18. USE 1: Duration from the past until now
We use the Present Perfect Continuous to show that something
started in the past and has continued up to now.
"For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all
durations which can be used with the Present Perfect Continuous.
Past Present Future
They have been talking for the last hour.
She has been working at that company for three years.
What have you been doing for the last 30 minutes?
19. USE 2: recently, lately
You can also use the Present Perfect Continuous WITHOUT a
duration such as "for two weeks."
Without the duration, the tense has a more general meaning of
"lately”. We often use the words "lately" or "recently" to emphasize
this meaning.
Past Present Future
Recently, I have been feeling really tired.
She has been watching too much television lately.
Have you been exercising lately?
20. Important!!
Remember that the Present Perfect Continuous has the meaning
of "lately" or "recently."
If you use the Present Perfect Continuous in a question such
as "Have you been feeling all right?“, it can suggest that the
person looks sick or unhealthy.
A question such as "Have you been smoking?" can suggest
that you smell the smoke on the person.
Using this tense in a question suggests you can see, smell,
hear or feel the results of the action. It is possible to insult
someone by using this tense incorrectly.
21. ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar
adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
You have only been waiting here for one hour.
Have you only been waiting here for one hour?
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34. She never saw a bear before she moved to Alaska
She never saw a bear before she moved to Alaska
???
35. She had never seen a bear before she moved to Alaska
She had never seen a bear before she moved to Alaska
36. After he ate his sandwich he put his coat on and left
After he ate his sandwich he put his coat on and left
???
37. After he had eaten his sandwich he put his coat on
After he had eaten his sandwich he put his coat on
and left
and left
In that case, it’s better to use the past
perfect in the first clause to make clear
the sequence of events
38.
39.
40. The motorcycle had been belonging to George for
The motorcycle had been belonging to George for
years before Tina bought it
years before Tina bought it
???
41. The motorcycle had belonged to George for years
The motorcycle had belonged to George for years
before Tina bought it
before Tina bought it
44. I ___________
(never/kiss)
anyone until I
_______ (meet)
you
45. I ___________
(had) never kissed
(never/kiss)
anyone until I
_______ (meet)
met
you
46. That’s the third
time I ________
(have) to tell you
to stop shouting!
47. That’s the third
time I ________
have had
(have) to tell you
to stop shouting!
48. It looks as if he
_____________
(cry) again. His
eyes are red and
puffy.
49. It looks as if he
_____________
has been crying
(cry) again. His
eyes are red and
puffy.
50. I used to get
annoyed with him.
He __________
(always/lose)
things.
51. I used to get
annoyed with him.
was always losing
He __________
(always/lose)
things.
52. She _________
(eat) a particular
large bar of
chocolate and
suddenly started to
feel sick
53. She _________
ate/ was eating/ had
eaten/ had been eating
(eat) a particular
large bar of
chocolate and
suddenly started to
feel sick
54. Marjorie ______
(leave) when Paul
________
(arrive).
55. Marjorie ______ left/
left / had
was leaving
(leave) when Paul
________
arrived
(arrive).
56. You know that book
you __________
(tell) me about last
week?
Well, I _________
(buy). Look!
57. You know that book
you __________
told / were telling
(tell) me about last
week?
have bought
Well, I _________
(buy). Look!
58. I hated that school. If I
_______________ (do)
my homework, they used
to punish me. If I
________ (do) it, they’d
tell me to do it again.
59. I hated that school. If I
_______________ (do)
didn’t do / hadn’t done
my homework, they used
to punish me. If I
did / had done
________ (do) it, they’d
tell me to do it again.
61. Used to / would
o
Used to + infinitive can be used to
Used to + infinitive can be used to
o
refer to past situations and habitual actions in
refer to past situations and habitual actions in
the past.
the past.
I used to walk to school when I was a child
I used to walk to school when I was a child
I used to have a parrot, but he escaped
I used to have a parrot, but he escaped
62. Used to / would
oWould + infinitive
oWould + infinitive can be used to
can be used to
refer to past habitual actions but not
refer to past habitual actions but not
situations or states
situations or states
Every summer we used to / would go to
Every summer we used to / would go to
Scotland to visit my grandmother
Scotland to visit my grandmother
X I would have a parrot, but he escaped
X I would have a parrot, but he escaped
67. Underline the correct
option(s)
I’d like to have travelled /
have liked to travel /
have liked to have travelled
more when I was younger
68. Underline the correct
option(s)
I’d like to have travelled /
have liked to travel /
have liked to have travelled
more when I was younger
69. Underline the correct
option(s)
I remember that
concert. It was the
first time I’ve seen /
I’d seen / was seeing
the band play live.
70. Underline the correct
option(s)
I remember that
concert. It was the
first time I’ve seen /
I’d seen / was seeing
the band play live.
71. Underline the correct
option(s)
I’d rather my parents
didn’t make / wouldn’t
have made / hadn’t made
me go to piano lessons
when I was little.
72. Underline the correct
option(s)
I’d rather my parents
didn’t make / wouldn’t
have made / hadn’t made
me go to piano lessons
when I was little.
The next slide includes som explanations…
e
