Explanation and practice of the present perfect simple for B1

1. Present Perfect Simple
and Continuous

2. Let’s check what you know
• Complete with a word from the list:
1. Have you ________ bought or sold something on eBay or a
similar site?
2. Have you kept something borrowed _______ five years or more?
3. Do you sometimes read books that you’ve ________ read?
4. What TV actors or presenters did you like when you were a
child? Have they made any good programmes ______ then?
5. Is there anything that has ______ happened in the news today?
6. Is there a new TV series that everyone is watching? Have you
seen it _____?
Already ever for since just yet

3. Let’s check what you know
• Complete with a word from the list:
1. Have you ever bought or sold something on eBay or a similar
site?
2. Have you kept something borrowed _______ five years or more?
3. Do you sometimes read books that you’ve ________ read?
4. What TV actors or presenters did you like when you were a
child? Have they made any good programmes ______ then?
5. Is there anything that has ______ happened in the news today?
6. Is there a new TV series that everyone is watching? Have you
seen it _____?
Already ever for since just yet

4. Let’s check what you know
• Complete with a word from the list:
1. Have you ever bought or sold something on eBay or a similar
site?
2. Have you kept something borrowed for five years or more?
3. Do you sometimes read books that you’ve ________ read?
4. What TV actors or presenters did you like when you were a
child? Have they made any good programmes ______ then?
5. Is there anything that has ______ happened in the news today?
6. Is there a new TV series that everyone is watching? Have you
seen it _____?
Already ever for since just yet

5. Let’s check what you know
• Complete with a word from the list:
1. Have you ever bought or sold something on eBay or a similar
site?
2. Have you kept something borrowed for five years or more?
3. Do you sometimes read books that you’ve already read?
4. What TV actors or presenters did you like when you were a
child? Have they made any good programmes ______ then?
5. Is there anything that has ______ happened in the news today?
6. Is there a new TV series that everyone is watching? Have you
seen it _____?
Already ever for since just yet

6. Let’s check what you know
• Complete with a word from the list:
1. Have you ever bought or sold something on eBay or a similar
site?
2. Have you kept something borrowed for five years or more?
3. Do you sometimes read books that you’ve already read?
4. What TV actors or presenters did you like when you were a
child? Have they made any good programmes since then?
5. Is there anything that has ______ happened in the news today?
6. Is there a new TV series that everyone is watching? Have you
seen it _____?
Already ever for since just yet

7. Let’s check what you know
• Complete with a word from the list:
1. Have you ever bought or sold something on eBay or a similar
site?
2. Have you kept something borrowed for five years or more?
3. Do you sometimes read books that you’ve already read?
4. What TV actors or presenters did you like when you were a
child? Have they made any good programmes since then?
5. Is there anything that has just happened in the news today?
6. Is there a new TV series that everyone is watching? Have you
seen it _____?
Already ever for since just yet

8. Let’s check what you know
• Complete with a word from the list:
1. Have you ever bought or sold something on eBay or a similar
site?
2. Have you kept something borrowed for five years or more?
3. Do you sometimes read books that you’ve already read?
4. What TV actors or presenters did you like when you were a
child? Have they made any good programmes since then?
5. Is there anything that has just happened in the news today?
6. Is there a new TV series that everyone is watching? Have you
seen it yet?
Already ever for since just yet

9. Present Perfect Simple

10. Uses of the present perfect
• To give new information.
• Repeated actions during the past that can
happen again.
• Unfinished situations in the past that continue
up to now.
• Actions that happened at an unspecified time
before now.
• Describe experiences.

11. Discuss the probable use of the present perfect
• Ouch! I’ve hurt my leg.
• I’ve just got the job!
• They’ve crashed the car coming home.
• Brazil have won the World Cup five times.
• Steven Spielberg has won several Oscars.
• I have lived here for many years.
• I’ve been married for nearly ten years.
• They have been to the park with the kids.
• Sarah has worked really hard.
• I’ve never been to Japan.
• I have travelled to Mexico.

12. We use the present perfect simple to say that an
action happened at an unspecified time before
now.
The exact time is not important.
It was the best meal I have ever had.

13. Therefore, you cannot use the present perfect
simple with specific time expressions such as:
yesterday
one year ago,
last week,
when I was a child,
at that moment,
that day,
one day, etc.

