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Language point:
The present perfect
BBC Learning English The Flatmates
The use
We use the present perfect to talk about something that happened before now but we
dont say exactly when it happened.
Alice says, She has gone for a break. The doctor isnt in the room now because she
left the room for her break some time before now.
The father says, Hes stopped breathing. The patient isnt breathing now because he
stopped breathing at some unknown time in the past.
If we refer to the time when the doctor left the room or when the patient stopped
breathing, then we use the past simple.
The present perfect has two parts the main verb and the auxiliary verb.
In these examples, the main verbs are to stop and to go. We use the past participle
of the main verb. Some verbs are regular you add ed to the infinitive without
to, while others are irregular. You have to learn the past participle e.g.
to go gone to take taken to find found
to see seen to give given to buy - bought
Continued overleaf/
Adverbs of time
There are some adverbs of time that are commonly used with the present perfect.
The adverb goes between the auxiliary verb and the main verb.
Vocabulary:
You can hear a pin drop (idiom): It is very quiet
Would you like to try an online quiz about this language point? Go to:
http://bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode18/quiz.shtml