The perfect tense-forms The Present Perfect Tense

Exercise 1. Put the verb in brackets into the Present Indefinite or the Present Perfect.

1. Look! They (stop). 2. I (want) to see you. I (not / see) you for ages! 3. “What (be) your name?” – “My name (be) always Cole.” 4. “You (read) this book?” – “Yes.” – “What you (think) of it?” 5. I (not / be) to a zoo before. It (be) a nice feeling to go somewhere you never (be) before. 6. “You (know) Nick?” – “Yes.” – “How long you (know) him?” – “I (know) him for 10 years.” 7. You (realize) we (know) each other for quite a period of time now? And this (be) the first occasion you (ask) me to come with you. 8. Come in, I (be) awake since sun-up. 9. It’ll be good to see him again. How long he (be) away? 10. I (know) you nearly all my life, but I never (see) you so excited about anything.

Exercise 2. Open the brackets using Present Continuous or Present Perfect.

1. What you (to talk) about? 2. We just (to talk) about it. 3. He just (to say) something about it. 4. He (to tell) us nothing about it. 5. We (to have) 5 lessons today. 6. They (to have) a meeting now. 7. She (not to speak) yet. 8. They (to ask) me several questions. 9. He already (to learn) the rule. 10. I (to write) an exercise now. 11. What he (to do)? – He (to read) a newspaper. 12. You (to read) any stories by London? 13. What you (to do) here? – I (to write) a letter to my friend. 14. What language you (to study)? 15. We already (to learn) a lot of English words. 16. You (to find) the book? 17. What you (to look) for here?

Exercise 3. Put in been or gone.

1. Where’s Paul? – He has … to the library. 2. We’ve … to the country today. Look, we’ve brought some flowers. 3. Where have you spent your holidays? – I’ve … to Italy. 4. Are you going to the shops? – No, I’ve just … to the shops. 5. Is Alex at home? – No, he’s … to the park. 6. Are they both out? – Yes, they’ve both … to the market.

Exercise 4. Translate the questions and the answers.

1. Когда ты в последний раз видел Аню? – Я не видел ее с мая. 2. Когда в последний раз шел дождь? – Дождя не было уже целую вечность. 3. Когда они навещали вас в последний раз? – Они не навещали нас с июня. 4. Когда ты в последний раз играл в теннис? – Я уже давно не играл в теннис. 5. Когда ты в последний раз ела кокос? – Я никогда не ела кокос. 6. Когда ты в последний раз водил машину? – Я не водил машину много месяцев. 7. Когда ты в последний раз ездил в Канаду. – Я никогда не ездил в Канаду. 8. Когда она тебе писала в последний раз? – Она не писала с прошлого лета.

Exercise 5. Translate into English.

1. Они построили новый дом. Ты его видел? 2. Ты показал маме свою картину? – Нет, она еще не готова. 3. Я посмотрел этот фильм. А ты? – Да. Это интересный фильм. 4. Я звоню тебе уже третий раз за вечер. 5. Ты был в Лондонском зоопарке? – Да. 6. Отец только что вернулся с моря. 7. Возьмите эти журналы. Я уже прочитал их. 8. Ты опоздала уже второй раз на этой недели. 9. Вы были когда-нибудь в Греции? – Да, это очень красивая страна. 10. Мы еще не сделали опыт. 11. Она никогда не переводила такие трудные статьи. 12. Машина ломается уже третий раз за месяц. 13. Я звонил ему уже три раза сегодня. 14. Сегодня он уехал в Нью-Йорк. 15. Ты видел директора сегодня? – Нет. 16. Я выпила уже пятую чашку кофе за вечер.

Exercise 6. Choose the correct tense.

