Example: Your friend is learning Arabic.
How long have you been learning Arabic?
1. Your friend is waiting for you. How long.............................................
2. Your friend writes books. How many books.........................................
3. Your friend writes books. How long.....................................................
4. Your friend plays football for his country. How many times.................
19. In this exercise you have to put the verb into the correct form, present perfect simple (I have done) or continuous (I have been doing).
Examples: I.... have lost...................(lost) my key. Can you help me look for it?
You look tired....... Have you been working.....(you/work) hard?
1. Look! Somebody.................................................................(break) that window.
2. I.............(read) the book you gave me but I..............................(not/finish) it yet.
3. ‘Sorry I'm late.’ ‘That's all right. I....................................(not/wait) long.’
4. Hello! I............................ (clean) the windows. So far I….....(clean) five of them and there are two more to do.
5. There's a strange smell in here.........................................(you/cook) something?
6. My brother is an actor. He........................................... (appear) in several films.
20. Are these sentences right or wrong? Correct the ones which are wrong.
Examples: How long have Bob and Alice been married? - Right
I know Bob for five years. - Wrong - have known
1. Sue and Alan are married since July. …………………………
2. It is raining all day. ………………………….
3. How long has George been unemployed? …………………………..
4. Have you always been living in this house?.........................................
5. How long has Ken a beard? …………………………..
6.How long do you know Ann? …………………………..
7. She has been ill for quite a long time. ………………………….
21. This time you have to write questions with how long?
Examples: Jim is learning Chinese. How long has he been learning Chinese?
I know Bob. How long have you known Bob?
1. My sister is married. How long........................................................
2. Boris is on holiday. How long.........................................................
3. I live in Glasgow.................................................................................
4. It is snowing........................................................................................
5. Jack smokes.........................................................................................
6. I know about her problem.....................................................................
7. Jack and Jill are looking for a flat.........................................................
8. Diana teaches English in Germany......................................................
9. Dennis is in love with Margaret...........................................................
10. Colin has a car.....................................................................................
22. In this exercise you have to read a sentence and then write another sentence with since or for.
Example: I know Bob. (for five years) – I have known Bob for five years.
1. Jack lives in Bolton. (since he was born). Jack………………………
2. Bill is unemployed. (since April). Bill.................................................
3. Ann has a bad cold. (for the last few days). …………………………..
4. I want to go to the moon. (since I was a child). ………………………
5. My brother is studying languages at university. (for two years). …….
6. Tim and Jane are working in Sheffield. (since February). ……………
7. My cousin is in the army. (since he was 17). ………………………….
8. They are waiting for us. (for half an hour). …………………………...
23. It is 11 o'clock. The following people all started work earlier this morning.
Look at the information and say how long they have been working and how much work they have done so far, as in the example.
S1: Sandra's been typing since 9 o'clock / for two hours.
S2: She's typed twenty letters so far.
| Name | Started/ Activity | Completed |
| Sandra | 9 o'clock / type | 20 letters |
| Kim | 8 o'clock / clean the house | 4 rooms |
| Bob | 10 o'clock / examine patients | 3 patients |
| John | 7 o'clock / deliver parcels | 30 parcels |
| Helen | 10 o'clock / draw pictures | 4 pictures |
24. Fill in the gaps with recently, how long, yet, for, always, ever, already, since, so far or just. Sometimes more than one answer is possible.
1. A: Has Tom finished his exams... yet...?
B: No, he finishes them next Thursday.
2. A:..........................has Janet been working at the hospital?
B: She has been working there................she left school.
3. A: How are you finding your new job?
B: Great. I haven't had any problems..................
4. A: Is John at home, please?
B: No, I'm afraid he's.............................gone out.
5. A: Have you been waiting long?
B: Yes, I've been here..........................two hours.
6. A: Has Martin................................been to Spain?
B: No, I don't think so.
7. A: Have you spoken to Matthew..........................?
B: Yes. I phoned him last night.
8. A: Can you do the washing-up for me, please?
B: Don't worry. Mike has..........................done it.
9. A: Lucy has.................been musical, hasn't she?
B: Yes, she started playing the piano when she was five years old.
10. A: Shall we go to that new restaurant tonight?
B: Yes. I have.............been there. It's really nice.
11. A: Your dog's been barking..............three hours!
B: I'm sorry. I'll take him inside.
12. A: Have you finished reading that book yet?
B: No, I've...............................................started it.
25. Put the verbs in brackets into the present perfect or continuous, using short forms where appropriate.
1. A: How long ...have.. you.. known... (you/know) Alison?
B: We...........(be) friends since we were children.
2. A: Who............................................(use) the car?
B: I was. Is there a problem?
3. A: What are Andrew and David doing?
B: They........................................(work) in the garden for three hours.
4. A: Why is Sally upset?
B: She............................................(lose) her bag.
5. A: I................................................(always/believe) that exercise is good for you.
B: Of course, it's good to keep fit.
6. A: Emily..................................................(teach) maths since she left university.
B: Yes, and she's a very good teacher, too.
7. A: Fred...................................(open) a new shop.
B: Really? Where is it?
8. A: This pie is delicious.
B: Is it? I......................................(not/taste) it yet.
9. A: Have you found your umbrella yet?
B: No, I.....................(look) for it for an hour now.
10. A: You look exhausted.
B: Well, I...............,..............(clean) the windows since 8 o'clock this morning.
11. A: Can I have some more lemonade, please?
B: Sorry, your brother............................................ (just/drink) it all.
12. A: Have you got new neighbors?
B: Yes, they.....................(just/move) to the area.
26. Put the verbs in brackets into the present perfect or the present perfect continuous.
Dear Connie,
I hope you are enjoying yourself at university. I'm sure you 1) ...’ve been studying... (study) hard. Everything is fine here at home. Billy 2)...................(just/receive) his school report. It was bad, as usual. He 3)....................(decide) to leave school next year and find a job. Fiona 4)................... (go) to the gym every day for the past two weeks. She 5)...................(try) to get in shape for the summer. She 6).......................... (already/plan) her holiday in the sun. Your father 7)......................... (sell) the old car and he 8)......................... (buy) a new one. It's lovely - much nicer than the old one.
Anyway, write soon.
Love,
Mum
27. This time you have to put in been or gone.
Example: 'Where's Ann?' 'She's on holiday. She has... gone … to Italy.'
1. Hello! I've just...................to the shops. Look! I've bought lots of things.
2. Jim isn't here at the moment. He's...................to the shops.
3. 'Are you going to the bank?' 'No, I've already....................to the bank.'
28. Fill in the gaps with have/has been (to) or have/has gone (to).
Jack: Hi, Jill. Where's Paul?
Jill: Oh, he 1) ...has gone to... London for a few days.
Jack: Really! I 2).............................London recently. I came back yesterday.
3)........you........there?
Jill: No, I haven't. Paul 4)...............................twice before, though.
Where's Sarah?
Jack: She 5)..........................................Spain for two weeks with her parents.
They 6).......................there to visit some friends.
Jill: When is she coming back?
Jack: They'll all be back next weekend.
