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High Beginner

GRAMMAR

LESSON 10:

Present Perfect Tense 1

Goal

I can use present perfect tense to talk about duration.

Grammar Point

Read the grammar point with your tutor.

Use the present perfect tense with for, since, and how long to talk about duration of ongoing actions and states.

  • The base form is have + [past participle]. To make the past participle, add -ed or -d to regular verbs*.

*for regular verbs that end in [consonant] + -y, change y to i and add -ed

REGULAR VERB

PAST PARTICIPLE

work

worked

live

lived

study

studied

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ex

I have worked with Erin for a long time.

ex

I have lived in Japan for a long time.

ex

I have studied French for a long time.

  • Be careful with irregular verbs. You will have to memorize their past participles.

IRREGULAR VERB

PAST PARTICIPLE

eat

eaten

ride

ridden

drive

driven

take

taken

see

seen

know

known

do

done

sleep

slept

teach

taught

be

been

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ex

She has been at home for a long time.

ex

We have done yoga for a long time.

  • In casual spoken and written English, have is usually contracted with subject pronouns. Please try to use contracted forms throughout this lesson.

FORMAL ENGLISH

CASUAL ENGLISH

I have

I’ve

you have

you’ve

he has

he’s

she has

she’s

it has

it’s

we have

we’ve

they have

they’ve

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ex

I’ve worked with Erin for a long time.

ex

She’s been at home for a long time.

  • Use for to talk about the length of time.

ex

I’ve worked with Erin for two years.

ex

She’s been at home for a few hours.

  • Use since to talk about the starting point.

ex

I’ve worked with Erin since last year.

ex

She’s been at home since ten o’clock.

  • Use how long to ask questions about duration.

ex

How long have you worked with Erin?

ex

How long has she been at home?

  • Use not with for or since to talk about the duration that something has not happened.

ex

I have not worked with Erin for two years.

ex

She has not been at home since ten o’clock.

  • In casual spoken and written English, not is usually contracted with have. Please try to use contracted forms throughout this lesson.

FORMAL ENGLISH

CASUAL ENGLISH

have not

haven’t

has not

hasn’t

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ex

I haven’t worked with Erin for two years.

ex

She hasn’t been at home since ten o’clock.

Be careful: You cannot use the present perfect tense to talk about incomplete actions. Use the present perfect continuous tense instead.

Ive read this book since last month, but I’m only half finished.

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I’ve been reading this book since last month, but I’m only half finished.

Sentence Builder

Build new sentences using the grammar point, the original sentences, and the words in parentheses. The form of some words may need to be changed.
Build new sentences using the grammar point, the original sentences, and the words in parentheses. The form of some words may need to be changed.
ex

I’ve done yoga for two years.

(last month)
   I’ve done yoga since last month   .
(five weeks)
   I’ve done yoga for five weeks   .
  • My children have played soccer since last year.

(study French)
                            .
(do chores)
                            .
  • I haven’t seen him for three weeks.

(Thursday)
                            .
(yesterday)
                            .
  • How long have you lived here?

(work together)
                            ?
(be friends)
                            ?
  • My dad hasn’t traveled abroad since last year.

(drive)
                            .
(ride a bike)
                            .
  • They’ve taken the train to work for two months.

(he)
                            .
(I)
                            .

Practice

Make sentences using the grammar point, the words, and the picture clues. The form of some words may need to be changed.

ex

he / do karate / fifteen years

He’s done karate for fifteen years.
ex

he / do karate / fifteen years

He’s done karate for fifteen years.
  • they / work together / 2018

  • I / drive / a year

  • how long / she / study Japanese

  • my sister / live in Toronto / six months

  • he / sleep / Wednesday

  • my best friend / teach math / last year

  • how long / you / do yoga

  • I / travel overseas / 2010

  • we / play tennis / many years

  • Jenna / eat meat / three months

Q&A

PART 1
Answer the questions using the grammar point and your own information.
  • How long have you studied English?
  • Where do you live, and how long have you lived there?
  • What have you NOT done for over 10 years (ex. play volleyball, watch cartoons)?
  • Who is your favorite musical artist/group, and how long have you listened to him/her/them?
  • What is your hobby, and how long have you done it?
PART 2
Use the grammar point to ask your tutor some questions. You can use the ideas below or your own ideas.
you / teach English
you / know your best friend
you / live in your home