1. I (haven’t seen / didn’t see) much of him lately. 2. ‘Who is she?’ ‘I (have never seen / never saw) her before.’ 3. I (‘ve done / did) a lot of stupid things in my life. 4. She (has left / left) school last year. 5. When (have you got / did you get) married? 6. I’m sorry. I (haven’t finished / didn’t finish) yet. 7. I (‘ve often wondered / often wondered) what he does for a living. 8. He (has caught / caught) the plane at eight this morning. 9. I (‘ve read / read) a lot of her books when I was at school. 10. (Have you seen / Did you see) any good films recently?

Exercise 7. Complete the sentences with the Present Perfect or the Past Indefinite.

1. I (play) a lot of tennis this year. 2. She (have) six different jobs since she left school. 3. He (run) away from school three times when he was fourteen. 4. How many cups of coffee you (drink) today? 5. In those days, Andrew (come) to stay with us most weekends. 6. Shakespeare (write) poems as well as plays. 7. Since my brother lost his job, he (write) two books. 8. I’m not cooking today. I (cook) all the meals yesterday. In fact, I (cook) most of the meals this week. 9. Would you believe I (make) twenty-three phone calls today? 10. Our team are rubbish. They just (lose) eight games one after the other. 11. This scientist (write) a lot of books. He (write) his first one in 2001. 12. You ever (see) a documentary as good as that? 13. I never (travel) to the USA. What about you? When you (go) there? 14. He (live) in Manchester for eight years, and he wants to move to another place. 15. She (live) in Manchester for two years, and then in 2003 she (move) to London. 16. We (meet) Jane and Alan two years ago. How long you (know) them? 17. We (not know) that you (know) Mr. Black. How long you (know) him? – I (know) him for 2 years. 18. Ben (say) that he would phone me this morning, but it is now 8.20 & he (not phone) yet. 19. We just (receive) a letter saying that we (not pay) the bills for electricity & gas last month. 20. You (hear) the noise in the street at midnight? – No, nothing woke me up. 21. Betsy (have) bad luck all her life. But still she is always in a good mood. 22. Simon (be) ill & (spend) 10 days in hospital not long ago. 23. Jack has no work. He (be) unemployed ever since he left school. 24. The town (change) a lot since we (come) to live here.

Exercise 8. Put the verb in brackets into the correct form, the Present Perfect or the Past Indefinite.

1. I just (call) him. 2. I (not / call) him yesterday, I was busy. 3. My parents just (go) away. 4. She already (answer) the letter. 5. She (answer) it on Tuesday. 6. My friends (go) away five minutes ago. 7. I (read) that book during the summer holidays. 8. The fisherman (sell) now all his fish. 9. He (sell) the last one half an hour ago. 10. I (not / see) him for three years. 11. I (meet) him last week. 12. The newspaper (come)? – Yes, Ann is reading it now. 13. You (wear) your hair long when you were at school? – Yes, my mother (insist) on it. 14. He (not / smoke) for three weeks. He is trying to give it up. 15. When he (arrive)? – He (arrive) at 2.00. 16. You (shut) the window? 17. I (read) his books when I was at school. I (enjoy) them very much. 18. You (be) here before? – Yes, I (spend) my holidays here last year. – You (have) a good time? – Yes, the sun never (stop) shining. 19. The lecture just (begin). You are a little late. 20. I can’t go out because I (not / finish) my work. 21. We (travel) around Europe last year. 22. My father knows so much because he (travel) a lot. 23. I (see) Pete today. 24. She (see) this film last Sunday. 25. Alex (meet) his friends 2 hours ago. 26. I just (meet) our teacher. 27. The children already (decide) what to do with the books. 28. Yesterday they (decide) to help their parents. 29. Helen speaks French so well because she (live) in France. 30. She (live) there last year. 31. The rain (stop) half an hour ago. 32. The rain (stop) and the sun is shining in the sky again. 33. Mary (buy) a new hat. 34. I (buy) a new pair of gloves yesterday. 35. The wind (blow) off the man’s hat and he cannot catch it. 36. The weather (change), and we can go for a walk. 37. The wind (change) in the morning. 38. I never (be) to New-York. 39. You ever (be) to Moscow? 40. What you (prepare) for today? 41. Look at this bird-house. Mike (make) it himself. He (make) it last Sunday. 42. When you (see) Mary? – I (see) her two days ago. 43. He is not at school today, he (fall) ill. When he (fall) ill? – He (fall) ill yesterday.

