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Looking at the present perfect

Activity type: this is an activity in which students have to correct the use of the present perfect and the past simple.

Level: Low Intermediate and above

Teacher's notes:

1. Put the students into pairs and hand out the worksheet below to each pair.
   
2. Tell them to answer question one in pairs. Answer: in the simple past sentence we know when the action happened and in the present perfect sentence we don’t.
   
3. Go over the answers. Highlight the form of the present perfect sentence i.e. the auxiliary have + the past participle.
   
4. Then tell students to look at the sentences in question two. Ask them in pairs to answer the question. Answer: a job interview or when meeting someone for the first time.
   
5. Go over the answer as a group and then ask the students to work in pairs to answer question three. Answer: the simple past sentence suggests that the action is finished and that you no longer live there.
   
6. Go over the answer as a group, once the students have had a few minutes to work out the answer. The two ways that the present perfect is being used is for unfinished time and for nonspecific time.
   
7. Go over the answers and the corrections. Then tell the students to imagine that they are meeting their classmates for the first time. Tell them to stand up and mix with the group introducing themselves to one another and explaining themselves. They will need to use the present perfect and the simple past.
   
   

/ worksheet can be found one the following page for easy printing /

GUIDED QUESTIONS:

1. What do we know in the first sentence that we do not know in the second?
   
   
   1. I have been to Japan.
      
   2. I went to Japan last year.
      
      
2. In which situation might you hear these statements:
   
   
   1. I have graduated from university.
      
   2. I have been to college and learnt four languages.
      
   3. I have worked with computers for over ten years.
      
   4. I have trained many people.
      
      
3. Consider when it would be important to tell people about your experience?
   
   
4. What is the difference between:
   
   
   1. I have lived here for two years.
      
   2. I lived here for two years.
      
      What does the second sentence suggest?
      
      
5. Draw a time line for:
   
   
   1. I have been here many times.
      
   2. I have lived here for many years.
      
      The present perfect is being used in two ways in the above examples; how?
      
      

/ worksheet can be found one the following page for easy printing /

I. Correct these sentences

II. Now, imagine that you are meeting your classmates for the first time; stand up and explain your experience to the class.

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