Liz Morrison has been working on a Greenpeace ship in the Mediterranean for a year, where she is writing a letter to her mother describing her daily activities like reading, writing letters, and working with a marine biologist while checking pollution levels. However, the rough seas are making her feel sick so she is finishing her letter, though she loves her job and wants to continue working on the ship for another year.

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