Exercise 9. Replace the infinitives in brackets by the present perfect or past indefinite tense forms.

1. At last I (to do) all my home work; now I shall go out. 2. The building of the house (to begin) early in April. 3. You (to enjoy) the week you spent at the sea-shore? 4. I hear that you (to give up) the idea of going there. 5. The rain (to stop) but an icy wind is still blowing. 6. We already (to settle) the matter. 7. He (to come) a moment ago. 8. I never (to speak) to him. 9. He just (to finish) his work. 10. You (to make) any spelling mistakes? 11. It (to be) bitterly cold yesterday. 12. When you (to meet) him? 13. I (not to see) him since 2008. 14. How many examinations you (to pass) up to now? 15. Where you (to put) the key? 16. They (to choose) him as their delegate. 17. The factory (to begin) opera­ting last year. 18. Where you (to buy) that book? 19. You (to do) all the exercises on this page? 20. This letter (to come in) the first mail this morning? 21. He deeply (to study) the problem. 22. The snows (to go) with a rush this year. 23. I (not to see) him since last June. 24. You (to get) any money about you? 25. A large whale (to be washed up) last week on the coast of Sark, and now a second one 30 feet long (to be washed up) on the other side of the island. 26. I (to see) you coming out of the library the other day with a sack of books. 27. I (not to read) the paper this morn­ing. 28. I (to be late) today. 29. The ferry (to stop) running; we must find someone to put us over. 30. I (to correct) that mis­take before, but you (to make) it again. 31. Why you (to put) these things in the wrong place? 32. How long you (to be) in Moscow? – A week yesterday. 33. They (to keep) you waiting long? – Oh, quite a long time. 34. Why you (to leave) the door open? You will catch cold sitting in the draught. 35. A week and a half (to pass) since I (to arrive) at this place, but we (to have) hardly a single fine day. 36. “We not (to see) each other for so long,” said I. – “Yes, and we both (to change) a great deal.” 37. What books you (to read) when you (to live) in the country? 38. They not yet (to come) from the South. 39. Since when she (to be) your friend? 40. How many times you (to be) to St. Petersburg? 41. He (to be) ill last week but now he (to recover). 42. At last I (to translate) this article; now I shall have a little rest. 43. We (to have) a picnic yesterday, but the rain (to spoil) the whole pleasure. 44. She (to be) chairman of our collective farm for many years.

Exercise 10. Open the brackets using the Present Perfect or the Past Simple tense-forms.

