LIFE EXPERIENCES

1
LIFE EXPERIENCES

• The Present Perfect Tense

2
Where have you been? Presentation 1/a.
A. In the introductory exercise you will find
postcards and names of countries.
Match the names of the countries to the
postcards! The exercise has two (1. and 2.) parts
. Do both parts! When you finished use the Bac
k arrow to return to this
page. Click here to start.
Greetings from ITALY!
B. Now meet Jenny! Shes a journalist. Read the
instructions then make true sentences about her.

Click here to start.
3
Presentation 1/b.
C. Now you will do an exercise about John,
Andrew, Hillary and Eve. Look at the chart. What
cities have they visited? Interview them!
The exercise has two parts. (Part 1. and Part 2.)

Do both parts! Click here to start.
4
Present Perfect Experiential meaning. Grammar
1/a.
A. We use the PRESENT PERFECT TENSE to talk about
experiences in our lives. Have you ever ( AT A
NY TIME in your life) been to Barcelona?
Jenny has already been to many countries. (AT
SOME TIME in her life) I have never been to Paris
. ( IN MY WHOLE LIFE) I havent been to Florence
yet. ( IN MY WHOLE LIFE UP TO NOW)
All these sentences express an experience at an
y time up to now, without giving an exact time.
Present Perfect EXPERIENCES! NO exact TIME!
B. Remember! We use the PAST SIMPLE TENSE to say
EXACTLY when something happened.
When did you go to Paris? I went there last sum
mer / two years ago/ in 1998.
Past Simple EXACT TIME!
5
Grammar 1/b.
Positive and negative
Question
Yes/No questions Have you been to Lithuania?
Short answers
Yes, I have. No, I havent.
C. We form the PRESENT PERFECT TENSE with
HAS/HAVE the past participle.
Click here to complete the sentences with verbs
in Present Prefect.
6
Practice 1/a.
A. Match the past participle to the infinitive of
some REGULAR and IRREGULAR verbs.
Click here to start.
B. Now write the infinitive, the Past Simple or
the past participle form of the IRREGULAR verbs.
Click here to start.
7
Practice 1/b.
C. Remember! IRREGULAR VERBS can be grouped acco
rding to the way they form their Past Tense and
past participle.
Group A. Sometimes there is no change, all three
forms are the same
CUT CUT CUT Group B. Sometimes 2nd and 3rd f
orm are then same BRING BROUGHT BROUGHT Gro
up C. Sometimes 1st and 3rd forms are the same
BECOME BECAME BECOME Group D. Sometimes the
verb changes completely SING SANG SUNG
D. In the following exercise IRREGULAR VERBS are
grouped as above. There are 19 pages of exercise
s (Irregular verbs 1-19). Use the Next exercise
button to proceed from page to page.
Do as many of these exercises as you can!
LISTENING files are included into the exercise.
Listen to the pronunciation of the verbs! Click
here to start.
8
Practice 1/c.
A. Read about the life of an old colonel. What
experiences has he had at different times during
his life? Pay attention to the use of the PRESENT
PERFECT TENSE!
My life experience / Part 1
I think I have had a very interesting life. I'm
73 now and I don't work anymore. I was in the
army for 51 years. I retired when I was 69. I
have been to so many countries that I can't
remember all of them. I've been to Australia six
or seven times and to South Africa three times. I
have also been once to Russia but I didn't like
it at all much too cold for me!
They say that love is the greatest thing and I a
gree. I've been married four times but never for
more than five years. I don't think women really
understand me!
continued on next page
"Old Colonel" exercises have been adopted from
the following web-page http//www.esl-lounge.co
m/student/level2/oldcolonel.shtml
9
Practice 1/d.
My life experience / Part 2.
. I've never been on television, but I've been
on the radio once. It was a programme about life
in the military about twenty years ago. I met the
Prime Minister on the same day. Actually, I've
met a lot of famous people members of the royal
family, famous politicians and also famous cinema
and television personalities. I've never met the
American President though which is a pity.
Because I've travelled a lot, I've seen a lot of
wonderful things and have also eaten and drunk
some strange foods and drinks. I ate cat and rat
in India and drank something called Mirto on a
little island in Italy many years ago.
B. When the old colonel talks about events that
happened at some time in his life, he doesnt
indicate an exact time he uses the Present
Perfect Tense. For example I have had a very
interesting life. I have been to many countries.
C. Complete the sentences about the old colonels
life experience. Use the Present Perfect. Click
here to start.
10
Practice 1/e.
D. In some cases the old colonel indicates the
exact time or other circumstances of what
happened to him. In these cases he uses the Past
Simple Tense.
For example It was a programme about life in the
military about twenty years ago. I met the Prime
Minister on the same day. exact time mentioned
I ate cat and rat in India. when he went to
India circumstances mentioned
I was in the army for 51 years. completed ac
tivity the old colonel is retired now
E. Complete the following sentences using Past
Simple or Present Perfect as necessary. Click
here to start.
F. Now make an interview with the old colonel.
Click here to start.
11
Have you done you homework yet? Presentation 2/a.
A. Present Perfect Tense Key-words
There are some key-words that we can use with
Present Perfect. Look up their meaning in a
dictionary!
so far, up to now, until now, already, still,
just, yet,
ever, never, for/since ...
A. 1. We use EVER in questions and NEVER in
negatives. Have you ever been to Russia? Ive
never been to Russia. A. 2. We use JUST in positi
ve sentences, we use YET in negative sentences
and questions. Have you done your homework yet?
I havent done it yet (but Im going to). I
have just done it (a short time before now).
A. 3. We use FOR a time expression showing a
period of time. I have lived here for two years
/ for a month / for a while / for ages.
We use SINCE a time expression showing a
moment in the past. I have worked for this compa
ny since 1998 / since last Saturday / since I
was a child / since yesterday.
A. 4. ALREADY is used in positive sentences and
questions, STILL is used in negative sentences.
I have already finished my homework.
Have you already been to Russia?
I still havent been to Rome.
12
Presentation 2/b.
B. It is important to know where these key-words
are placed in the Present Perfect sentences.
B. 1. EVER and NEVER, JUST, YET, STILL are alway
s placed before the past participle.
Have you ever been to Canada? Haven't you ever
eaten Thai food? Nobody has ever said that to me
before. It's the first time I've ever eaten
Thai food. Ive never been so sick. We have
just arrived. Has your course started yet? I
haven't met her yet. I still havent found what
Im looking for B.2. ALREADY, and can be placed
before the main verb (past participle) or at the
end of the sentence. I've already heard the sto
ry five times. Has he arrived already?
13
Practice 2/a.
A. Practice the use of yet, just, still, already.

