Page 77 - Oxford_English_Grammar_Course_Basic_2015

time words: present perfect or simple past?

We don't normally use the present perfect with finished-time expressions.

We've found oil in the garden. BUT NOT We’ve found oil in the garden yesterday.
A plane has crashed at Heathrow Airport. BUT NOT A plane has crashed at 3.15 this afternoon.

Circle the words for a finished time.
a few days ago always this week last week never now

then today yesterday when in 1990

Correct (/) or not (X)?

► My father has changed his job. 8 Mary has written to me three weeks ago. ..

► Andy has gone to Scotland last week. . *. 9 Sorry - I've forgotten your name........

1 Look what Peter has given me yesterday! 10 I've forgotten Mike's birthday last Tuesday.

2 I've seen a great programme last night.... 11 Everybody has gone home at 10 o'clock. ...
3 I think everybody has arrived now....... 12 There's nobody here! What has happened?
4 When have you talked to Ann?...... 13 Sally has left school in 2006........

5 We've bought a new car in April........ 14 When have you arrived in London?......
6 I've met my wife when we were students. 15 I think Mary has missed the train........
7 Look what Peter has given me!...... 16 What have you done then?......

We can use the present perfect to ask if things have happened up to now, or to say that they haven't
happened up to now. This often happens with words for an unfinished time (for example today, ever, never).
Has the boss phoned today? Have you ever broken your leg?
We haven't been to Scotland this year. Mary hasn't written to me this week.

Have you ever seen a ghost? I've never seen one.

PAST ?EVER EVER EVER • • NOW PAST NOW

^ Make present perfect sentences.

► Steven / pay / for his lessons ? . . f?r. J?!£
1 you / ever / write / a poem ? ................................................................

2 I /never /climb /a mountain ...............................................................
3 Charles/speak/to you/today? .........................................................
4 C lara/not/tell/m e/her new address ...............................................
5 you/ever/lose/your memory? .........................................................
6 W e/not/play/football/this year ......................................................
7 Alex/never/write to me ....................................................................
8 you/see Henry/this week ? ...............................................................
9 my father/never/drive a car ..............................................................

10 the cat/have/anything to eat/today? ..............................................
11 you/finish/those letters ? ..................................................................
12 I / not/pay/for the lessons/this month .............................................
13 Sally / have a baby ...............................................................................
14 Lucy/not phone/today .....................................................................
15 Corinne/come back/from India ? ......................................................
16 It / stop / raining ..................................................................................

17 the postman /come/this morning ? ...................................................
18 We/eat/everything in the house .......................................................

62 PERFECT TENSES