1. I (shout) at them and they (run) away. 2. What’s the best film you ever (see)? 3. Simon is not at home. He (go) to a football match. 4. It was such a wonderful performance that we (applaud) for fifteen minutes. 5. Why do you look so sad? Anything (happen)? 6. Jaime lives in Venezuela; he never (see) snow. 7. I (not/wake) at 7 o’clock yesterday, because my mother (not/be) at home. 8. Anyone (see) my dictionary? I can’t find it. 9. A lot of rain (fall) last week. 10. When I (get) home late yesterday evening my dad (be) very angry. 11. I (know) Helen for 10 years. We (study) at university together. She was one of the best students. 12. Alexander Fleming (invent) penicillin in 1928. 13. The house they (buy) looks much larger than ours. 14. I (order) a taxi to take me to the airport. So we’ll be on time. 15. You (cut) your finger! How it (happen)? 16. Peter (not/eat) all the bread and butter, he (leave) some on the plate. 17. He (be) interested in jazz ever since he (leave) school. 18. We (have) a lovely time in Wales. – So you (enjoy) your holiday, didn’t you? 19. I (use) to like swimming but I don’t now. 20. I never (see) so many beautiful girls as here at the party. 21. My elder brother (have) a car for two years already. He (buy) it in France. 22. Jane (recover) yet? – No, she is still in hospital. 23. My watch (stop). I must take it to the watchmaker’s. 24. Shakespeare (be) born in 1564 and (die) in 1616. 25. I’m sorry I can’t accept your invitation. We already (make) our plans for the holiday. 26. I (begin) to teach Max to ride a bike last year. 27. We (run) out of sugar. Can you go and get some from the shop? 28. My brother is an actor. He already (appear) in several films. 29. What your father (give) you for your last birthday? 30. You (see) Tom? – Yes, I (talk) to him an hour ago. 31. Are you the boy whose dog (make) a terrible noise at night? – I’m sorry, but you are mistaken, sir. I never (own) a dog. 32. What (happen) there? – The dog (bite) the boy when he entered the garden. 33. You (know) each other before? – Yes. We first (meet) 3 years ago. 34. He (take) off his pullover, (lie) down on the sofa and (start) to read a magazine. 35. I don’t keep pets now but I (use) to keep a dog when I (be) a boy. 36. I (iron) Jim’s shirts this morning and in the afternoon I (do) the shopping. 37. Why are you limping? – I (twist) my ankle. 38. The plane (take) off from London at 9.00 and (land) in Geneva at 10.30. 39. Joanna (not/change); she is the same as ever. 40. When I (switch) on the dishwasher, the machine (make) a loud noise. 41. People always (want) to be able to fly like birds in the sky. 42. I once (play) a guitar which (have) only five strings. 43. I never (teach) a class where the students are so lazy. 44. I (lose) a button. I don’t suppose I’ll ever find it. 45. The slower you eat the more you will think you (eat). 46. You (be) already late for classes twice this week, Nick. 47. What a surprise! You’re the very person I (want) to see so much. 48. They say the police already (catch) both of the thieves. 49. When we (be) kids, we (love) the beach very much, so we (use) to spend all our holidays at the sea. 50. You (make up) your mind yet? What you (decide) to do? 51. She (slip) her arm under his and (give) him a nudge. 52. Thanks a lot. It (be) a wonderful holiday. We (have) a great fun. 53. Since when you (lose) sight of him? 54. Anyone (leave) a note for me? 55. The employment office (call) me twice since I (move) to Los Angeles. 56. When we (live) in the north the water pipes (use) to freeze every winter and we (have) to call in a plumber. 57. People (use) to come at the weekends, but during the week I (be) alone in that huge house. 58. You (work) as a mechanic before? – Yes, I (use) to change flat tires. 59. We (see) him at the summer course in London. 60. All the shirts you (send) your farther (fit) him perfectly so far. 61. Although I (study) French for years I have difficulty in speaking the language. 62. John whose grades are the highest in the school (receive) a scholarship. 63. Yesterday we (have) supper with the neighbours of ours. 64. Some years ago I (come) across this photo in an old magazine. 65. We (not/give) him a thing to eat since he (arrive). 66. Jerry (fail) his exams. He’ll have to take them again. 67. It’s ages since I last (see) a decent comedy film on television. 68. We understood that it (be) just a slip of the tongue. 69. The police (find) the bomb yet? 70. When I (go) to book a ticket to Athens, I (find) that the flight (be) full. 71. I’m not disappointed with today’s result. After all we (win) ten matches already this season. 72. I never (do) anything like it before. We’ll have to start from scratch. 73. My computer (break down) again. It’s time for me to buy a new word processor. 74. I can’t afford a holiday abroad until I (pay back) all my debts. 75. They always (bring) flowers when they came to visit me. 76. The butcher (cut) some steak, (wrap) it up and (hand) it to me. 77. Since the baby (be) born, they (have) a lot of sleepless nights. 78. I’m sorry for her. She (have) bad luck all her life. 79. Jack (climb) quite a number of mountains but he never (be) to Everest. 80. You (see) my gloves, by any chance? 81. He (give up) smoking yet? When he (do) it? 82. What’s up? You (hurt) your ankle? How you (do) it?

