This document provides instruction on using the simple past, present perfect, and present perfect progressive tenses in English. It begins with an advertisement for an experienced adventure travel guide who has been guiding trips in Colorado for 10 years. Various examples are then given to illustrate the appropriate uses of each tense. For the simple past, actions that were completed in the past are used. The present perfect and present perfect progressive describe actions that began in the past and continue to the present. Time expressions like "for" and "since" are also discussed. Exercises are included for the reader to practice identifying and using the different tenses.

1. Simple Past,
Present Perfect, and
Present Perfect Progressive
Adventure Travel
1
Focus on Grammar 4
Part I, Unit 3
By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells
Copyright © 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. Adventure Travel Ad
Are you looking for a little adventure in
your life? Travel with me to beautiful
Colorado. I’m an experienced river rafting
and rock climbing guide. I’ve been guiding
adventure travelers in this area for 10
years. In fact, last year, I took 30 trips
down the Colorado River. Oh, and don’t
worry about safety. I’ve also taken a
number of first aid and safety courses. No
one has ever broken any bones on my
trips!

3. He’s not
kayaking now.
Use ago to show
when something
started.
Simple Past 1
I kayaked in the Grand Canyon for two months.
past
now
future
Use the simple past to talk about things that happened
and were completed in the past.
kayaked
I rafted down the Nile River a year ago.
rafted

4. Perfect Tenses 1
I have guided travelers my entire career.
I have been rock climbing for 10 years.
These things continue up to the present
and may continue into the future.
have guided
have been rock climbing
past
now
future
Use the present perfect and the present perfect
progressive to talk about things that started in the
past, but were not completed.

5. Remember!
Non-action (stative) verbs are not usually used in the
progressive.
I’ve been knowing how to rock
climb since I was young.
I’ve known how to rock climb
since I was young.

6. for six years
Perfect Tenses 2
We often use the present perfect and the present perfect
progressive with for and since. Use for to show how long
something has been true and since to show when something started.
I have trained for six years to take this trip.
He has been guiding trips since 2000.
since
2000
for six years
past
now
future
have trained
since 2000.
has been guiding

7. Simple Past 2
Use the simple past with past time expressions.
We trekked through the Andes Mountains last year.
He backpacked in Peru two months ago.
past
now
future
last year.
ago.

8. Be Careful!
Don’t use specific time expressions with the present
perfect except after since.
She took skydiving lessons last year.
She has taken skydiving lessons last year.
She has taken skydiving lessons since 2004.
last year.
last year.
since 2004.

9. Dear Mom and Dad,
I (sit) here for hours
looking at the beautiful birds in the rain forest. This
vacation to Brazil (be) wonderful! I
(see) so many amazing
animals since I arrived here. Last week, I
(hike) through the forest to see the tree
monkeys. Our guide on that trip (tell) us
some very interesting information. I
(learned) so
much on this trip!
Love, Daniela
Practice 1
Fill in the blanks with the simple
past, present perfect, or present
perfect progressive forms of the
verbs in parentheses.
have sat/have been sitting
has been
have seen
hiked
told
have learned/ have been learning

10. Present Perfect 1
Use the present perfect without time expressions to talk
about things that happened at some indefinite time in the
past.
They have canoed down the Amazon River.
past
now
future
We don’t know when they
canoed down the river, or the
time is not important.
time ????

11. Present Perfect 2
The present perfect without for or since shows that an
activity is finished. We often say how many or how
many times with this use of the present perfect.
He has visited Machu Picchu three times.
past
now
future
three times.

12. for five hours
Present Perfect Progressive
The present perfect progressive shows that an
activity is unfinished. We often say how long with the
present perfect progressive.
They have been climbing for five hours.
past
now
future
for five hours.
have been climbing
The activity is not finished.
They’re still climbing.

13. She traveled to Alaska
twice this month.
She’s traveled to Alaska
twice this month.
Present Perfect & Simple Past
Use the present perfect or the simple past with
unfinished time periods such as today, this week, this
month, and this year. Notice the difference in meaning.
this month.
this month.
The month isn’t
over, but she
probably won’t
travel again
this month.
The month isn’t
over. She
might travel
again.

14. 1. a. I have taken many first-aid courses.
b. I have been taking many first-aid courses.
2. a. She rafted down the Nile River last week.
b. She has rafted down the Nile River.
3. a. We lived in Nepal for two years.
b. We have lived in Nepal for two years.
c. We have been living in Nepal for two years.
Practice 2
Look at the groups of sentences.
Discuss the differences in
meaning with a partner.
Example: a. I have visited Kenya three times this year.
b. I visited Kenya three times this year.visited
have visited
The year isn’t
over. The use
of the present
perfect means
that she might
return again to
Kenya.
The year isn’t
over, but the
use of the
simple past
means that she
probably won’t
return to
Kenya.

15. Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education and
its licensors. All rights reserved.
References