B2 Present Perfect Simple and Continuous

B2 GRAMMAR · present perfect and perfect continuous

Nearly Finished

PICTURE

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"He's said 'next summer' every winter since 2009."

Present perfect simple vs continuous · action and non-action verbs · how long, how many

Reading

Speaking

A · LEAD-IN

Dedication or obsession?

Discuss in pairs.

1. Have you ever spent far too long on one project, hobby or goal? What was it?

2. At what point does dedication become obsession?

PICTURE

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B · READING FOR GIST

Twenty-two years in a garage

Ray Kowalski has been restoring the same car since 2004. His family have opinions.

PICTURE

READ ONCE AND CHOOSE THE BEST SUBTITLE

(you add this)

1. a) How to restore a classic car on a budget

2. b) A marriage, a garage and twenty-two years

3. c) Why men over fifty need hobbies

B · READING

The car that has taken over a family

"It's nearly finished"

Ray Kowalski has been restoring the same 1967 Jaguar E-Type since March 2004. In that time, his daughter has grown up and left home, his wife has changed jobs three times, and the house next door has been sold twice. The car has still not moved under its own power.

"I've known Ray since we were nineteen," says his wife, Denise, "and I've never seen him give up on anything. It's the best and worst thing about him." She has been keeping a tally on the garage wall. "He's spent around £38,000 so far. He's rebuilt the engine twice. He's ordered parts from eleven countries. And he's told me 'it's nearly finished' — I've counted — two hundred and six times."

Ray doesn't dispute the figures. "I've been working on the gearbox all week," he says, wiping his hands. "The problem is, every time I fix one

thing, I notice three more. Denise says I've been avoiding the rest of my life. That's not fair. I've been to every one of our daughter's school concerts. I just haven't finished the car yet."

Their daughter, Lena, now 24, is more philosophical. "The car has been part of my life since before I can remember. I've been telling Dad for years that he doesn't actually want to finish it. If he finishes it, what does he do on Sundays?" She pauses. "Also, Mum's been secretly learning to drive a manual. She says when it's done, she's taking it first."

Ray has recently promised a deadline: next summer. Denise has heard this before. "He's said 'next summer' every winter since 2009," she says. "But I'll tell you something. I've been living with that car for twenty-two years. I've lived in this house for twenty-five. If it's a choice between them, the house is staying."

C · COMPREHENSION

Right or wrong? Correct the wrong ones.

1. Ray started the restoration in 2004 and it is now complete.

2. Denise has recorded how many times Ray has said "it's nearly finished".

3. Ray has been working on the gearbox for a few hours.

4. Lena believes her father genuinely wants to finish the car.

5. Denise has lived in the house for longer than the car has been in the garage.

D · GRAMMAR FOCUS

Group 1 — present perfect simple

a) I've never seen him give up on anything.

b) He's rebuilt the engine twice. He's ordered parts from eleven countries.

c) I just haven't finished the car yet.

d) I've known Ray since we were nineteen.

e) It's the longest project he's ever started.

1. Which sentence talks about life experience with never? Which contains yet?

2. Which sentence answers how many times / how much something has happened up to now?

3. Know is a non-action verb. In (d), did the situation start in the past and is it still true now? Could we say I know Ray since we were nineteen?

D · GRAMMAR FOCUS

Groups 2 and 3 — continuous, and choosing between them

a) Ray has been restoring the same Jaguar since March 2004.

b) I've been telling Dad for years that he doesn't want to finish it.

c) "I've been working on the gearbox all week," he says, wiping his hands.

d) I've been living with that car for twenty-two years. I've lived in this house for twenty-five.

e) He's told me it's nearly finished two hundred and six times. vs He's been telling me it's nearly finished for years.

1. In (a), did the action start in the past? Is it still happening? Is restore an action or non-action verb?

2. In (b), has Lena told him once, or many times? What kind of action does the continuous describe here?

3. In (c), Ray is wiping his hands. Has the action just finished, and can we see a present result?

4. In (d), both forms are possible with live. Which one sounds more temporary or emotionally "unfinished"?

5. In (e), which version focuses on the number of completed actions? Which focuses on the duration / repetition? Could we say He's been telling me two hundred and six times?

