Grammar Notes: Forms and Patterns

1. The Present Perfect Tense

(a)

Form:

have/has

+

verb

+

-ed

(past participle)

I have (‘ve) asked you have (‘ve) asked he/she/it has (‘s) asked we have (‘ve) asked you have (‘ve) asked they have (‘ve) asked

Have I asked? Have you asked? Has he asked? Have we asked? Have you asked? Have they asked?

I have not (haven’t) asked you have not (haven’t) asked she has not (hasn’t) asked we have not (haven’t) asked you have not (haven’t) asked they have not (haven’t) asked

Some verbs are ‘regular’; other verbs are ‘irregular’:

• the past participle of regular verbs ends in -ed: e.g. work – worked; live – lived

• irregular verbs have different past participle forms: e.g. come – come; be – been

(For a list of irregular past participles see Appendix 2)

2. We use the Present Perfect:

1. to express an activity at some non-specific time in the past with a result in the present or future: e.g. He’s broken a cup I’ve seen this film.

2. to express experiences: e.g. I’ve travelled a lot in Africa They’ve lived all over the world. «Ever» and «never» are common with this use.

3. to express an activity within a period of time which is not yet finished (today, this morning, this afternoon, this year, etc) e.g. I have written six letters this morning.

4. to express an action or state which began in the past and continues to the present: e.g. I’ve known Alice for six years. How long have you worked as a teacher?

(с) The Present Perfect often occurs with «just, yet, already, never, ever, so far, up to now, lately, of late»:

e.g. Don’t forget to post the letter. – I have already posted it.

He has just arrived.

I haven’t told them about the accident yet.

The adverbs «just, already, never» normally go after the auxiliary verb «have»:

e.g. The taxi has just arrived.

The adverbs «yet, lately, so far, up to now, this year, this month» normally go at the end of a sentence:

e.g. They haven’t finished dinner yet.

The adverb «already» can also go at the end of a sentence for emphasis:

e.g. I’ve done it already.

4. The Present Perfect can be translated into Russian in two ways:

e.g. People have believed that there is a monster in the lake. – Люди верят, что в озере есть чудовище. This man has just broken his leg. – Этот человек только что сломал ногу.

5. Types of questions:

The dogs have learnt to stop for traffic.

Have the dogs learnt to stop for traffic? Have the dogs learnt to stop for traffic or to trace drugs? What have the dogs learnt to do? The dogs have learnt to stop for traffic, haven’t they? Who has learnt to stop for traffic?

2. The Possessive Case

1. The ’s form.

1. Formation:

By adding apostrophe and s (’s)	David’s sister women’s liberation Dickens’s novels John and Mary’s wedding	to singular nouns to plural nouns in -en to proper nouns ending in -s to groups of nouns treated as one word
By adding apostrophe without s (’)	the boy’s room Jesus’ death	to plural nouns in -s to classical nouns ending in ’s

2. Use of the ’s form:

Mary’s books a spider’s web the government’s policy	to express possession of nouns denoting living being: (people + animals) and collective nouns
five minutes’ walk today’s newspaper London’s theatres	with nouns expressing time, space, measure

2. Use of the of-form.

The door of the classroom	with things
the Prince of Wales the Tower of London the battle of Waterloo	set expressions
a row of books hundreds of people a glass of milk	with partitive meaning

Drills

Drill 1.

Have you seen him? Yes, I have No, I haven’t.

1. Have you been to the Zoo?

2. Have you lived here all your life?

3. Have you had your dinner?

4. Have you learnt the Perfect tenses before?

5. Has the bell gone?

6. Has the lesson begun?

7. Have you been up in a helicopter?

8. Have you ever played tennis?

9. Have you ever ridden a horse?

10. Have you driven a car?

11. Have you ever written a letter to a newspaper?

12. Have you ever eaten a frog?

13. Have you ever driven a tractor?

14. Have you ever broken your leg?

15. Have you ever had an operation?

16. Have you ever eaten a fishburger?

17. Have you ever eaten Chinese food?

18. Have you ever slept in the park?

Drill 2.

a new film I have seen a new film.

an English magazine an interesting article a scientific journal a hippopotamus

an elephant a camel a tiger a lion

Drill 3.

his brother He has met his brother.

a student from Group 7 his parents his teacher his Dean

his friend his neighbour the postman a fashion model

Drill 4.	Have you been to Mexico? – (No) No, I haven’t been to Mexico yet.
	Have you spoken to the manager? – (Yes). Yes, I’ve already spoken to the manager.

1. Have you been to the cinema lately? – (Yes).

2. Have you gone skiing this winter? – (No).

3. Have you had your breakfast already? – (Yes).

4. Have you ever been to Italy? – (No).

5. Has the class started? – (Yes).

6. Have you decided where to go yet? – (No).

7. Have we spent all our money? – (Yes).

8. Have you ever spoken to a famous person? – (No).

9. Have you read «Hamlet?» – (Yes).

10. Have you ever been to Disneyland? – (No).

Drill 5.

My sister has been a good pupil. (always) My sister has always been a good pupil.

1. She has been late for classes. (never)

2. He has told us about his work. (already)

3. I have seen an elephant. (never)

4. She has come in. (just)

5. They have heard of it. (never)

6. We have finished this exercise. (almost)

7. I have done my homework. (already)

8. She has learned to swim. (just)

Drill 6.

to drive a car It’s the first time I’ve driven a car.

to play tennis to ride a horse to take photoes to use the make-up to travel by ship to change one’s mind to see an elephant		to lose the passport to win a lot of money to travel round the world to clean the car to make the coffee to cook the dinner to get pocket money
Drill 7.	Tom is opening the door. Tom has just opened the door.

1. Harry is changing his clothes.

2. I am washing my hands.

3. We are listening to the news.

4. You are speaking over the telephone.

5. He is having breakfast.

6. They are returning books to the library.

7. We are buying a tape-recorder.

8. Peter is washing his car.

9. Harold is repairing our TV set.

Drill 8.

Why aren’t you doing the exercise?. I have already done it.

1. Why aren’t you reading the text?

2. Why aren’t you doing your homework?

3. Why aren’t you listening to the news?

4. Why aren’t you getting ready for the exams?

5. Why aren’t you having dinner?

6. Why aren’t you drinking milk?

7. Why aren’t you cooking supper?

Drill 9.

Does that ring belong to your wife? Yes, it’s my wife’s.

1. Does this coat belong to James?

2. Do these books belong to the girls?

3. Does your journey take three days?

4. Does this hat belong to your uncle?

5. Does that house belong to John and Mary?

6. Have you read all the novels Dickens wrote?