Click here to start.
B. Practice the use of FOR and SINCE.
Click here to start.
C. Practice yet, still, already, just,
'for'/'since'. Click here to start.
D. Practice the use of Present Perfect and Past
Simple by building sentences. Click here to start.
14
Practice 2/b.
E. Choose the right verb form (Present Perfect or
Past Simple) to complete the sentences. Click
here to start.
F. This is a complex listening, reading and
grammar exercise. This exercise has been adapted
form the following website http//www.mansioning
les.com/listening13.htm
F.1. Listen to and read an interview with Harry
Retired. Choose the jobs he has had over the
years! Click here to start.
F.2. Listen to Harry again. Are these sentences
true or false? Click here to start.
F.3. Listen to the interview again. Complete the
gaps with words you hear. Click here to start.
15
Air Travel. Presentation 3
The following words are related to air travel.
Look them up in a bilingual dictionary!
aisle corridor in airplane between the seats
baggage claim place where passengers go to find
their luggage at the end of a flight
to board to get on or enter an airplane
on board on the plane boarding pass special
ticket showing that passenger has checked in and
can board plane to check in to register for a
flight, including checking of tickets, passports,
luggage etc departures board large display in
airport showing times, destinations etc of
departing flights duty free of products ciga
rettes, perfume etc not taxable
excess baggage luggage that is more than the
permitted or allowed weight flight an airplane
scheduled to fly a certain route at a certain
time gate the point in an airport at which a p
articular flight arrives and departs hand luggage
light bags, briefcases etc that may be carried
on board by passengers transit A transit passe
nger is one stopping at an airport that is not
his destination
16
Practice 3/a.
A. What do you do at the airport? Read the
sentences and put them in the correct order.
Click here to start.
B. Match a word to the picture of places and
objects at the airport. Click here to start.
C. Complete the texts with words related to
airport. Click here to start.
D. Complete this text with appropriate words too.
Click here to start.
17
Practice 3/b.
E. Listen to a captain giving flight information.
Tick the correct answers.
Click here to start.