Diane hasn’t been at work yesterday. WRONG: wasn’t

10. When has this book been published? WRONG: When was this book published

Exercise 5. Ask students to write a ten sentences story about their everyday life using the Present Perfect and Past Simple.

Revision test

- Ask students to put the verb in the Present Perfect or Past Simple.

1. My friend is a writer. He has written many books.

2. We didn’t have a holiday last year.

3. I played tennis yesterday afternoon.

4. What time did you go to bed last night?

5. Have you ever met a famous person?

6. The weather wasn’t very good yesterday.

7. My hair is wet. I have just washed it.

8. I washed my hair before breakfast this morning.

9. Kathy travels a lot. She has visited many countries.

10. “Is Sonia here?” “No, she hasn’t come yet.”

- Ask students to put the verbs in brackets in the correct form, Present Perfect or Past Simple.

1. “Where’s your key?” “I don’t know. I have lost it.” (lose)

2. I was very tired, so I lay down on the bed and went to sleep. (be)

3. Mary went to Australia for a while but she’s back again now. (go)

4. “Where’s Ken?” “He has gone out. He’ll be back in about an hour.” (go)

5. I did German at school but I have forgotten most of it. (forget)

6. I meant to phone Diane last night but I forgot. (forget)

7. I had a headache earlier but I feel fine now. (have)

8. Look! There’s an ambulance over there. There has been an accident. (be)

9. They’re still building the new road. They haven’t finished it. (not/finish)

10. “Is Helen still here?” “No, she has just gone out.” (just/go)

11. The police arrested three people but later they let them go. (arrest)

12. Ann gave me her address but I’m afraid I lost/have lost it. (give, lose)

Final lexical-grammatical test

- Make sentences from the words in brackets. Use the Present Perfect or Past Simple.

(it/not/rain/this week) It hasn’t rained this week.

(the weather/be/cold/recently) The weather has been cold recently.

(it/cold/last week) It was cold last week.

(I/not/read/a newspaper yesterday) I didn’t read a newspaper yesterday.

(I/not/read/a newspaper today) I haven’t read a newspaper today.

(Ann/earn/a lot of money/this year) Ann has earned a lot of money this year.

(she/not/earn/so much/ last year) She didn’t ear so much last year.

(you/have/a holiday recently?) have you had a holiday recently?

- Put the verb into the correct form, Present Perfect or Past Simple.

1. I don’t know where Amy is. Have you seen (you/see) her?

2. When I got (get) home last night, I was (be) very tired and I went (go) straight to bed.

3. Your car looks very clean. Have you washed it/Did you wash it (you/wash) it?

4. George wasn’t (not/be) very well last week.

5. Mr Clark worked (work) in a bank for 15 years. Then he gave it up.

6. “Did you go (you/go) to the cinema last night?” “Yes, but it was (be) a mistake. The film was (be) awful.”

7. My grandfather died (die) 30 years ago. I never met (never/meet) him.

8. I don’t know Carol’s husband. I have never met him (never/meet/him).

- Write sentences about yourself using the ideas in brackets.

(something you haven’t done today) I haven’t eaten any fruit today.

(something you haven’t done today) I haven’t bought anything today.

(something you didn’t do yesterday) I didn’t watch TV yesterday.

(something you did yesterday evening) I went out with some friends yesterday evening.

(something you haven’t done recently) I haven’t been to the cinema recently.

(something you’ve done a lot recently) I’ve been swimming a lot recently.

- Write terms to the following definitions:

a single integrated circuit performing the basic functions of the central processing unit in a small computer (a microprocessor)

to substitute a person or thing for; put in place of (to replace)

the information operated on by a computer program (data)

a part of a computer in which information is stored for immediate use by the central processing unit (memory)

means to give your opinion (to give someone your two cents worth)

the study of computers and their application (computer science)

– Write definitions to the following terms:

a monitor – the unit in a desk computer that contains the screen

RAM – random access memory: semiconductor memory in which all storage locations can be rapidly accessed in the same amount of time

digital – using a system of receiving and sending information as a series of the numbers one and zero, showing that an electronic signal is there or is not there

analog – using a continuously changing range of physical quantities to measure or store data

a central processing unit – the part of a computer that performs logical and arithmetical operations on the data as specified in the instructions. Abbreviation: CPU.

to be a whiz at something – to be very good at, to be an expert

Section V

CAREER PROSPECTS

prepared by

Svetlana Konyaeva

e-mail: [e-mail], [e-mail]

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20