Reading and Speaking: Family Problems

Focus on Grammar 1:

Present Perfect Progressive

Past Perfect Progressive

Future Perfect Progressive

Grammar Training

Present Perfect Progressive

1. Look at the following examples and explain the meaning of the verb forms. See Grammar Reference p … first.

1. You, boys, look very guilty. What have you been doing since I left the room?

2. It’s a long time since I saw your brother Paul. What has he been doing lately?

3. The language of the text is very complicated. I’ve been translating it for the last three hours and have translated only one page.

4. I’m exhausted. I’ve been repairing the car since morning.

Why didn’t you answer the phone? – I was repairing the car.

5. Jason is having his apartment redecorated. He’s living in a hotel now.

Jason is having his apartment redecorated. He’s been living in a hotel for a week now.

6. Cooper knows his job very well. He has worked here for 10 years.

Chris wants to change his job. He has been working here for ten years and he is sick and tired of it.

7. George comes to this café for lunch every day.

Where is George? He’s been coming to this café for lunch every day, but I don’t see him any more.

2. Supply the correct form of the verbs given in brackets.

A.

1. It’s unbelievable! It just ____________ (to come out) that Steve ________ (to steal) money from the till all the time.

2. I ______________ (to have) problems with Madge lately. She ___________ (to call) at all hours of day and night and ________________ (to tell) me about her problems with David. I can’t stand that any more.

3. I ____________________ (to have) German lessons for 2 years but I ______________ (not to take) my exam yet.

4. What’s wrong with Amanda? She seems to be quite exhausted. – Really? So far I __________________ (not to notice) that, but I ______________ (not to pay) too much attention.

5. Something _______________________ (to happen) to the boss? I _______ (to try) to get him on his mobile for the past hour. – He must have left his phone somewhere.

6. Jack moved house last month and he ____________________ (to complain) about commuting to work ever since.

7. Your face seems familiar. Have we met before? – What do you mean? I ________________ (to live) next door. I _________________(to live) there for nearly a year, in fact.

8. Sorry, I ________________ (not to fix) the car. I _________________ (to mean) to get round to it since you told me, but I just ______________ (not to find) the time yet.

9. You must phone the Browns right now and tell them you aren’t coming. They _________________ (to expect) you all day.

10. Why didn’t you come round yesterday? I _______________ (to expect) you all day.

11. I _______________ (to phone) Justin at the office all morning, but I can’t get hold of him. – He _______________ (to work) at home today.

12. I _______________ (to phone) Judith at the office all morning but in vain. Do you think I should try again? – It’s too late. She always leaves at 4.30.

13. Scientists _______________ (to try) to discover a drug which would stop premature aging for many years, but they _______________ (not to achieve) any results worth mentioning.

14. Ethel _______________ (to take) these pills twice a day, but she is going to give them up since she doesn’t feel any better.

15. The local authorities _______________ (to work) hard to improve medical service in the region, and the system is now streamlined.

16. I _______________ (to watch) TV and just _______________ (to hear) that the police (to arrest) the escaped prisoner.

17. Would you like to see the 10 o’clock news? – No, thank you. I _______________ (to watch) TV the whole day and _______________ (not to hear) anything interesting.

18. Mrs Trendon doesn’t look her age at all. – That’s because she _______________ (to go) to a fitness club twice a week.

19. I feel exhausted. I _______________ (to visit) my fitness club much too often.

20. What’s up? You look very excited. – We _______________ (to play) tennis. It’s the first time that I _______________ (to beat) Ronald.

B.

14-year-old Asylum Seeker