1
Simple Past,
Present Perfect, and
Present Perfect Progressive
Adventure Travel
Focus on Grammar 4
Part I, Unit 3
By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells
Copyright © 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Adventure
Adventure Travel
Travel Ad
Ad
Are you looking for a little adventure in
your life? Travel with me to beautiful
Colorado. I’m an experienced river rafting
and rock climbing guide. I’ve been
guiding adventure travelers in this area for
10 years. In fact, last year, I took 30 trips
down the Colorado River. Oh, and don’t
worry about safety. I’ve also taken a
number of first aid and safety courses. No
one has ever broken any bones on my
trips!
Simple
Simple Past
Past 11
Use the simple past to talk about things that happened
and were completed in the past.
I rafted down the Nile River a year ago.
I kayaked in the Grand Canyon for two months.
rafted
past future
kayaked
Use ago to show now
when something
He’s not
started.
kayaking now.
Perfect
Perfect Tenses
Tenses 11
Use the present perfect and the present perfect
progressive to talk about things that started in the
past, but were not completed.
I have guided travelers my entire career.
I have been rock climbing for 10 years.
past have guided
future
have been rock climbing
These things continue up to the present
now
and may continue into the future.
Remember!
Remember!
Non-action (stative) verbs are not usually used in the
progressive.
I’ve been knowing how to rock
climb since I was young.
I’ve known how to rock climb
since I was young.
Perfect
Perfect Tenses
Tenses 22
We often use the present perfect and the present perfect
progressive with for and since. Use for to show how long
something has been true and since to show when something started.
I have trained for six years to take this trip.
since 2000.
He has been guiding trips since 2000.
for six years
past future
have trained
has been guiding
now
since
2000
Simple
Simple Past
Past 22
Use the simple past with past time expressions.
lastyear.
We trekked through the Andes Mountains last year.
ago.
He backpacked in Peru two months ago.
past future
e d
ked ck
k p a
t re k now
b ac
Be
Be Careful!
Careful!
Don’t use specific time expressions with the present
perfect except after since.
lastyear.
She has taken skydiving lessons last year.
She took skydiving lessons last
last year.
year.
since2004.
She has taken skydiving lessons since 2004.
Fill in the blanks with the simple
Practice 1 past, present perfect, or present
perfect progressive forms of the
verbs in parentheses.
Dear Mom and Dad,
I (sit) have sat/have been sitting here for hours
looking at the beautiful birds in the rain forest. This
vacation to Brazil (be) has been wonderful! I
(see) have seen so many amazing animals
since I arrived here. Last week, I
(hike) hikedthrough the forest to see the tree
monkeys. Our guide on that trip (tell) told us
some very interesting information. I
(learned) have learned/ have been learning so
much on this trip!
Love, Daniela
Present
Present Perfect
Perfect 11
Use the present perfect without time expressions to talk
about things that happened at some indefinite time in the
past.
They have canoed down the Amazon River.
time ????
past future
We don’t know when they now
canoed down the river, or the
time is not important.
Present
Present Perfect
Perfect 22
The present perfect without for or since shows that an
activity is finished. We often say how many or how
many times with this use of the present perfect.
three times.
He has visited Machu Picchu three times.
past future
now
Present
Present Perfect
Perfect Progressive
Progressive
The present perfect progressive shows that an
activity is unfinished. We often say how long with the
present perfect progressive.
forfive
They have been climbing for fivehours.
hours.
for five hours
past future
have been climbing
now
The activity is not finished.
They’re still climbing.
Present
Present Perfect
Perfect &
& Simple
Simple Past
Past
Use the present perfect or the simple past with
unfinished time periods such as today, this week, this
month, and this year. Notice the difference in meaning.
She’s traveled to Alaska The month isn’t
over. She
twice this month. might travel
again.
The month isn’t
She traveled to Alaska over, but she
probably won’t
twice this month. travel again
this month.
Look at the groups of sentences.
Practice 2 Discuss the differences in
meaning with a partner.
Example: a. I have
have visited
visited Kenya three times this year.
b. I visited Kenya three times this year.
1. a. I have taken many first-aid courses.
b. I have been taking many first-aid courses.
The year isn’t
The year isn’t
over, but the
over. The use
2. a. She rafted down the Nile River last week. use of the
of the present
simple past
perfect means
b. She has rafted down the Nile River.
that she might
means that she
probably won’t
return again to
3. a.Kenya.
We lived in Nepal for two years. return to
Kenya.
b. We have lived in Nepal for two years.
c. We have been living in Nepal for two years.
References
References
Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education and
its licensors. All rights reserved.
