UNIT 2.

PRESENT & PAST: PERFECT & PROGRESSIVE

Exercise 1. Underline the correct words in bold. In two places both answers are possible.
1. Jake doesn't have any family. He's always lived/ been living on his own.
2. He never answers the phone. I've called / been calling six times!
3. Sorry I'm so late. I've waited / been waiting for a call from the New York office.
4. Debbie knows Seattle really well. She's lived / been living there for two years.
5. I'm afraid the house is a mess. We've decorated / been decorating it.
6. Look at the new garden lights. Sam's just turned / been turning them on.
7. Carol's an expert on economics. She's studied / been studying it for years.
8. Harry's an old friend of mine. I've known / been knowing him since we were kids.
9. Marking essays is hard work. I've marked / been marking twenty this evening.
10. I'm curious about the food here. I haven't tried / been trying Mexican food before.
11. I hate cabbage. I've never liked / been liking it.
12. It was noisy next door last night. Our neighbours were having / had been having a party.
13. At the end of our journey we were extremely tired. We were travelling / We'd been travelling for more
than 24 hours.
14. James was on his hands and knees on the floor. He was looking / He'd been looking for his contact lens.
15. Sue was sitting on the ground. She was out of breath. She was running / She'd been running.
16. John and I went for a walk. He was walking / He'd been walking very fast and I had difficulty keeping up
with him.
17. I was sad when I sold my car. I've had it / I'd had it for a very long time.
18. I was sad when my local cafe closed. I was going / I'd been going there for many years.
19. I'm running a marathon next month. I've been training / I'd been training for it every day.
20. I had arranged to meet Kate, but I was late. When I finally arrived, she was waiting / she'd been waiting
for me. She was annoyed because she was waiting / she'd been waiting such a long time.
21. Joe and I work for the same company. He joined the company before me. When I started a few years ago,
he was already working / he'd already been working there.
22. I started working at the company a few years ago. At the time I started, Joe was already working / had
already been working there for two years.
23. Joe still works for the company. He's been working / He'd been working there a long time now.
Exercise 2. Write ‘for’ or ‘since’.
1. I haven't been to a party __________ ages. for
2. I wonder where Joe is. I haven't seen him __________ last week. since
3. I'm tired of waiting. We've been sitting here __________ an hour. for
4. It's been raining __________ lunchtime. since
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5. Jane is away on holiday. She's been away __________ Friday. since
6. Kevin has been looking for a job __________ he left school. since
7. Paul has lived in Brazil __________ ten years. for
8. The weather is dry. It hasn't rained __________ a few weeks. for
Exercise 3. Put the verb into the correct form, present perfect or past simple.
1. (I/ apply) __________ I applied for a job as a tour guide, but I wasn't successful.
2. Are you ready to go? (you / finish) __________ Have you finished your coffee?
3. I studied German at school, but (I / forget) __________ have forgotten most of it now.
4. It (it / stop) __________ stopped raining for a while, but now it's raining again.
5. Quick! We need to call an ambulance. (there / be) __________ There has been an accident.
6. The police (arrest) __________ arrested three people, but later they let them go.
7. The town where I live is very different now. (it / change) __________ It has changed a lot.
8. What do you think of my English? Do you think (it/ improve) __________ it has improved?
9. Where's my bike? (it / be) __________ It was outside the house, but it's not there now.
10. A: Ben won't be able to play tennis for a while. (He / break) __________ He’s broken/ He broke his arm.
B: Oh. How (that / happen) __________ did that happen?
A: (He / fall) __________ He fell off a ladder.
11. A: I've found my phone.
B: Oh, good.
A: Where (you / find) __________ did you find it?
B: (It / be) __________ It was at the bottom of my bag.
Exercise 4. Put the verb into the correct form, present perfect or present perfect progressive. In one place,
both are possible.
1. (I / never / hear) ____________________ I’ve never heard such nonsense!
2. (I/ not finish) ____________________ I haven’t finished the book yet so I can't tell you what happens.
3. (I/ try) ____________________ I’ve been trying to get in touch with Jenny all morning but I can't find
her anywhere.
4. (We / live) ____________________ We’ve been living/ We’ve lived here for the last six years.
5. (you / already / decide) ____________________ Have you already decided where you're going this
summer?
6. (you / ever / meet) ____________________ Have you every met anyone famous?
7. It's the first time (I/ ever / eat) ____________________ I’ve ever eaten octopus!
8. Poor Tracy! She (write) ____________________ has been writing that essay for hours now and she still
hasn't finished!

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9. Sandy (not / see) ____________________ hasn’t seen his sister since she went to university.
10. They (go) ____________________ have gone on holiday to Spain and won't be back until the end of the
month.
Exercise 5. Are the underlined verbs OK? If yes, put a tick (✓), otherwise correct them.