D · THE RULES

Complete the rules

Complete the rules with simple or continuous.

• We use the present perfect ________ for past experiences (ever / never), with just / yet / already, with superlatives and the first / second time, for finished actions with present results, and to say how much / how many / how often up to now.

• We use the present perfect ________ with action verbs for actions that started in the past and are still happening (How long...? for, since, all day), for repeated actions (recently, all week), and for continuous actions that have just finished but have a present result.

• With non-action verbs (be, know, have, like, need) we use the present perfect ________ even for unfinished situations. NOT I've been knowing her for years.

• The present perfect ________ emphasises completion; the ________ emphasises duration — and suggests the action may not be finished.

CAREFUL

Some verbs are action or non-action depending on meaning: She's had that car for years (possession — non-action) vs She's been having driving lessons (activity — action). With live and work, both forms are common, but the continuous suggests something more temporary.

E · CONTROLLED PRACTICE

Choose the correct form. Tick if both are possible.

1. Ray has spent / has been spending 38,000 pounds on the car so far.

2. Denise has kept / has been keeping a tally on the wall since 2009.

3. He has rebuilt / has been rebuilding the engine twice.

4. Lena has known / has been knowing about the car all her life.

5. Your hands are filthy. Have you worked / Have you been working in the garage again?

6. I have never understood / have never been understanding why people restore cars.

7. We have lived / have been living here since 2001 — it's our forever home.

8. They have had / have been having the same argument every Sunday for a decade.

9. How many times have you told / have you been telling him to stop?

10. I have painted / have been painting the garage door — there's one more coat to do.

Now complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb.

11. "You look exhausted." "I ________ (try) to fix the gearbox since six this morning."

12. She ________ (not / speak) to her brother for three years, and she doesn't intend to start now.

13. Someone ________ (eat) my sandwich — the plate's empty.

14. Someone ________ (eat) my biscuits — half the packet's gone.

15. How long ________ (you / have) that phone? It looks ancient.

16. We ________ (not / decide) yet, but we ________ (talk) about moving abroad for months.

F · FREER PRACTICE

The unfinished project

Tell your partner about something you've been doing for a long time — a course, a hobby, a renovation, a book you've been reading for a year.

• Your partner interviews you: How long have you been doing it? How much have you spent so far? Why haven't you finished? Have you ever thought about giving up?

• Report back: who in the class has been doing something for the longest?

• Writing (optional homework): Write Denise's message to a friend (100-120 words) about the last twenty-two years. Use at least four present perfect simple and four continuous forms, and one how many / how much sentence.

PICTURE

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TEACHER'S REFERENCE · HIDE OR DELETE BEFORE CLASS

Answer key

B GIST b) A marriage, a garage and twenty-two years

C 1 Wrong — he started in 2004 but it still isn't finished / hasn't moved. 2 Right. 3 Wrong — all week. 4 Wrong — she thinks he doesn't actually want to finish it. 5 Right (25 years vs 22).

D GROUP 1 1 (a) never; (c) yet. 2 (b) — twice / eleven countries. 3 Yes; yes; no — the present perfect is needed with since.

D GROUPS 2-3 1 Yes; yes; action verb. 2 Many times; a repeated action. 3 Yes — just finished, with a visible present result (dirty hands). 4 The continuous (I've been living with that car) sounds more temporary, as if she is still enduring it. 5 Simple = number of completed actions; continuous = duration / repetition; no — how many times requires the simple.

RULES simple; continuous; simple; simple / continuous.

E 1-10 1 has spent (amount) · 2 both (continuous more natural for an ongoing activity) · 3 has rebuilt (twice) · 4 has known (non-action) · 5 Have you been working (present result) · 6 have never understood (non-action) · 7 both (simple slightly preferred — permanent) · 8 both (continuous emphasises repetition; have had also natural) · 9 have you told (how many times) · 10 have been painting (not finished)

E 11-16 11 've been trying · 12 hasn't spoken · 13 has eaten (finished — plate empty) · 14 has been eating (ongoing, incomplete — half the packet) · 15 have you had (possession — non-action) · 16 haven't decided / 've been talking