Present Perfect with how long; Simple Past with when; since and for Exercises

UNIT 19 Exercises

19.1   Write questions with how long and when.

Example: It is raining. (how long/it/rain?) How long has it been raining?
                 (when/it/start/raining?) when did it start raining?

1.   Ann is studying Italian.
(how long /she/study/Italian?)_________________________________________________
(when/she/begin/studying Italian?)__________________________________________________

2.   I know Tom.
(how long/you/know/Tom?)___________________________________________________
(when/you/first/meet/Tom?)____________________________________________________

3.   Glen and Mary are married.
(how long/they/be/married?)___________________________________________________
(when/they/get/married?)___________________________________________________


19.2   Put in since or for.

Example: Tom and I have known each other   for  six months.

1.   It's been raining __________ I got up this morning.

2.   Randy's father has been a policeman ___________ 20 years.

3.   Have you been studying English ___________ a long time?

4.   __________ Christmas, the weather has been quite mild.

5.   Janet has been on vacation ___________ three days.

6.   That's a very old car. I've had it ___________ ages.


19.3   Make a new sentence beginning in the way shown.

Examples: I know Liz. I first met her six months ago. I have known her for six months.
                    It's been raining since 2:00. It started raining at 2:00

1.   Maria's sick. She got sick three days ago. She has_________________________________________
 
2.   We have been married for five years. We got__________________________________________

3.   Jim has a beard. He grew it ten years ago. He has__________________________________________

4.   She has been in France for three weeks. She went_________________________________________

5.   He has had his new car since February. He bought_________________________________________



19.4   Imagine that two people are talking. Make sentences with It's. . . since. . .

Example: A: Do you take a vacation very often? (no/five years)
                  B: No, it's been five years since I took a vacation

1.   A: Do you eat in restaurants very often? (no/six months)
      B: No, it________________________________________________________

2.   A: Does it now here very often? (no years)
      B: No,__________________________________________________________

3.   A: Do you go swimming very often? (no/a long time)
      B:______________________________________________________________

Present Perfect with how long; Simple Past with when, since and for

UNIT 19 Present Perfect with how long; Simple Past with when, since and for. 

A.   Use the simple past (I did) to ask or say when something happened:

A:   When did it start raining?
B:   It started raining at one o'clock/an hour ago.
A:   When did Joe and Carol first meet?
B:   They first met when they were in college/a long time ago

Use the present perfect (I have done/I have been doing) to ask or say how long something has been happening (up to the present):
 
A:   How long has it been raining?
B:   It's been raining since one o'clock /for an hour.
A:   How long have Joe and Carol known each other?
B:   They've known each other since they were in college/for a long time.


B.   Since and for

We use both since and for to say how long something has been happening:

I've been waiting for you since 8 o'clock.
I've been waiting for you for two hours.

We use since when we say the beginning of the period (8 o'clock)
We use for when we say the period of time (two hours)

                 Since                                                                            for

8 o'clock               1977                                      two hours                 a week.
Monday                 Christmas                            ten minutes              five years
May 12                   lunchtime                           three days                 a long time
April                       we arrived                          six months                ages

*   She's been working here since April. (=from April until now)
     She's been working here for six months. (not since six months)

*   I haven't seen Tom since Monday. (=from Monday util now)
     I haven't seen Tom for three days. (not since three days)

We do not use for in expressions with all (all day/all morning all week all my life, etc.):
 

• I've lived here all my life. (not for all my life)

C.   Note the structure How long has it been since. . . ?:

• A: How long has it been since you had a vacation?
• B: It's been (=it has been) two years since I  had a vacation (= I haven't had a vacation for two years.)

• It's been ages since Aunt Helen visited us. (= She hasn't visited us for ages.)

UNIT 9 WHEN and IF sentences exercises

UNIT 9 Exercises

9.1  All the sentences in this exercise are about the future. Put the verbs into the correct form: the
future will/won't or the simple present (I do).