1. 'Have you been to Paris?' --- 'Yes, many times?' ✓

2. Have you eaten a lot of sweets when you were a child? Did you eat
3. I'm looking for Mike. Have you seen him? ✓

4. I'm very hungry. I haven't eaten much today. ✓

5. I've bought a new car last week. I bought
6. I've bought a new car. You must come and see it. ✓

7. I've lost my key. I can't find it anywhere. ✓

8. Maria has left school in 1999. left
9. When has this bridge been built? was this bridge
10. Where have you been yesterday evening? were
Exercise 6. Choose the lettered word or phrase that best completes each of the following sentences.
1. Diego _______ a shower at the moment, so could you call back in about half an hour?
A. takes B. is taking C. has been D. has been taking
2. _______ TV for the last four hours? Turn it off and get some exercise!
A. Do you watch C. Did you watch
B. Are you watching D. Have you been watching
3. Estella, _______ hockey competitively or just for fun?
A. do you usually play C. have you usually played
B. are you usually playing D. have you usually been playing
4. _______ to Venice before?
A. Do you ever go C. Have you ever been
B. Are you every going D. Have you ever been going
5. We _______ when someone knocked at the door.
A. talked B. had talked C. were talking D. have been talking
6. Jamari _______ chess before so I showed him what to do.
A. hasn’t played B. hadn’t played C. didn’t play D. hadn’t been playing
7. Unfortunately, Salem _______ a day off very often.
A. doesn’t get B. isn’t getting C. hasn’t got D. hasn’t been getting
8. By the time the teacher arrived, the students _______ their assignments.
A. finished B. had finished C. were finishing D. had been finishing
9. I _______ to all the local newspapers and TV stations to complain.
A. already write C. have already written
B. already writing D. have already been writing

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 10. Querida _______ at the factory long when he was made a manager.
A. hadn’t been working C. didn’t work
B. wasn’t working D. hasn’t worked
11. My sister and I _______ swimming almost every day last summer.
A. were going B. had been going C. went D. had gone
12. Jessica has _______ left, I’m afraid.
A. already B. yet C. still D. so far
13. When the robbery happened, the security guard _______!
A. was sleeping B. had slept C. slept D. has slept
14. I wasn’t sure how Belinda would react because I _______ her long.
A. didn’t know C. hadn’t been knowing
B. wasn’t knowing D. hadn’t known
15. That’s the first time I _______ an answer right today!
A. get B. am getting C. have got D. have been getting
16. Actually, I _______ a cup of tea first thing every morning but then I switch to coffee.
A. do drink B. am drinking C. have drunk D. have been drinking
17. I wanted to say goodbye to Jerry but he _______.
A. has already left B. already left C. had already leaving D. had already left
18. When we got to the airport, I realized I _______ my passport at home!
A. have left B. had left C. left D. had been leaving
19. They _______ in that house for ten years before it was demolished.
A. lived B. have lived C. were living D. had been living
20. Lee _______ in the living room while we redecorate his bedroom.
A. sleeps B. is sleeping C. has slept D. was sleeping
Exercise 7. Find ELEVEN mistakes in the email and correct them.
Subject: Hi from Kirsty
Hi Stewart 1. been
I'm sorry it's being so long since I wrote to you, but you know how busy I've been for 2. since
I last saw you. I've finished just my first month in the new job and it's really hard 3. just finished
work. But I've always want to be a mechanic so I suppose I can't complain now that I
4. wanted
am one! Actually, the job isn't too bad. Last week I've worked on a Ferrari and that
was pretty exciting! We get all kinds of cars and customers in the garage. I've met 5. I
never so many strange people before! 6. never met
My boss is quite nice. He worked at the garage for years and years, so he's very 7. has worked
experienced. He gave me a lot of advice since I started and he doesn't mind helping 8. has given
me when I'm not sure what to do. He's yet told me he thinks I'm going to be one of
their best mechanics one day. 9. already
10. Did you get
Of course I need to get a lot more experience before that happens!
11. I haven’t
Anyway. How are you? Have you got a wedding invitation yesterday? Sarah
Bradshaw is getting married to Simon Wates! I've never seen her for ages but it's
fantastic news and I'm really happy for her. Are you going to the wedding?

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Exercise 8. Complete the text with suitable forms of the words in brackets. Use the present perfect or past
simple. In one place, both are possible.
ELECTRIC CARS - LATEST UPDATE
A small American car manufacturer (1. just announce) ___________________ has just announced that its
experimental electric car, the Lexington X1, will go into production this year. Markton Automobiles, of Detroit,
Michigan, (2. make) ___________________ made the announcement at last month's Auto Show in Geneva.

