SIMPLE PAST, PRESENT PERFECT, PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

SIMPLE PAST, PRESENT PERFECT, PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

The difference between the simple past and the present perfect:

The simple past describes a situation that happened and ended and occurs in a specific time frame.  Keywords: yesterday, last night, last week, two days ago etc.

1.  Last night I wrote a letter.

2.  Yesterday I saw my friends.

The present perfect describes 1) a past action that is not in a specific time and is completed or 2) an action that began in the past and continues to the present.  3) STATIVE and ACTIVE verbs can both be used.

1)   I have been to Los Angeles a few times.  (completed, non specific time)

2)   I have known my neighbors for 5 years.  (I still know my neighbor – know – stative verb)

3)   I have known my neighbors since 2008.  (“)

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

The present perfect continuous describes actions that occurred in the past and continue to the present.   The present perfect continuous is used in a similar way to the present perfect but only with ACTIVE VERBS.

	PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
SUBJECT	To have (present)	To be (past participle)	V+ing (present participle)
	have	been	V+ing
1.   I	have	been	studying
2.  you	have	been	studying
3.  he, she, it	has	been	studying
1.  we	have	been	studying
2.  you	have	been	studying
3.  they	have	been	studying

More examples:

1.     I have been studying Arabic for two years and I’m still a beginner!

2.     He has been working for the same company for 5 years.

3.     We have been saving our money to buy a house.

Choose the SIMPLE PAST, or the PRESENT PERFECT or the PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS.  Sometimes the present perfect and the present perfect continuous are both fine!  Remember that stative verbs cannot be used in any continuous aspect.   

Exercise:

1.  I _______________________________  to school yesterday.  (to go) 

2.  She ____________________________________ a doctor.  (to become)  

3.  Mohammad and I _________________________________________ her for a long time.  (to know)

4.  They __________________________________ to the gym last week.  (to go)

5. I __________________________________________________  at the computer for 2 hours, I need a break! (to sit) ACTIVE VERB

6.  My friends _______________________________________________ together since 2010. (work)

7.  I ____________________________________________ her for many years.  (love)

8.  She _______________________________________ broccoli forever!  (hate)

9.  A week ago I ________________________________ smoking!  (quit)

10.  Her eyes are red, it looks like she __________________________________________.  (cry)

COUNT – NON COUNT and QUANTIFIERS

Replace the OBJECT with the correct PRONOUN – some, them, any, it, her, him

1.     I have some apples.  I have _____________.

2.     I want to eat an apple. I want to eat ________________.

3.     Give me the black pen.  Give ____________ to me.

4.     Give me the black pens.  Give _______________ to me.

5.     I need the information.  I need _____________.