Example: When I___see___(see) Tom tonight,___I'll invite___(invite) him to our party.

1. Before you____________________(leave), don't forget to shut the windows.

2. I____________________(call) you as soon as I_____________________(arrive) in Tokyo.

3. Please don't touch anything before the police______________________(come).

4. Everyone____________________(be) very surprised if he____________________(pass) the exam.

5. When you_____________________(see) Brian again, you_____________________(not/recognize) him.

6. We____________________(not/start) dinner until Karen______________________(arrive).

7. _____________________(you/be) lonely without me while I____________________(be) away?

8. If I____________________(need) any help, I___________________(ask) you.

9. Come on! Hurry up! Ann___________________(be) annoyed if we___________________(be) late.

9.2  Make one sentence from two sentences.

Example: You are going to leave soon. You must visit the museum before that.
__you must visit the museum__before_you leave.

1. I'll find somewhere to live. Then I'll give you my address.
I_________________________________when_______________________________

2. It's going to start raining. Let's go out before that.
Let's___________________________before_______________________________

3. I'm going to do the shopping. Then I'll come straight home
_____________________________________after_____________________________

4. You'll be in Washington next month. You must come and see me then.
_____________________________________________when_________________________________

5. I'm going to finish reading this book. Then I'll get the dinner ready.
______________________________________________when______________________________

6. We'll make our decision. Then we'll let you know.
________________________________as soon as___________________________

9.3  Fill in when or if.

Example:  If _it rains this evening, I won't go out.

1. I'm sorry you've decided to go away. I'll be very sad_________you leave.

2. Tom might call this evening.   __________he does, can you take a message?

3. I think he'll get the job. I'll be very surprised _________ he doesn't get it.

4. I hope to be there by 10:30.  But  _________ I'm not there, don't wait for me.

5. I'm going shopping. __________ you want anything, I can get it for you. 

6. I think I'll go home now. I'm feeling very tired. I think I'll go right to bed ________ I get home.

7. I'm going away for a few days. I'll call you _________ I get back.

8. I want you to come to the party but __________ you don't want to come, you don't have to.

UNIT 9 When and If sentences (When I do. . . If I do. . . )

UNIT 9

A.   Study this example: 

A: What time will you call 
B: I'll call you when I get home from work. 

"I'll call you when I get home from work" is a sentence with two parts: "I'll call you" (the main part) and "when I get home from work" (the when part). The sentence is future (tonight), but you cannot use will or going to in the when part of the sentence. Instead we use a present tense, usually simple present (I do).

•  I can't talk to you now. I'll talk to you later when I have more time. (not when I'll have) 

• When the rain stops, we'll go out. (not when the rain will stop) 

The same thing happens after: 

while         after           before            until/till              as soon as

• Can you take care of the children while I am out? (not will be)

• Before you leave, you must visit the museum. (not will leave)

• Wait here until I come back. (not will come) 

B.   You can also use the present perfect (I have done) after when/after/until, :etc., to show that the first action will be finished before the second:

• After I've read this book, you can have it. 

• Don't say anything while Tom is here. Wait until he has gone. 

It is often possible to use either the simple present or the present perfect: 

• I'll come as soon as I finish or I'll come as soon as I've finished 

• You'll feel better when you have something to eat or You'll feel better when you've had something to eat. 

C.   After if we also use the simple present (I do) for the future: 

• It's raining. We'll get wet if we go out. (not if we will go) 

• Hurry up! If we don't hurry, we'll be late. (not if we won't hurry)

Be careful not to confuse when and if.

Use when for things that are sure to happen: 

• I'm going shopping this afternoon, When I go shopping, I'll buy some food. 

Use if (not when) for things that will possibly happen:

• I might go shopping this afternoon. If I go shopping, I'll buy some food 

• If it rains this evening, I won't go out. (not when it rains)

• Don't worry if I'm late tonight. (not when I'm late) 

• If he doesn't come soon, I'm not going to wait. (not when he doesn't come)