14. I have gone to the cinema
yesterday.
What would the correct
sentence be?

15. I went to the cinema
yesterday.
With specific time
expressions
(yesterday, ago,
last…) we use the
past simple

16. Therefore, you cannot use the present perfect
simple with specific time expressions such as:
yesterday
one year ago,
last week,
when I was a child,
at that moment,
that day,
one day, etc.
To talk about finished
actions in the past, when
the time is mentioned or
understood
use the past simple

17. Present perfect or past simple
• I’ve been to Madrid
twice.
(= in my life up to now)
• I went there in 1998
and 2010.
(= on two specific
occasions)
A past experience for which
the time isn’t specified.
A finished action in the past
for which the time is
specified.

18. You can also use it to describe your experience.
I have been to France.
This sentence means that you have had the
experience of being in France. Maybe you
have been there once, or several times.
I have been to France three times.
You can add the number of times at the end
of the sentence.
I have never been to France.

19. Let’s play!
Snooping around

20. We can use the Present Perfect Simple with
unspecific expressions such as:
ever
never
once
many times
several times
before
so far
already
yet…
I haven’t read the book yet

21. YET VS. ALREADY

22. Yet vs. already
• I’ve already seen this film twice.
• My brother hasn’t found a job yet.
• Have you finished your homework yet?

23. Yet vs. already
• I’ve already seen this film twice.
• My brother hasn’t found a job yet.
• Have you finished your homework yet? ?

24. Yet vs. already
• I’ve already seen this film twice.
• My brother hasn’t found a job yet.
• Have you finished your homework yet?
Already is used in affirmative sentences and goes before
the main verb.
Yet is used with negative sentences and questions. It goes
at the end of the phrase.

25. WITH YOUR GROUP, WRITE A
SENTENCE FOR EACH UNSPECIFIC
EXPRESSION
already, ever, for, just, many times, never, since, yet

26. You can also use the Present Perfect Simple to
refer to unfinished actions with verbs not usually
used in the continuous form:
know
be
have
like…I have known him for many years
(NOT I’ve been knowing him for many years)

27. You can also use the Present Perfect Simple to refer to
unfinished actions with verbs not usually used in the
continuous form:
know
be
have
like
love
hate…
I’ve known her since I was a child.
I know her since I was a child.
Don’t use the present simple or
continuous in this situation
Watch
out!

28. We use the Present Perfect Simple to refer to
how much / many of something we have done and
how many times, so the emphasis is on the result
of the action
I have just drunk two litres of water

30. Read the following facts about Marilyn Monroe and Nicole
Kidman. Which actress does each sentence refer to?

31. 1. She was married more than
once.
2. She has been married more
than once.
3. She was born in the USA.
4. She has starred in many
successful films.
5. She received awards for her
performances.
6. She has worked with many
famous actors.
7. She began her film career in
her twenties.

32. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect.
• The film we _________ (see)
last night at the cinema was
awful.

33. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect.
• The film we saw (see) last night
at the cinema was awful.

34. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect.
• It ______________ (not / rain)
so far this week.

35. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect.
• It hasn’t rained (not / rain) so
far this week.

36. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • I ______________ (graduate)
from university in 2001.

37. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • I graduated (graduate) from
university in 2001.

38. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • Martin _____________ (not /
earn) much Money last year.

39. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • Martin didn’t earn (not / earn)
much Money last year.

40. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • Daniel’s English ____________
(improve) a lot since last
month.

41. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • Daniel’s English has improved
(improve) a lot since last
month.

42. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • I ___________ (learn) Spanish
10 years ago, but I __________
(forget) most of it.

43. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • I learnt (learn) Spanish 10 years
ago, but I have forgotten
(forget) most of it.

44. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • I ___________ (send) you an e-
mail last night. _________ you
________ (read) it yet?

45. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • I sent (send) you an e-mail last
night. Have you read (read) it
yet?

46. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • Help! Somebody ___________
(steal) my mobile!

47. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • Help! Somebody has stolen
(steal) my mobile!

48. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • I _______________ (never /
go) to Brazil, but I _________
(go) to Peru last year.

49. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • I have never gone (never / go)
to Brazil, but I went (go) to
Peru last year.

50. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • ________ you _______ (see)
my new iphone? I ________
(buy) it yesterday.

51. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • Have you seen (see) my new
iphone? I bought (buy) it
yesterday.

52. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • ________ you _______ (see)
the match last night? It ______
(be) a fantastic game.

53. Put the verbs in brackets in
the correct form: past
simple or present perfect. • Did you see (see) the match
last night? It was (be) a
fantastic game.