2009

Present perfect
Introduction
(a song from Grammarchants by Carolyn Graham)

Have you ever been to Boston?

Yes, I have. Have you ever been to Boston? Yes, I have. Have you ever been to Boston? Have you ever been to Boston? Have you ever been to Boston? Yes, I have. No, I havent. No, I havent. No, I havent. Have you ever worked in Boston? Yes, I have. Have you ever worked in Boston? Yes, I have. Have you ever worked in Boston? Have you ever worked in Boston? Have you ever worked in Boston? Yes, I have. No, I havent. No, I havent. No, I havent.

In this unit you will study the present perfect. When we use the present perfect, there is always connection with now. The action in the past has a result now.

Grammar presentation
[Examples] 1. Where is your key? I dont know. Ive lost it. (I havent got it now.) 2. He told me his name, but Ive forgotten it. (I cant remember it now.) 3. Is Sally here? No, shes gone out. (She is out now.) 4. I cant find my bag. Have you seen it? (Do you know where it is now?) *Contractions ve = have havent = have not s = has hasnt = has not

[Structure/Form] The present perfect simple is have/has + past participate. Affirmative [Negative] Statements I You He She It We You They Yes/No Question Have I worked?) *The past participle often ends in ed finished/decided etc., but many important verbs are irregular lost/ forgotten /gone / seen /done/ /written etc. (See a list of irregular verbs.) We often use the present perfect with the following words. for and since We use for when we mention the length of the period. e.g. She hasnt phoned for ages. (= the last time she phoned was ages ago) We use since when we mention the starting point of the period. e.g. I havent seen Richard since Tuesday. (=Tuesday was the last time I saw him) ever , never and before We use the present perfect with indefinite time words such as ever, never and before. It is often used to talk about personal experience. We do not use the present perfect with definite past time words such as yesterday, last night. e.g. Have you ever played the guitar? Ive never been to Boston. I havent met him before. already, just and yet We use already to say that something happened sooner than expected. (Already comes after have.) e.g. Newspaper? No, thanks. Ive already read it. Youre late. Weve already started. have (not) Have has (not) worked. Has have (not) Have Yes/No Questions I you he she it we you they worked?

(Affirmative statement I have worked. Negative statement I have not worked.

We also use the present perfect with yet in questions and negatives. (Yet usually comes at the end of a sentence.) e.g. Have you spoken to John yet? No, not yet. He hasnt come in yet. We often use the present perfect with just. (Just comes after have.) e.g. Ive just come back from Spain. The rain has just stopped. *Note The difference between gone to and been to. Jim is on holiday. He has gone to Italy. (= He is there now or on his way there.) Jane is back home now. She has been to Italy. (= She has now come back.)

Communication practice
Find someone who.using Have you ever.?

Go around the class and ask as many of your classmates as possible if they have done the things listed below. Write down the names of the people who have done them. (When youd like to develop the topic, you can extend the conversation as follows.)
[Example of procedure] 1. Have you ever slept in a cave? Yes, I have. (No, I havent.) 2. When was that? When Im lost in the mountain last summer. 3. Did you enjoy it? No, it was a horrible experience. 4. What happened? I couldnt sleep all night because there were vampire bats in the cave. 1. Find someone who has written a letter to a newspaper.

(Asking; Have you ever written a letter to a newspaper?NAME:__________________

2. Find someone who has eaten snails.

(Asking; Have you ever eaten snails?) NAME:__________________________________

3. Find someone who has slept in a park.

(Asking; Have you ever slept in a park?) NAME:_________________________________

4. Find someone who has spoken to a famous person.

(Asking; Have you ever spoken to a famous person?) NAME:______________________

5. Find someone who has spent more than a month in hospital.

(Asking; Have you ever spent more than a month in hospital? NAME:______________
6. Find someone who has lost a wallet.

(Asking; Have you ever lost a wallet? ) NAME:__________________________________

7. Find someone who has been bungee jumping.

(Asking; Have you ever been bungee jumping?) NAME:___________________________

Focused practice
The following passage is about Tiger Woods. Underline the expressions that describe things that started in the past and are still happening, which are written using the present perfect. e.g. have eaten
At the end of every year, sports magazines name their choice for Athlete of the Year. Golf has never been a major sport in the U.S. This may change. Some people have already called a young golf star born in 1975 the greatest golfer of our time. Eldrick (Tiger) Woods was born of parents of Native American, African, Chinese, European, and Thai heritage. He began to swing mini-golf clubs when he was ten months old. His father was of course his trainer. From the age of 15, he started to win amateur championships. In August in 1996, Tiger became a professional. Since then he has been winning professional championships. Tiger doesnt only think about winning. Fans have seen him sign autographs for half an hour after a day of playing golf. He went to one of the top universities in the U.S. In his free time, Tiger teaches golf classes for poor children living in the city, He has had the courage to speak out to Americans that 23 private clubs in the U.S. do not allow him to play because of the colour of his skin. Perhaps someday Tiger Woods will be a choice for Athlete and Person of the year.
NAGATA, Junko 7/29/2009

Conditional sentences
1. Zero / present conditional (Type 0) 2. First conditional (Type 1) 3. Second conditional (Type 2) 4. Third conditional (Type 3)

1. Zero / present conditional

A ) Form If + S+ present simple..,+ present or imperative B) Meanings

(Type 0)

This type of sentence is used to refer to conditions which are always true. e.g. If Mike reads on the train, he feels sick. (Every time Mike reads on the train, the same thing happens: he feels sick.) This type of sentence is also used to refer to scientific facts. e.g. If you put on paper on a fire, it burns quickly. It is also used to give instructions. e.g. If the phone rings, answer it. *In Zero / present conditional sentences when or whenever can be used instead of if. 2. First conditional (Type 1) A ) Form If + S+ present simple,+ will future B) Meaning This type of sentence is used to predict likely or probable results in the future, if a condition is met. e.g. If we dont leave now, well miss the train. If we leave now, we wont need to hurry. First conditional sentences are often used to express promises, warnings and threats. e.g. If you pass your exams, Ill give you a job. If you dont turn that music down, youll go deaf. * Some modal verbs can be used instead of will. e.g. If we leave now, we may catch the train. If you come to London again, you must call and see us.

* Unless can be sometimes be used instead of if not. e.g. Unless we leave now, well miss the train. (If we dont leave now, well miss the train.)

3. Second conditional (Type 2)

A ) Form If ++ past simple,+ would/ could/ might+ present simple B) Meaning This type of sentence is used to speculate about imaginary or improbable situations (the implication is that the conditions will not be met). e.g. Youd feel healthier if you did more exercise. If you went to Africa, youd have to have several injections. (Its not likely youll go to Africa, but it is possible.) Second conditional sentences can refer to unreal situations. e.g. If people didnt drive so fast, there wouldnt be so many fatal accidents. (Actually people do drive fast and there are a lot of fatal accidents.) Second conditional sentences are often used express advice. e.g. If I were you, I wouldnt drive so fast. * Might and could can be used instead of would in the main clause of second conditional sentences to show uncertainty. e.g. If you did more exercise, you might feel healthier.

4. Third conditional (Type 3)

A ) Form If + S+ past perfect,+ would/ could/ might have+ past participle B) Meaning This type of sentence looks back at the past and speculates about possibilities which didnt happen. e.g. If Id had your address, Id have sent you a postcard. (I didnt have your address, so I didnt send you a postcard.) You might not have crushed into the bus if youd been driving more slowly. Note When the if clause comes before the main clause, it is followed by a comma. When the if clause comes after the main clause, there is no comma between the clauses.
NAGATA, Junko 7/29/2009