Present Perfect - Relating the Past to the Present:

Ongoing

An Online Tour of the Tower

Referring to an activity in progress

Present Perfect — Nonprogressive vs. Progressive

COMPLETED	ONGOING
Use the present perfect for an activity or event that started in the past and has recently ended, but is still relevant to a current activity.	Use the present perfect progressive for an activity or event started in the past and continues on. We use this tense to relate past activity to current activity.
The art committee has photographed the entire Tower of Pisa. (They're done now.)	They have been organizing 64,000 photographs. (work in progress)
We have enjoyed our visit in Italy. (It is over now.)	We have been enjoying our visit in Italy.
Mr. Papaglia has worked on the project. (He's doing other things now.)	Mr. Papaglia has been working on the project. (He continues to work on it.)
He has written a book on the history of Pisa. (You can buy it. It's done. )	He has been writing a book on the history of Pisa. (He is still in the process of writing it.)

Adverb Use

PRESENT PERFECT	PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
COMPLETED – In this context, the activity has not ended yet.	ONGOING – In this context, the activity is continuing.
We have enjoyed our visit in Italy. (It is over now.)	We have been enjoying our visit in Italy. (We have more to see.)

PRESENT PERFECT

PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

COMPLETED – In this context, the activity has not ended yet.

ONGOING – In this context, the activity is continuing.

We have enjoyed our visit in Italy. (It is over now.)

We have been enjoying our visit in Italy. (We have more to see.)

Common Mistakes

ERROR	FIX
He has been knowing me for a long time.	He has known me for a long time. (A stative verb is not used in the progressive form.)
The work has been becoming especially difficulty.	The work has been become especially difficulty. (A stative verb is not used in the progressive form.)
He has been calling several times. We made him stop.	He called several times. We made him stop. (The focus is on the action not the duration of time. Use past.)
Children have been complaining about doing homework.	Children complain about doing homework. (general truth.) Our children have been complaining about doing their homework. (specific example)

Practice 1

Still happening or done?

Complete the sentece

Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK ANSWER
1.	I have called the telephone help line,
2.	I have been calling the telephone help line,
3.	I have made the reservations for your trip.
4.	I have been making the reservations for your trip. .
5.	I have been learning to speak Russian.
6.	I have learned to speak Russian.

Practice 2

Study Progress

Correct or incorrect?

Select an option – correct or incorrect.
Read the feedback.

#	SENTENCE	YOUR RESPONSE & FEEDBACK
7.	Last week we have been studying the past tense.	Correct Incorrect Feedback 7
8.	Last week, we started studying the present perfect. This week we have been studying different uses of the tense.	Correct Incorrect Feedback 8
9.	We have been writing stories using the present tense. Then, we read our stories to the rest of the class.	Correct Incorrect Feedback 9
10.	The stories have been including some funny personal expreriences. We have been having a lot of fun with the assignment.	Correct Incorrect Feedback 10 Stative verbs

Practice 3

Woodpeckers

Read for Tense Errors

Scientists looked to nature to understand: Why don't woodpeckers get concussions? Concussions commonly occur when people get hit in the head, often in car accidents or in contact sports like football.

Scientists estimated the head-pounding action of woodpeckers against trees or telephone poles to be 1,000 times the force of gravity. A human is able to survive a g-force of 46 times the force of gravity. In exceptional cases, race-car drivers reportedly survived crashes of over 100 times the force of gravity.

Researcher previously found that the neck muscles of the woodpecker were especially thick and well-adapted to their pecking action, and that a third inner eyelid prevented the birds' eyes from popping out!

In Beijing, China, researchers at the Wuhan University are taking a closer look at the thick bone that cushions the woodpecker's brain. They are comparing the skull structure of great spotted woodpeckers to other birds.

gravity (n.) – the force that causes something to fall to the ground or to be attracted to another planet

cushion (v.) – to make the effect of a fall or hit less painful by having something soft in the way

g-force (n.) – a force acting on a body as a result of acceleration or gravity, informally described in units of acceleration equal to one g. For example, a 12 pound object undergoing a g-force of 2g experiences 24 pounds of force.

insights (n.) – a sudden clear understanding of something or part of something, especially a complicated situation or idea

peck (v.) – the action a bird makes when it hits its beak against something; (also used for a small kiss)

They are finding that small adaptations in the structure of the bones, a microstructure, acts as a protective armor to the brain. "The wood pecker's brain is surrounded by thick, plate-like spongy bone. At a micorscopic level, woodpeckers have a mesh-like structure in the bone that makes up a spongy bone plate. This mesh is closer together in the woodpecker than in the skylark." For this reason, the reasearchers are suggesting that this microstructure gives the woodpecker a better "helmet".