Although there are now many electric cars on the market, so far manufacturers (3. not be) ___________________
haven’t been able to produce one that can really compete with existing petrol cars. There are two major problems
- speed and distance. Up until now, electric cars (4. be) ___________________ have been either too slow or
unable to travel far enough without recharging their batteries. Markton Automobiles claim that they (5. overcome)
___________________ have overcome these difficulties with a new type of solar panel which continually
recharges the batteries. The company (6. not give) ___________________ hasn’t given the press exact details
yet, but they claim they (7. already test) ___________________ have already tested the car successfully under
all kinds of weather conditions. A Japanese company (8. first design) ___________________ first designed the
engine in 2007. But over the last few years Markton (9. adapt) ___________________ has adapted the design
and increased its power.

The company (10. invite) ___________________ invited ten journalists to test-drive the new car last week. Their
reports (11. be) ___________________ have been/ were mainly positive, although we will have to wait for the
full test results before we know if this really is the electric car that everyone is waiting for.

Exercise 9. Complete the conversation with suitable forms, present perfect or present perfect progressive, of
the words in brackets.
ROY: You look tired. (1. you work) ___________________ Have you been working all day?
BEN: Not exactly, I (2. do) ___________________ have been doing some research on the Internet.
I (3. try) ___________________ have been trying to get some information about one of our old
friends from college.
ROY: Who?
BEN: Dave Colston. Do you remember him?
ROY: Yes. I (4. not see) ___________________ haven’t seen him for years! But what do you want to find
out?
BEN: Well. I (5. just get) ___________________ have just got an email from Philip Markham. He wants
to get in touch with Dave but he doesn’t know where he is now. He thinks Dave (6. live)
___________________ has been living in the Far East for the last few years.
ROY: Yes. I remember he was always interested in oriental philosophy.
BEN: Exactly. I (7. look) ___________________ have looked at six or seven different websites already,
but I (8. not find) ___________________ haven’t found much information.

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 ROY: (9. you try) ___________________ Have you tried that website that reunites old college friends?
BEN: Yes. I (10. already look) ___________________ have already looked at that one, but he’s not on
it. I posted a message for some of his other friends on some other websites and I (11. wait)
___________________ have been waiting for a reply. But so far I’ve heard nothing …
Exercise 10. Complete the conversation with suitable forms, past simple, present perfect or present perfect
progressive, of the words in brackets.
[Jake and Michael, two friends, are talking.]
J: Hello, I (1. not see) ___________________ haven’t seen you for ages.
M: No, it must be about two years since we last (2. meet) ___________________ met. What (3. you do)
___________________ have you been doing with yourself?
J: I (4. do) ___________________ have you been doing all sorts of things. Life (5. be)
___________________ has been very busy lately. I (6. start) ___________________ have started a
new job at the sailing centre.
M: Really! Doing what?
J: Well, I (7. teach) ___________________ have been teaching beginners’ courses to school groups this
term but when those (8. finish) ___________________ have finished, I’ll be teaching more advanced
groups on holiday courses.
M: That sounds great. What about your old job at the tourist office then?
J: Well, I (9. work) ___________________ worked there for ten years and I quite (10. enjoy)
___________________ enjoyed the job but I (11. want) ___________________ wanted to do
something different. I (12. always enjoy) ___________________ have always enjoyed sailing in my
spare time so I (13. think) ___________________ thought it would be nice to do it for a job.
M: So how long (14. you be) ___________________ have you been at the sailing centre?
J: For about two months now. I’m sure I (15. do) ___________________ have done the right thing. It’s a
really enjoyable job. And what about you?
M: Well, I’m still at the Rembrandt Hotel. I (16. work) ___________________ have been working there
for fifteen years now. But I (17. have) ___________________ have had a promotion so that’s good.
They (18. give) ___________________ have given the job of head receptionist.
J: Oh, that’s good news.
M: Yes, it (19. make) ___________________ has made me feel much better about work. I mean, I (20.
do) ___________________ have done a lot of different jobs at the hotel but I (21. never have)
___________________ have never had a job with this much responsibility before. I (22. work)
___________________ worked on the reception desk for four years when I (23. start)
___________________ started at the hotel – that was before they (24. move) ___________________
moved me into the office – but I (25. be) ___________________ was only a junior receptionist then so
I just (26. do) ___________________ did what I (27. be told) ___________________ was told to do.
J: So when (28. you get) ___________________ did you get the new job?

