Grammar Reference. Unit 7
7.2 Present Perfect or Past Simple?
1. The Present Perfect is for unfinished actions. The Past Simple is for completed actions. Compare:
| Present Perfect | Past Simple |
| I've lived in Texas for six years | I lived in Texas for six years. |
| I still live there. | Now I live somewhere else. |
| I've written several books. | Shakespeare wrote 30 plays. |
| I can still write some more. | He can't write any more. |
We can see that the Present Perfect refers to indefinite time and the Past Simple refers to definite time by looking at the time expressions used with the different tenses.
| Present Perfect - indefinite | Past Simple - definite |
| I've done it for a long time. | I did it yesterday. |
| I've done it since July. | I did it last week. |
| I've done it before. | I did it two days ago. |
| I've done it recently. | I did it at 8 o'clock. |
| I did it in 1999. | |
| I've already done it. | I did it when I was young. |
| I haven't done it yet. | I did it for a long time. |
Be careful with this morning / this afternoon, etc.
Have you seen Ann this morning? (It's still morning.)
Did you see Ann this morning? (It's the afternoon or evening.)
7.3 Present Perfect Simple passive
Form: have been / has been + past participle
It has been sold.
They have been sold.
Use: The uses are the same in the passive as in the active.
Two million cars have been produced so far this year. (unfinished past)
Has she ever been made redundant? (past experience)
"Have you heard? Two hundred homes have been washed away by a tidal wave!"
(present importance)
7.4 Phrasal verbs
There are four types of phrasal verbs. Types 1, 2, 3 can be literal or idiomatic. Type 4 are nearly always idiomatic.
Type 1. Verb + particle (no object).
a. He put on his coat and went out.
b. I didn't put enough wood on fire and it went out.
In a, the verb and particle are used literary. In b, they are used idiomatically. Go out means stop burning.
Examples with literal meaning:
Sit down.
She stood up and walked out.
Please go away.
She walked right past the store without noticing it.
Examples with idiomatic meaning:
The marriage didn't work out. (= succeed)
Our plans fell through. (= fail)
Type 2. Verb + particle + object (separable).
a. I put up the picture.
b. I put up my sister for the night.
In a, the verb and particle are used literary. In b, they are used idiomatically. Put up means give someone food and place to sleep, usually for the night or
a few days.Type 2 phrasal verbs are separable. The object (noun or pronoun) can come between the verb and the particle.
I put up the picture. I put the picture up.
I put up my sister. I put my sister up.
If the object is a pronoun, it always comes between the verb and the particle.
I put it up. NOT I put up it.
I put her up. NOT I put up her.
Examples with a literal meaning:
The waiter took away the plates.
Don't throw it away.
They're pulling that old building down.
Examples with an idiomatic meaning:
I put off the meeting. (= postpone)
Don't let me down. (= disappoint)
Type 3. Verb + particle+ object (inseparable)
a. She came across the room.
b. She came across an old friend while she was out shopping.
In a, the verb and particle are used literary. In b, they are used idiomatically. Come across means find by accident.
Type 3 phrasal verbs are inseparable. The object (noun or pronoun) always comes after the particle.
NOT She came an old friend across. She came her across.
Examples with a literal meaning:
I'm looking for Jane.
They ran across the park.
We drove past them.
Examples with an idiomatic meaning:
I'll look after it for you. (= care for)
She takes after her father. (= resemble in features, build, character, or
disposition)
He never got over the death of his wife. (= recover from)
Type 4. Verb + particle + particle
I get along very well with my boss.
I'm looking forward to it.
How can you put up with that noise?
Type 4 phrasal verbs are nearly always idiomatic. The object cannot change position. It cannot come before the particles or between the particles.
NOT I'm looking forward it to.