Present Perfect v Past Simple with "for" & "since"
Examples of the Present Perfect
| over a period continuing until now | since a point in the past continuing until now |
| for three weeks | since the beginning of May |
| for three months | since February |
| for three years | since 1990 |
| for three decades | since 1960 |
| for three centuries | since 1690 |
| for a long time | since the start of my life |
| for ages | since this morning |
| for a short while | since the days of Adam & Eve |
"For" is used with the Past Simple when the period of time begins and ends in the past.
Complete these PRESENT PERFECT sentences using "for" or "since".
1. She's very tired. She hasn't slept ..................................
2. He smells very bad. He hasn't washed ................................
3. That student is very bored. He hasn't had a good teacher ............
4. This teacher is very boring. He hasn't taught a good lesson ..........
5. I have been studying English verb tenses .............................
6. I haven't spoken my own language .....................................
7. Those ladies are unhappy. They haven't kissed anybody ...............
8. I am very thirsty. ..................................................
9. How long have you been learning English? ............................
10. How long have you been living in England? ............................
Make questions in the Present Perfect for recent events or your life so far.
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11. [recently] [see] [good films] [you] ?
12. [before] [camel] [ride] [he] ?
13. [ever] [frogs legs] [she] [eat] ?
14. [lately] [they] [good books] [read] ?
15. [since she came here] [good friends] [she] [make] ?
16. [yet] [we] [grammar] [our] [study] ?
17. [so far] [life] [her] [she] [enjoy] ?
Answer these "why..now?" questions with the Present Perfect
18. Why are you so sad? I have just [3] .........
19. Why are you so hungry? I haven't [3] .........
20. Why are you so tired? I haven't [3] .........
21. Why is Yvonne smiling? She's just [3] ...........
22. Why is Ted angry? The students ...............
23. Why don't the students like the recent weather? It has [3] .....
24. Why are the students so worried? They haven't ...................
25. Why is the Students' Room such a romantic place? Many of them ...
The Past Simple or Present Perfect
| Past Simple [Finished events, Completed actions ] | Present Perfect [Link with the Present] |
| yesterday | ever (in your life) |
| last week / month | just (before now) |
| two days / weeks ago | already / yet |
| a moment ago | since ( + point of time) |
| when I was a child | recently / lately |
| Examples of the Past Simple | Examples of the Present Perfect |
| What did you do yesterday? [normal verb ] | Have you ever visited China? |
| Where were you last week? [verb To BE] | Have you been out this morning? |
| I studied very hard last month. | Has he finished yet? [before now] |
| He went to the toilet a moment ago. | I haven't been very well recently. |
| Ted lived in Bournemouth from 1969-72. | Angeles has just arrived in class. |
| Did you cry a lot when you were a baby? | The other students have already come. |
| I drove to Bath last Friday. | They have been there since 9 o'clock. |
| I overslept this morning. [Past & Finished] | I've been very unfair to my wife lately. |
Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form of the correct verb tense:
1. You (see) Charles recently? I (see) him in class last Friday but I (not see) him since.
2. Franzi (be) very tired yesterday. She go to bed early because she (not sleep) much recently.
3. "Diana.... (you visit) the Royal Pavilion yet?"
"Yes, Ted. I (be) there already."
"Really! When (you go) ?"
"I (just see) it. I (go) there yesterday!... No, I'm joking. I (go) there two months ago."
4. "Mariella....(you eat) any good Italian food lately?"
"Yes. I (eat) some in London the day before yesterday. It (be) fantastic!"
5. "Ruth. Where (spend you) your holidays when you were a child?"
"Nowhere. I (never have) a holiday in my life! .... No, that's a lie. I (spend) them at home!"
6. "Tomoyo, Takako and Mayumi (all eat) Miso soup before in their lives, but they last (eat) some when they were in Japan. They (not eat) any lately!
7. Rafael (get up) at 7 a.m. this morning, but he (not have) breakfast yet.