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 M: A month ago, after I (29. pass) ___________________ passed my intermediate exams in Spanish and
German at the college. Did you know I (30. do) ___________________ have been doing language
evening classes at the college for a while now?
J: No, I didn’t realize.
M: Yes, I (31. decide) ___________________ decided that I (32. cannot get) ___________________
couldn’t get any further at work without learning some languages.
J: And so you did! What a good idea.
Exercise 11. Put the verbs in brackets into the past simple or past perfect.
James (1. sit) ____________ sat outside the office waiting for the interview. He (2. feel) ____________ felt so
nervous that he (3. not know) ____________ didn’t know what to do with himself. The person who (4. go in)
____________ had gone in before him (5. be) ____________ had been in there for nearly an hour. And she (6.
look) ____________ (had) looked so confident when she (7. go in) ____________ went in. Not like James.
She (8. feel) ____________ felt sure that she (9. already get) ____________ had already got the job. The
problem (10. be) ____________ was that he (11. want) ____________ wanted this job so much. It (12. mean)
____________ meant everything to him. He (13. think) ____________ had thought about it such a lot before
the day of the interview. He (14. imagine) ____________ had imagined himself performing brilliantly at the
interview and being offered the job immediately. But now here he (15. be) ____________ was feeling terrible.
He (16. cannot remember) ____________ couldn’t remember all those things he (17. plan) ____________
had planned to say. At that moment, he (18. almost decide) ____________ almost decided to get up and
leave. But no - he (19. have to do) ____________ had to do this. He (20. spend) ____________ had spent so
much time thinking about it that he (21. cannot give up) ____________ couldn’t give up like that. His hands
(22. be) ____________ were hot and sticky and his mouth (23. feel) ____________ felt dry. Finally the door of
the office (24. open) ____________ opened. The woman who (25. go in) ____________ had gone in an hour
earlier (26. come out) ____________ came out looking very pleased with herself. She (27. smile)
____________ smiled sympathetically at James. At that moment James (28. hate) ____________ hated her.
The managing director then (29. appear) ____________ appeared at the office door. 'Would you like to come
in now, Mr Davis? I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.' James (30. suddenly wish) ____________ suddenly
wished that he (31. go) ____________ had gone home after all. He (32. get up) ____________ got up, legs
shaking and forehead sweating and (33. wonder) ____________ wondered whether he (34. look)
____________ looked as terrified as he (35. feel) ____________ felt.

Exercise 12. Complete each second sentence using the word given, so that it has a similar meaning to the
first sentence. Write between TWO and FIVE words in each gap.
1. It’s only Taylor’s third time in an opera house. BEEN
Taylor _____________________________________________________in an opera house twice before.
has only been
2. Raul and Max got to Madrid two hours ago. HAVE
Homework – Grammar 1 – B2 Page 7 of 9
 Raul and Max _______________________________________________________________ two hours.
have been in Madrid (for)
3. I started writing this hours ago and it’s still not right. WRITING
I ____________________________________________________________ hours and it’s still not right.
have been writing this for
4. This is my first experience of making sushi. TIME
It is the first _____________________________________________________________________ sushi.
time I have made
5. Last Friday was the first time my car ever broke down, even though it is very old. NEVER
Until last Friday, my car _____________________________________ down, even though it is very old.
had never broken
6. I hadn’t tasted Mexican food before. FIRST
It was the _______________________________________________________________ Mexican food.
first time I had tasted
7. While we were in London, it never stopped raining. CONTINUOUSLY
It _____________________________________________________________ while we were in London.
rained/ was raining continuously
8. After walking home for a mile, they realized that someone was missing. HAD
They _________________________________ for a mile when they realized that someone was missing.
had walked/ had been walking
9. That was the only science-fiction book George had read. NEVER
George ______________________________________________________ a science-fiction book before.
had never read
10. When Mark was a student, he was in the habit of forgetting his books. ALWAYS
Mark ____________________________________________________ his books when he was a student.
was always forgetting
11. Pierce made a speech and then we left the ceremony. UNTIL
We didn’t leave the ceremony ___________________________________________________ a speech.
until Pierce (had) made
12. He has never driven another car since he started driving. ONLY
This is the _______________________________________________________ since he started driving.
only car he has driven
13. The last time I went hiking was a week ago. FOR
I ____________________________________________________________________________ a week.
haven’t gone hiking for

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14. When did Brayden start working for the city council? BEEN
How long___________________________________________________________ for the city council?
has Brayden been working
15. This is Bonnie’s second visit to the dentist this month. TIME
This is the _________________________________________________________ the dentist this month.
second time Bonnie has visited
16. Let’s not go to a café as I had some coffee earlier. ALREADY
Let’s not go to a café as I ____________________________________________________ some coffee.
have already had/drunk
17. Ray still doesn’t know which car to buy. MADE
Ray __________________________________________________________ his mind which car to buy.
(still) hasn’t made up
18. We have never experienced such a cold winter in Moscow before. EVER
It’s the coldest ______________________________________________________________ in Moscow.
winter we have ever experienced
19. We bought this house when Owen was born. HAD
We ___________________________________________________________________ Owen was born .
have had this house since
20. As soon as we arrived at the hotel, the receptionist told us to leave. JUST
We _________________________________________ at the hotel when the receptionist told us to leave.
had just arrived

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