EG1471- Portfolio 2

One of my common grammar mistakes is verb tense, and I will look into detail of the usage of present perfect tense and present tense. Let’s study this example situation, Jason and John are gay. They are married. They got married exactly 2 years ago, so today is their 2nd wedding anniversary.

How long have they been married? (Present perfect)
(not How long are they married?).

They have been married for 2 years.
(not They are married for 2 years).

We use the present perfect to talk about something that began in the past and still continues now. Compare the present and the present perfect:

Jason is in school.
But He has been in school since yesterday.
(not Jason is in school since yesterday)

Do you know each other well?
But Have you known each other for a long time?
(not Do you know)

For present perfect tense, there are present perfect simple and present perfect continuous. For example, I have worked/lived/done etc. is the present perfect simple; while I have been watching/been doing/ been reading etc. is the present perfect continuous.

When we ask or say ‘how long’, the continuous is more usual.

1. I have been watching TV for 2 hours.
2. It has been raining since yesterday.
3. Jason has been doing the same job for 2 years.

However, do take note that there are some exceptions for some verbs. For example,

(know/like/believe) are not normally used in the continuous:

1. How long have you known Jason? (not have you been knowing)
2. I have had stomachache all day. (not I have been having)

We can use present perfect continuous or simple with live and work:

1. Jason has been living / has lived in Singapore since 3 years ago.
2. How long have you been working / have you worked here?



Exercise:

Jason and John are planning to have lunch at a restaurant. It is an unpleasant experience as they think the waiter (forget) __________ them because they (wait) __________ for over half an hour and nobody (take) __________ their order yet. The waiter (walk) __________ by them at least twenty times. John suspects that the waiter would probably think that they (order, already) __________. Meanwhile, Jason saw a couple, who (be, only) __________ there for five or ten minutes and they already have their food. He complains that the waiter should realize that they (order, not) __________ yet and in fact, they (sit) __________ there over half an hour staring at the waiter. However, John is not sure if the waiter (notice, even) __________ them because the waiter (run) __________ from table to table taking orders and serving food. In the end, they leave the restaurant without having their meal.



Raymond Murphy (2004). Unit11: How long have you (been) … ?
English Grammar in Use. (Pg. 22-23). UK: Cambridge University Press.

Verb Tense Exercise 7: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous.
Retrieved 4 September 2008, from http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs7.htm