Exercise 11. Open the brackets using the Present Indefinite, the Present Continuous, the Past Continuous, the Past Indefinite or the Present Perfect Tense.

1. In the morning, coming down the stairs, Rosemary (see) Tony who (lie) in the sitting room. “What you (do) here?” “I (sleep) here.” “I am sorry we (take) your room.” 2. He’s a night watchman. He (work) at night and (sleep) in the daytime. It’s noon now and he still (sleep). 3. I first (meet) Richard a month ago, and I (meet) him several times since then. 4. I usually (go) to bed before midnight. 5. What your brother (do) now? – He (play) tennis with our neighbour, they (play) it every day. 6. I (write) to my parents a fortnight ago, but I (not / have) a reply yet, so I just (write) again. 7. It’s 3 p.m. and he (not / eat) anything today, but he (eat) a good dinner last night. 8. Is Mary ready to come out? – No, she still (dress). 9. I (read) this book several times. I first (read) it in 1990. 10. He often (read) detective stories; he (read) a very good one now. 11. She (not / have) a holiday since 1996, but she (have) a very long holiday in 1995. 12. She (meet) Helen when she (walk) along the street.

Exercise 12. Translate into English.

1. Я потеряла иголку. Я нигде не могу найти ее. 2. Ты смотрел вчера фильм по телевизору? 3. Ее родители купили ей машину на 21-ый день рождения. 4. У нее теперь очень короткие волосы. Она сделала новую стрижку. 5. Вчера вечером он пришел домой очень поздно. Он принял ванну и потом лег спать. 6. Вы посетили много музеев, когда были в Лондоне? 7. Книги нет на полке. Кто-то взял ее. 8. Когда твой отец бросил курить? 9. Я не завтракал утром, потому что мне не хотелось есть. 10. Почему ты не хотел играть в шахматы вчера? 11. Машина выглядит очень чистой. Ты вымыл ее? 12. Кто пришёл? 13. Кто взял мою ручку? 14. Мы не встречались с 1998 года, не правда ли? 15. Я знаю Бориса с детства. 16. Они никогда не были в театре. 17. Где вы были всё это время? 18. Когда вы послали телеграмму? 19. Почему вы не перевели текст? 20. Пойдём в библиотеку. – Я только что там был. 21. Когда ты видела Нину? 22. Я ещё не сделал это упражнение. 23. Мы пригласили их на наш концерт. 24. Она пошла гулять. 25. Вы уже посетили наш музей? 26. Почему Вы не сделали домашнее задание? – Я был занят вчера. 27. Вы купили билеты? 28. Когда вы купили билеты?

Exercise 13. Open the brackets using Present Perfect, Present Continuous, Present Simple or Past Simple.

1. Please, give me a pencil. I (to lose) mine. 2. I (not to meet) Peter since Monday. 3. Nina just (to finish) work. 4. Where Sergey (to be)? He (to go home). He (to leave) the room a minute ago. 5. What you (to read) now? – I (to read) “Jane Eyre” by Ch. Bronte. 6. They (to read) “Ivanhoe” by W. Scott a month ago. What about you? You (to read) “Ivanhoe”? 7. My watch (to stop). There (to be) something wrong with it. 8. You (to see) Jack today? – Yes, I (to see) him at the University. 9. You (to hear) the new symphony by M.? – Yes I ... – When you (to hear) it? – I (to hear) it last Sunday. 10. You (to change) so much. Anything (to happen)? 11. What you (to do) here at such a late hour? You (to write) your composition? – No, I (to write) it already. I (to work) at my report. – And when you (to write) your composition? I (to finish) it 2 days ago. 12. I say, Tom, let’s have dinner. – No, thank you, I already (to have) dinner. 13. What the weather (to be) like? It still (to rain)? – No, it (to stop) raining.

