Present Perfect: For and Since

Introduction

Read and listen to this biographical excerpt.

Grammar Notes

1. Use the present perfect with for or since to talk about something that began in the past and continues into the present (and may continue into the future).

Steffi Graf has played tennis since 1973. She has played for over twenty years.

(She began playing over twenty years ago, in 1973, and still plays now.)

2. Use the present perfect with since and a point in time (since 5:00. since Monday, since New Year's Eve, since yesterday') to show when something started.

Graf has been a champion since 1987.

3. Since can also introduce a time clause.

Notice that the verb in the since clause is in the simple past tense.

She has won many tournaments since she began her professional career.

Remember that a time clause can come at the beginning or end of a sentence.

4. Use the present perfect with for and a length of time (for ten minutes, for two weeks, for years, for a long time') to show how long a present condition has been true.

Sports enthusiasts have admired Steffi Graf for many years.

5. The present perfect is formed with have or has + the past participle.

The regular form of the past participle is the base form of the verb + -d or -ed. This form is the same as the simple past form of the verb. There are many irregular past participles, however. Some common ones are listed here. There is a more complete list.

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FOCUSED PRACTICE

1. Discover the Grammar

Read the situations. Then highlight the letter of the more appropriate way to complete the sentences.

1. Sherry has played tennis since 1990.

Sherry a. still plays tennis. b. doesn't play tennis these days.

2. She has had long hair since she was a little girl.

She a. has short hair now. b. has long hair now.

3. She's lived in the same apartment for ten years.

She a. lived in a different apartment eleven years ago. b. moved a few years ago.

4. Sherry and Richard have been married for twenty-five years.

They a. got married twenty-five years ago. b. are not married now.

5. They haven't been on a vacation since 1990.

They a. were on a vacation in 1990. b. are on a vacation now.

6. Sherry hasn't won a tennis championship for two years.

Sherry a. won a championship two years ago. b. didn't win a championship two years ago.

2. Winners

Look at these tennis sports statistics. Use short answers to answer the questions.

U.S. Open Champions—Doubles

Year Women Men

1988 Gigi Fernandez and Robin White Sergio Casal and Emilio Sanchez

1989 Hana Mandlikova and Martina Navratilova John McEnroe and Mark Woodforde

1990 Gigi Fernandez and Martina Navratilova Pieter Aldrich and Danie Visser

1991 Pam Shriver and Natalia Zvereva John Fitzgerald and Anders Jarryd

1992 Gigi Fernandez and Natalia Zvereva Jim Grabb and Richey Reneberg

Source: The 1992 Information Please Almanac

1. Robin White won the U.S. Open Doubles Championship in 1988. Has she won again since then?_No, she hasn't.

2. Martina Navratilova won in 1989. Has she won again since then?

3. Sergio Casal and Emilio Sanchez won the U.S. Open Doubles Championship in 1988. Have they won again since 1988?

4. Anders Jarryd won in 1987. Has he won again since then?

5. Gigi Fernandez and Martina Navratilova won in 1990. Have they won as partners since then?

6. Has Gigi Fernandez won since 1990?

7. John McEnroe won in 1989. Has he won again since then?