Present continuous, present perfect, present perfect continuous, past simple. 1.aren’t you about to finish with the dishes? you (wash) the dishes for thirty minutes or more. how long can it take you to wash the dishes? 2.we (go) to the steak house restaurant many times. the food is excellent. 3.a: what is that sound? b: a car alarm (ring) somewhere down the street. it (drive) me crazy —i wish it would stop! it (ring) for more than twenty minutes. 4.can you translate this note from stockholm? i understood swedish when i (be) a child, but i (forget) it all. 5.what’s that dent in the side of the car? you (have) an accident? 6.i’m sorry, john’s not here; he (go) to the dentist. he (have) trouble with a tooth for some time. 7.this cassette recorder is broken. you (play) about with it? 8.your italian is very good. you (study) it long? 9.do you mind if i clear the table? you (have) enough to eat? 10.ann never (go) camping. she (not sleep) in a tent. 11.frank, where have you been? we (wait) for you since 1 p.m. 12.i’m not surprised he (fail) that exam. he (not / work) hard recently.
Explanation: The person speaking is asking if the listener is close to finishing the task of washing the dishes. The present perfect continuous tense is used to show an action that started in the past and is still ongoing or has recently finished. In this case, the speaker assumes that the listener has been washing the dishes for a long time based on the fact that they have been doing it for thirty minutes. The speaker expresses surprise that it is taking so long.
2. We have gone to the steak house restaurant many times. The food is excellent.
Explanation: The present perfect tense is used to express an action that started in the past and is still ongoing or has just ended. In this case, the speaker states that they have gone to the steak house restaurant many times in the past and they believe the food is consistently excellent. The use of "have gone" indicates the multiple occurrences of visiting the restaurant.
3. A: What is that sound?
B: A car alarm is ringing somewhere down the street. It is driving me crazy — I wish it would stop! It has been ringing for more than twenty minutes.
Explanation: The present continuous tense is used to describe an action that is happening at the moment of speaking. In this conversation, person A asks about the sound they hear, and person B identifies it as a car alarm that is currently ringing. Person B expresses frustration because the alarm has been ringing for more than twenty minutes, indicating annoyance at the continuing noise.
4. Can you translate this note from Stockholm? I understood Swedish when I was a child, but I have forgotten it all.
Explanation: The past simple tense is used to describe completed actions in the past. In this case, the speaker asks if someone can translate a note from Stockholm. The speaker then explains that they used to understand Swedish when they were a child, but they have now forgotten it. The use of "understood" and "have forgotten" in the past simple and present perfect tenses respectively, helps to distinguish when the understanding and forgetting took place.
5. What's that dent in the side of the car? Have you had an accident?
Explanation: The present perfect tense is used to connect a past action to the present moment. In this case, the speaker notices a dent in the car and asks the listener if they have had an accident. The use of "have had" suggests that the accident happened in the past, but the effects, such as the dent, are still visible.
6. I'm sorry, John's not here; he has gone to the dentist. He has been having trouble with a tooth for some time.
Explanation: The present perfect tense and present perfect continuous tense are used in this dialogue. The speaker apologizes for John's absence and explains that he has gone to the dentist. The speaker further mentions that John has been having trouble with a tooth for some time, indicating an ongoing issue/significance in the present.
7. This cassette recorder is broken. Have you been playing around with it?
Explanation: The present perfect continuous tense is used to talk about a recent action that started in the past and is still ongoing or has just ended. In this case, the speaker notices that the cassette recorder is broken and asks the listener if they have been playing around with it, suggesting that the listener may have caused the damage due to recent actions.
8. Your Italian is very good. Have you been studying it for long?
Explanation: The present perfect continuous tense is used to talk about a recent action that started in the past and is still ongoing or has just ended. In this case, the speaker compliments the listener's Italian language skills and asks if they have been studying it for a long time. The speaker assumes that the listener's proficiency in Italian is a result of their recent and continuous efforts in studying the language.
9. Do you mind if I clear the table? Have you had enough to eat?
Explanation: The present perfect tense is used to connect a past action to the present moment. In this case, the speaker asks if they can clear the table, indicating that the meal has likely finished. The speaker then asks if the listener has had enough to eat, referring to their overall consumption until now.
10. Ann never goes camping. She does not sleep in a tent.
Explanation: The present simple tense is used to talk about general truths, habits, or routines. In this case, the speaker states that Ann never goes camping, implying that she does not engage in the activity at all. The speaker further explains that she does not sleep in a tent, emphasizing a specific aspect of her camping habits.
11. Frank, where have you been? We have been waiting for you since 1 p.m.
Explanation: The present perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and is still ongoing or has recently finished. In this case, the speaker questions Frank about his whereabouts, suggesting that they have been waiting for him since 1 p.m. The use of "have been waiting" emphasizes that the waiting is still in progress at the time of speaking.
12. I'm not surprised he failed that exam. He has not been working hard recently.
Explanation: The present perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and is still ongoing or has recently finished. In this case, the speaker expresses their lack of surprise at someone's exam failure, suggesting that it is a result of their recent lack of effort. The use of "has not been working" indicates a continuous state of not working hard leading up to the exam.