Grammar
1) Present perfect
Thepresent perfect simple tense an action that is still going on or that has stoppedrecently, but still has an influence on the present. It puts emphasis on theresult.
Use of present perfect
l puttingemphasis on the result
Example: She has written five letters.
l theaction that is still going on
Example: School has not started yet.
l theaction that has stopped recently
Example: She has cooked dinner.
l thefinished action that has an influence on the present
Example: I have lost my key.
l theaction that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment ofspeaking
Example: I have never been to
2) Present Perfect Progressive
Thepresent perfect progressive expresses an action that has recently stopped or isstill going on. It puts emphasis on the duration or course of the action.
Use of present perfect progressive
l puttingemphasis on the duration or course of an action (not the result)
Example: She has been writing fortwo hours.
l theaction that has recently stopped or is still going on
Example: I have been living heresince 2001.
l thefinished action that has an influence on the present
Example: I have been working allafternoon.
The present perfect progressivefocuses on the course of the activity or event which may or may not befinished. The present perfect focuses on the result of the activity or event,or just the fact that something has beenachieved.
Practice
Put the verbs inbrackets into the correct form: present perfect or present perfect progressive.
1) I’mpleased to say that the team __________ (play) well all season.
2) Inrecent years, the company __________ (put) a lot of money into developingadvanced technology.
3) They_______ (pull) down most of the houses in this street, but they ________ (nottouch) the old shop at the corner yet.
4) I________ (wait) for the prices of the houses to come down, but I think I_______ (wait) too long and the prices are beginning to go up again.
5) I_______ (just pick) ten pounds of strawberries! I ______ (grow) strawberriesfor years but I ______ (never have) such a good crop before.
6) Itwas lovely at eleven o’clock, but since then the sky ______ (get) steadilydarker and the wind _______ (rise). I’m afraid the fine spell ______ (come) toan end.
7) Peter______ (be) a junior clerk for three years. Lately he ______ (look) for abetter post but so far he _______ (not find) anything.
8) Ann______ (fail) her driving test three times because she’s so bad at reversing.But she ______ (get) a bit better at it.