Exercise 14. Open the brackets using Present Perfect, Present Simple, Present Continuous, Past Simple or Past Continuous.

1. They (to go) to the Hermitage last week. 2. They (to be) to the Hermitage twice this week. 3. After school yesterday he (to come) home, (to have) dinner, (to read) an article from the latest magazine and (to begin) doing his homework. 4. When your friend (to return) from the south? – She (to return) yesterday. You (to go) to the station to meet her? – No I ..., I (to be) too busy. 5. With whom you (to discuss) this question yesterday? 6. I (to see) this film this week. I like it very much. 7. When I (to enter) the kitchen I (to see) that my mother (to stand) at the table and (to cut) some cabbage. She (to cook) dinner. 8. As soon as I (to hear) a cry I (to run) out of the room and (to see) that a child (to lie) on the ground and (to cry). “What (to happen)? Why you (to cry)? You (to hurt) yourself?” – I asked. 9. As soon as I (to see) him, I (to understand) that he (to work) hard. He (to write) something and (not to notice) anything. 10. When I (to come) home yesterday, the children (to run) and (to sing) melody. “We (to learn) a new song!” – They cried. 11. When the young man (to enter) the room, she (to look) at him in surprise. “What you (to want) to tell me?” she (to say). “Why you (to come)?” 12. It (to rain) hard when I (to leave) home yesterday, so I (to return), (to put) on my raincoat and (to start) again. 13. Your brother (to return) from the north? – Yes, he (to come) a few days ago. 14. You (to be) to the Crimea? When you (to be) there? – I (to be) there in 1993. 15. Where (to be) your brother? – He just (to come) home. He (to take) a shower in the bathroom now.

Exercise 15. Translate into English, using the Present Indefinite, the Present Continuous, the Past Continuous, the Past Indefinite or the Present Perfect.

1. В пятницу на прошлой неделе шел сильный дождь. 2. Я обычно завтракаю в половине восьмого. 3. Он уже построил дачу? – Нет, он все еще строит ее. 4. Почему вы идете так быстро? – Я иду быстро, потому что я боюсь опоздать на электричку. 5. Моя сестра никогда не носит шубу. 6. Почтальон обычно приходит в восемь часов вечера. Сейчас уже половина девятого, а он все еще не пришел. 7. Когда я пришел к Пете в прошлое воскресенье, он читал новую книгу. 8. Лекция еще не началась, и студенты разговаривают. Лекция начинается обычно в девять часов. 9. В школе он играл в баскетбол. 10. Я не играл в волейбол с 1989 года. 11. Автор еще молодой человек. Он написал свою первую пьесу в 2006 году. 12. Сейчас 9 часов вечера. Ребенок уже заснул. Вчера вечером он лег спать гораздо позже. 13. Я никогда не был в Москве. Мне очень хочется попасть туда. 14. Я очень рад вас видеть. Мы не виделись с 1997 года. 15. Где сейчас ваш брат? Я не виделся с ним несколько лет. 16. Он никогда не видел таких прекрасных картин. Музей ему очень нравится. 17. Мы только что говорили с деканом об этом. 18. Ты уже отправил письмо? – Да. 19. Помогите мне, пожалуйста. Я потерял свой ключ и не могу попасть домой. 20. Вы когда-либо видели этот фильм? 21. Пойдём в столовую. – Нет, спасибо. Я только что позавтракал. 22. Почему ты включил свет? В комнате всё ещё светло. 23. Они собираются продать свой дом. Ты что-нибудь слышал об этом? 24. Вы уже получили ответ от Анны? – Нет, мы ещё ей не писали. 25. В этом году вы часто были в историческом музее? – Нет. А вы? 26. Где вы купили эту вещь? – Я её не покупал. Это подарок. 27. Ты ещё делаешь уроки? – Нет. Я уже сделал. 28. С какого времени она болеет?