Part III Present Perfect Continuous and various tenses

Exercise 3.1

Write sentences about these situations with since or for. Use Present Perfect Simple, Present Perfect Continuous, Past Simple or Past Continuous.

1. I run a small business. I started it in 1998.

I’ve been running a small business since 1998.

2. Jake plays the cello. He started two years ago.

3. My brother lives in Bern. He moved there last year.

4. It started raining at six o’clock. It’s still raining.

5. I started cooking at eleven. Lunch was ready an hour later.

6. My granny wears glasses. She started wearing them ten years ago.

7. I drive a car. I got it for my birthday.

8. Gary plays football. He started several years ago.

9. Harold got a job as a sales manager in 1987. He retired five years later.

10. Mary is a nurse. She got her diploma in April.

11. The kids are playing computer games. They started right after lunch.

12. Sam has got his own sports club. He bought it three years ago.

13. In 1980 Ronald Reagan won the presidential election. Nine years later he left office.

14. I’m an assistant surgeon in a local hospital. I got this job a week ago.

15. My sister is talking on the phone with her boyfriend. She started when I came home.

Exercise 3.2

Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense, Present Perfect Simple or Continuous, Present Simple, Present Continuous, Past Simple or Past Continuous.

A

1. The Martins (spend) their summer in England for years.

2. They (move) to Leeds five years ago and we (not see) them ever since.

3. They (live) here for over a year and they still (not know) their neighbours.

4. Where you (be)? I (wait) for ages.

5. Dr Scalpel is a surgeon. He (begin) an operation at 7 this morning and he (already/operate) for 4 hours.

6. Jane (not come) home yet. She (be) in the library. She (be) there for the past six hours. She (revise) for the exam since early morning. She (prepare) ten topics so far. She (write) something when I (see) her there this morning

B

1. – You (be) out of breath. (you/run)?

– Right! I (make) up my mind to take up jogging. I (want) to lose weight. I (exercise) this morning as well.

– Wow! How long (you/do) sports?

– For about a month.

– How much (you/lose) so far?

– About two pounds.

2. – I (not hear) anything from you since we (leave) school. What (you/do) all this time?

– Well, I (get) married, I (find) a well-paid job and I (buy) a flat.

– Oh, you (not waste) your time!

3. – I (not see) you for ages. Where (you/be)?

– I (visit) relatives.

– Where (you/go)?

– I (go) to Melbourne to see my cousins.

4. –(it/rain)?

– No, … . But the ground (be) wet. It (rain).

– Since when (it/rain)?

– Since seven in the morning, I think. It (rain) when I (get) up.

5. –(you/be) busy lately?

– Yes, I … . I (be) extremely busy.

– What (you/do)? (you/work) on your project?

– No, I … . I (prepare) for a seminar. I (work) on the project last week.

Exercise 3.3

Use the correct tense form of the verb in brackets, Present Perfect Simple or Continuous, Present, Past or Future Simple.

Last year Brian and Barbara (1) … (decide) to buy a house. Since then they (2) … (save) money. They (3) … (never/have) their own house before. They (4) … (live) in a tiny flat since they (5) … (marry). Brian (6) … (not mind) when Barbara (7) … (insist) on a house with a big garden. They (8) … (search) for a suitable house for the past six month, but they (9) … (not find) one yet. Last week they (10) … (see) a couple of nice houses. As Barbara (11) … (not like) the location of the first house, they (12) … (decide) to see one more. They (13) … (go) to see it the same day. But the price (14) … (be) too high. The owner (15) … (ask) much more than they (16) … (be) willing to pay. But Barbara really (17) … (like) the second house and now she (18) … (be) sure she (19) … (persuade) Brian to buy it. Brian (20) … (not figure) out yet where he (21) … (get) the money. He (22) … (hope) Barbara (23) … (change) her mind.

Exercise 3.4

Read the job interview. Put the verbs in the correct tense form.

Ms Simpson: Good morning, my name is Ms Simpson. Sorry, I’m a bit late. (1)… (you/wait) long?

Robert: That’s no problem, Ms Simpson.

Ms Simpson: You (2) … (apply) for the Laboratory Assistant's position, right?

Robert: Yes, Ms Simpson. When I (3) … (see) it advertised, I (4) … (think) it would really suit me. I (5) … (look) for a job for the last two months.

Ms Simpson: Can you tell me why you (6) … (reply) to our advertisement?

Robert: Well, I (7) … (always/enjoy) science and I (8) … (believe) that this position will extend my skills in this area. I (9) … (think) that I'll be really good at this work. In fact I (10) … (learn) so fast.

Ms Simpson: (11) … (you/know) exactly what you (12) … (do) as an Assistant?

Robert: A Laboratory Assistant (13) … (help) with the equipment and (14) … (prepare) the chemicals for experiments.

Ms Simpson: (15) … (you/enjoy) studying while you (16) … (be) at college?

Robert: I suppose I (17) … (be) a reasonable student. I (18) … (pass) all my tests and (19) … (enjoy) studying subjects that interested me.

Ms Simpson: (20) … (you/have) any further plans?

Robert: For the last few months I (21) … (think) of going to college.

Ms Simpson: (22) … (you/ever/have) a job before?

Robert: Yes. I (23) … (work) part-time at a take-away food store.

Ms Simpson: How long (24) … (you/be) there and why (25) … (you/leave)?

Robert: I (26) … (be) there for a year but I (27) … (not enjoy) it. I (28) … (help) in the kitchen all day.

Ms Simpson: I think I (29) … (ask) you everything I (30) … (want) to. Well, we (31) … (get) in touch with you next week. Thank you for coming.

Robert: Thank you.