IELTS Grammar | Unit 3: Present Perfect | Present Perfect Simple and Continuous

In the unit today, we are going to learn abour the present perfect including present perfect simple and continuous.

Make sure you do not miss other units, you can read other units in Grammar for IELTS for more.

A. Context listening

1. You are going to hear two university students, Carl and Sue, talking about an assignment. Before you listen, look at the list of activities (A-F). Put the activities in the order which you think is best when writing an assignment.

2. Listen to the first part of the conversation. Which five activities does Sue mention? Write the letters A-F in the correct order in boxes 1-5 on the flowchart.

3. Listen to the second part of the conversation and fill in the gaps.

1. Sue: I …………… plenty of information for the assignment.
2. Sue: When I was in the library last week, I …………… those leaflets.
3. Carl: I …………… tired since I started this course!
4. Carl: I …………… and I’m already tired.

4. Look at your answers to Exercise 3 and find examples of each of the following:

B. Grammar

We use the present perfect when we want to show a link between the present and the past.

1. Present perfect simple

We use the present perfect simple

+ to talk about a time period that is not finished (e.g. today, this week):

I’ve written a rough plan this morning. (it is still morning)

+ to show that something happened at some point in the past before now. We don’t state when it happened:

I’ve collected plenty of information. (at some point before now and I will use it to write my essay)

The following time expressions are often used: ever, never, before, up to now, still, so far.

It’s the longest I’ve ever had to write. (at any point before now)

If we state when something happened we must use the simple past:

I wasted a lot of time last week. (not I have wasted a lot of time last week)

+ to talk about a present situation which started in the past, usually with for/since:

I’ve worked really hard for the last two weeks. (I’ve worked hard till now)

We use for with a length of time (e.g. for two hours, for three days, for six months) and since with a point in time (e.g. since 2001, since Monday, since ten o’clock, since I was four, since I started the course).

+ to talk about something that happened at an unstated time in the past but is connected to the present:

I’ve read all the books on the reading list. (I have the notes now)

The following time expressions are often used: recently, just, already, and yet with negatives or questions.

I’ve just got up.

Have you your written assignment yet?

Note the position of the following time expressions that occur with the present perfect:

+ between the auxiliary and main verb (e.g. recently, already, always, ever, just, never)

I’ve already written the notes.

I’ve just finished my essay.

Ever is generally used with questions or negatives:

Have you ever been to Buenos Aires?

+ after the main verb (e.g. all my life, every day, yet, before, for ages, for two weeks, since 2003, since I was a child etc.)

I’ve felt tired for weeks.

I haven’t flown before.

If there is an object clause, the time expression comes at the end:

I’ve gone to bed early every night since then.

I’ve written more than ten assignments since I started this course.

2 Present perfect continuous

We can use either the present perfect simple or the present perfect continuous to say how long a situation or activity has been going on (often with for or since):

I’ve felt tired for weeks.

I’ve been feeling tired since I started this course.

I’ve worked at the restaurant since I moved here.

I’ve been working at the restaurant for three years.

Compare the different uses of the present perfect simple and the present perfect continuous:

State verbs (see Unit 1) do not generally have a continuous form:

I’ve known them since I was a child. (not Pve been knowing them since I was a child)