At the same time, researchers are observing that woodpecker beaks are not very different from other bird beaks. They believe that woodpecker beaks may be designed to bend while pecking, thus absorbing some of the impact.

This research could be important for preventing brain injury in humans. Each year more than a million people suffer head injuries. Understanding how to build better protective helmets, headgear, could save lives.

adaptation (n.) the process of changing something to make it suitable for a new situation

armor (n.) a strong layer of metal, leater or other material that protects the body in battle

helmet (n.) – a strong, hard hat that covers and protects the head (worn by police, firemen, soldiers, etc.)

impact (n.) – the force of one object hitting another object

spongy (adj.) – something soft and full of holes, usually to contain water; like a sponge

mesh (n.) – material made from threads or wires that have been woven together like a net, or a piece of material

10 Apr 2012 Adapted from "Why Don't Woodpeckers Get Concussions?" LiveScience. Web. Full story

Edit the sentence.

Write your corrections for the sentence in the text area.
Then compare your response to the answer with the "check" button.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK YOUR ANSWER
11.	Scientists looked to nature to understand: Why don't woodpeckers get concussions? Concussions commonly occur when people get hit in the head, often in car accidents or in contact sports like football. EDIT THIS: Scientists looked to nature to understand: Why don't woodpeckers get concussions? Concussions commonly occur when people get hit in the head, often in car accidents or in contact sports like football.
12.	Scientists estimated the head-pounding action of woodpeckers against trees or telephone poles to be 1,000 times the force of gravity. EDIT THIS: Scientists estimated the head-pounding action of woodpeckers against trees or telephone poles to be 1,000 times the force of gravity.
13.	A human is able to survive a g-force of 46 times the force of gravity. In exceptional cases, race-car drivers reportedly survived crashes of over 100 times the force of gravity. EDIT THIS: A human is able to survive a g-force of 46 times the force of gravity. In exceptional cases, race-car drivers reportedly survived crashes of over 100 times the force of gravity.
14.	Researchers previously found that the neck muscles of the woodpecker were especially thick and well-adapted to their pecking action, and that a third inner eyelid prevented the birds' eyes from popping out!. EDIT THIS: Researchers previously found that the neck muscles of the woodpecker were especially thick and well-adapted to their pecking action, and that a third inner eyelid prevented the birds' eyes from popping out!
15.	In Beijing, China, researchers at the Wuhan University are taking a closer look at the thick bone that cushions the woodpecker's brain. EDIT THIS: In Beijing, China, researchers at the Wuhan University are taking a closer look at the thick bone that cushions the woodpecker's brain.
16.	They are comparing the skull structure of great spotted woodpeckers to other birds. EDIT THIS: They are comparing the skull structure of great spotted woodpeckers to other birds.
17.	They are finding that small adaptations in the structure of the bones, a microstructure, acts as a protective armor to the brain. EDIT THIS: They are finding that small adaptations in the structure of the bones, a microstructure, acts as a protective armor to the brain.
18.	For this reason, the reasearchers are suggesting that this microstructure gives the woodpecker a better "helmet". EDIT THIS: For this reason, the reasearchers are suggesting that this microstructure gives the woodpecker a better "helmet".
19.	At the same time, researchers are observing that woodpecker beaks are not very different from other bird beaks. They believe that woodpecker beaks may be designed to bend while pecking, thus absorbing some of the impact. EDIT THIS: At the same time, researchers are observing that woodpecker beaks are not very different from other bird beaks.
20.	This research could be important for preventing brain injury in humans. Each year more than a million people suffer head injuries. Understanding how to build better protective helmets, headgear, could save lives. EDIT THIS: This research could be important for preventing brain injury in humans. Each year more than a million people suffer head injuries.

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