2. Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I/You/They/We I/You/They/We Have
have written. haven’t written. I/you/they/we
written?
He/She/it has He/She/it hasn’t Has he/she/it
written. written. written?

3.  Actions beginning in the past and continuing up to
the present moment.
I´ve lived in Argentina for 20 years.
Tom has worked as a teacher for 10 years.
 Indefinite past actions.
I´ve never tasted mango.
Carol has been to Machu Picchu three times.

4.  Recent past actions.
I´ve just had a sandwich.
Sarah has taken a lot of photographs lately.
 Past actions with present results.
I´ve broken my arm.
Greg has left his glasses at home.
 Actions that happened in a period of time which is
not over yet.
I´ve drunk three cups of coffee today.
Jack has written four articles this month.

6. Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I/You/They/We I/You/They/We Have
have been writing. haven’t been I/you/they/we
writing. been writing?
He/She/it has He/She/it hasn’t Has he/she/it
been writing. been writing. been writing?

7. This tense can be used in place of the present
perfect simple tense with a little change in
emphasis.
 Actions that have been in progress for some time. There
is emphasis on duration.
I´ve been working all day.
Fred has been studying a lot lately.
 With verbs such as learn, live, rain, sit, sleep, study, wait
that show continuity.
I´ve been waiting here for two hours.
She´s been working at the hospital since 2004.

8.  Mike: You _________________ (look) miserable! What
_________________ (be) the matter?
___________________________ (you-lose) your job?
 Dave: No, I ­­­­­­­­­­­­_________________.
 Mike: Well, what _________________ (happen)?
 Dave: I_________________ (cut) my finger.
 Mike: You _________________ (cut) your finger!
_________________ (be) that all?
 Dave: It _________________ (be) serious! I can’t play
the guitar. Our band _________________ (play) at a big
concert tomorrow night. And they
_________________(ask) Rick to play instead of me!

9.  Mike: You look (look) miserable! What is(be) the
matter? Have you lost (you-lose) your job?
 Dave: No, I haven’t.
 Mike: Well, what has happened (happen)?
 Dave: I ’ve cut (cut) my finger.
 Mike: You ‘ve cut (cut) your finger! Is (be) that all?
 Dave: It is (be) serious! I can’t play the guitar. Our
band is playing (play) at a big concert tomorrow night.
And they have asked (ask) Rick to play instead of me!

10.  Liz Morrison has been for a year on a Greenpeace
ship in the Mediterranean. They are checking
(check)pollution levels. Liz is writing (write) a letter to
her mother.
 ‘… I am writing (write) this letter in my
cabin. The sea is(be) quite rough at the moment and I
am finding (find) it difficult to write! I usually get
(usually-get) about two hours’ free time a day, and I
often write (often-write) letters or read (read) a book. I
sometimes don’t (sometimes – not – do) anything at
all. I just sleep (just- sleep)!
 These days I am reading (read) a book about the
history of Greenpeace. Greenpeace workers come
(come) from all over the world, but, fortunately,
everybody on this ship speaks (speak) English.

11.  At the moment I am working (work) with Thor
Svensen, a Norwegian marine biologist. He
teaches(teach) at Oslo University, but he is working
(work) for Greenpeace for a year.
 I think (think) this is the best job I have ever had
(ever –have)! I want (want) to do it for another year. I
like (like) the people on the ship and I love (love) life at
sea. I am having (have) a great time here!
 I’ll finish the letter now because I am not feeling
(not-feel) very well. The ship is rolling (roll) a lot. In
fact, I am feeling(feel) a bit sick.
 I am thinking (think) of you, mom.
 Love, Liz