Present Perfect - Experience

Present Perfect
Present Perfect - Experience	Framed \| Unframed

Contrast

PAST - SPECIFIC TIME	PRESENT PERFECT - UNSPECIFIED TIME
My family saw the Tower of Pisa in June, 2007.	My family has seen the Tower of Pisa.
We were in Italy in last year.	We have been in Italy.
We took a flight from Rome to New York	We've taken a flight from Rome to New York.

Have you ever visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Have you visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa before?
Yes, I have (seen) it.	- experience exists
No, I haven't seen it.	- experience doesn't exist
No, I haven't ever seen it.	- experience doesn't exist (emphasis)
No , I've never seen it.	- experience doesn't exist (more emphasis)

ADVERBS FOR PAST ACTIVITIES	ADVERBS FOR EXPERIENCE
We went to Italy last year.	We have been to Italy.
last night yesterday last week last year last January this morning (hours past) this week (days past) this year.. this decade. August 1960 1992 May 5th at 5:00. (if it has already passed) twenty years ago during the 1990s at that time etc.	ever before never often always rarely usually (and other adverbs of frequency) (often not stated - indefinite)

COMMON ERROR	FIXES
Have you ever visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa? * Yes, I have visited it in June. (incompatible tense and time word)	Yes, I visited it in June. (Use past tense.) Yes, I have visited it. (Use no adverb - indefinite. ) Yes, I have visited it recently. (Use "recently". )
* He hasn't never been there. (double negative)	He hasn't ever been there. He hasn't been there.

Pop-Question - Solution for 9/28/08

How would you fix this phrasing?

"Never we have to have a financial bailout of banking institutions in the U.S. before."

Bringing words, such as never or often, to the front of the sentence for emphasis requires reordering the subject and verb(s).

No Emphasis
Standard word order

Mild Emphasis
Adverb in front of the verb

ADVERB - MEDIAL VERB PHRASE POSITION	ADVERB - INITIAL VERB PHRASE POSITION
We have never seen such a financial mess before.	We never have seen such a financial mess before.
We never expect such a thing to happen. (No change possible.)	We never expect such a thing to happen.
We should never allow this to happen again.	We never should allow this to happen again.

Mild Emphasis

Adverb in front of the verb

Strong Emphasis

Adverb & auxiliary verb in front of subject & main verb

ADVERB - INITIAL VERB PHRASE POSITION	ADVERB - INITIAL SENTENCE POSITION
We never have seen such a financial mess before.	Never have we seen such a financial mess.
We never have had to have a financial bailout before.	Never have we had to have a financial bailout before.
We never expect such a thing to happen.	Never did we expect such a thing to happen.
We never should allow this to happen again.	Never should we allow this to happen again.

Traveling

Choose the adverbs or verbs that best complete the sentence. (The context of the sentences below is a person telling about travel experiences.)

Suitcase on wheels

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK ANSWER
1.	STANDARD WORD ORDER wanted to travel around Italy.
2.	MILD EMPHASIS wanted to travel around Italy.
3.	STRONG EMPHASIS wanted to travel around Italy.
4.	We over Italy many times on the way to Greece.
5.	been to Naples.
6.	My friend Pompeii last year.
7.	We there.
8.	STRONG EMPHASIS about going back to see Venice.
9.	However, we it is hard to get hotel reservations.
10.	STRONG EMPHASIS a flight connection.
11.	We luggage before.
12.	Traveling a great deal of fun.
13.	MILD EMPHASIS our travels.
14.	We our travels.

Julie Sevastopoulos - ESL Department - College of San Mateo - San Mateo, CA 94402 USA