Recap theme 5 & 6

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Present perfect

-She has been a teacher for 75 years.

Have/has + past participle

Links event that started in the past with present

Past perfect

When the police arrived, the burglar had already left.

Had + past participle

Links event that happened before another event in the past

Future perfect

By the time I’m fifty, I will have read at least 1,000 books.

Will + have + past participle

Links actions or times in future.

1: He has been working for a long time.
2: He has lived here since 1985.

In which of these sentences the "present perfect simple" is used?
And in which sentence the "present perfect continuous?

Present perfect & Present continuous

He has been working for a long time. (Present perfect continuous)

He has lived here since 1985. (Present perfect simpe)

Both describe an action from the past and link it to the present.

There are however a few differences we have to take into account.

-Oh no, he has broken his arm!

-It has been snowing, so it might be slippery outside.

Why is the present perfect simple used in the first sentence, and the present perfect continuous in the second one?

Long or repeated actions vs short actions

Oh no, he has broken his arm! (lasts only for a moment)

It has been snowing, so it might be slippery outside. (lasts some time)

If an action only lasts for a short period, use the present perfect simple form!

If there is an emphasis on duration, use the present perfect continuous!

-I have done my homework.

-He has been working on the assignment.

Why is the present perfect simple used in the first sentence, and the present perfect continuous in the second one?

Complete vs incomplete actions

I have done my homework. (finished)

He has been working on the assignment. (not necessarily finished)

For completed actions, use the present perfect simple

The present perfect continuous emphasises that the action is incomplete, or could be completed later.

1: What have you been doing today?
I have been mending my bike.

2: What have you done today?
I have fixed my bike.

Which of these sentences focusses on an action and which one focusses on the result?

Action vs result

I have been mending my bike. (interest/focus on action)

I have fixed my bike. (interest/focus on result) 

The continuous form is used to describe an activity, the simple form is used when the focus is on the result.

If you give a number, the simple form is always used, as the focus is on completion/results.

I have been to the gym three times this week.

State verbs

For some verbs, the so called state verbs, the continuous form cannot be used. These verbs describe states that usually last form some time.

These are verbs such as like, love, hate, want, own, etc.

This is the third time I ........... (fail) the exam and I .......... (study) here for three years now.

Put the verbs in the correct form so they fit the gap.

I .......... (work) all morning on a document and I .......... (only / manage) to print two pages of it.

Put the verbs in the correct form so they fit the gap.

By the time I'm 60, I ............ (save) at least one million Euros.

Homework

Next week: formative test theme 5 & 6

-Study all grammar (p. 148-150)

-Practice exercises p. 55,

-Vocab exercise p. 56

-Wordspot p. 60