Present perfect and present (I have done / I have been doing and I do / I am doing)

1. Choose the correct alternative.

Megan meets her friend Jess in a cafe.

MEGAN:   Hi, JESS, how are you? (1) I haven’t seen / I haven’t been seeing you since the summer.

JESS:          No, (2) I’ve been revising / I’ve revised for exams. They’re next week. What about you?

MEGAN:   Well, a few days ago I met a website designer, Steve, (3) who’s looking / who’s been looking for some help for weeks. (4) He offers / He’s offered me some work from next week.

JESS:          That’s great.

MEGAN:   Yeah, and every day since then (5) I look / I’ve been looking at his sites. (6) He’s designed / He’s been designing three or four really cool ones already. But (7) he doesn’t have / he isn’t having enough time to do all the new ones. That’s why (8) he’s needing / he needs me.

JESS:          That’s really good. Hey, who’s that guy over there? (9) He’s looked / He’s been looking at us since we met.

MEGAN:   Oh, wow, that’s Steve, the guy (10) I’ve been telling / I tell you about.

JESS:          (11) He’s looking / He looks like a student or something.

MEGAN:   Shh. (12) He’s coming / He comes over.

STEVE:      Hi, Megan.

MEGAN:   Hi Steve, this is friend Jess.

STEVE:      Hello. (13) Do you using / Are you using the wi-fi in here at the moment?

JESS:          Yes. (14) I come / I’m coming here most days for lunch and since there’s free wi-fi (15) I’ve checked / I’ve been checking email at the same time.

STEVE:      And (16) do you enjoy / are you enjoying the food here?

JESS:          Er, yes. It’s always very good. But why?

STEVE:      Oh, just interested. (17) I own / I’m owning this cafe.

MEGAN:   I didn’t know that!

Show answers

2) I’ve been revising   3) who’s been looking

4) He’s offered   5) I’ve been looking

6) He’s designed   7) he doesn’t have

8) he needs   9) He’s been looking

10) I’ve been telling   11) He looks

12) He’s coming   13) Are you using

14) I come   15) I’ve been checking

16) do you enjoy   17) I own

2. Complete the sentences with the verbs from the box in the correct form: present perfect simple, present perfect continuous, present simple or present continuous.

not / be      deal      not / finish      have      not / know      live      see      not / see

not / speak      stare      stay      suffer      wait      not / want      watch

1) I __haven’t finished __ answering emails because I __’ve been dealing __ with customers all morning.

2) Thank you, but I really ________ any more juice. I ________ two large glasses already.

3) Paul ________ from earache since the weekend. He ________ the doctor twice, but it’s still not better.

4) We ________ why Sara is upset, but she ________ to us for ages.

5) Why ________ you ________ at me like that? I suppose you ________ anyone with rainbow-coloured hair before!

6) I ________ with cousin in London for a few days. I here before, but he ________ here for several years, so he can show me around.

7) I’m sorry I’m late. ________ you ________ a long time?

8) We ________ this stupid film since lunchtime. Let’s switch over to another channel.

Show answers

2) don’t want ___ ’ve had / have had

3) ’s been suffering / has been suffering ___ ’s seen / has seen

4) don’t know ___ hasn’t spoken

5) are you staring ___ haven’t seen

6) ’m staying / am staying ___ haven’t been ___ ’s lived / has lived or ’s been living / has been living

7) Have you been waiting

8) ’ve been watching / have been watching

3. Complete the email with suitable verbs in the correct form: present perfect simple, present perfect continuous, present simple or present continuous.

From: Roberto & Jan
To: Nick
Subject: Greetings from Prague

Dear Nick,

We (1) __’re having __ a wonderful time here in Prague. We (2) ________. here for three days now and we (3) ________. to stay for the rest of the week because we (4) ________. ourselves so much. We (5) ________. the Charles Bridge and the Castle, and this morning we walked around other historic places, including Kafka’s house. I took this photo just before lunch. We (6) ________. any souvenirs yet, but we (7) ________. some good art galleries and shops. Fortunately, the weather (8) ________. too cold so far. People (9) ________. it can be really bad at this time of year and of course it often (10) ________. heavily here! As this is the first time we (11) ________. to Prague, we (12) ________. that we’re just lucky.

See you soon, Roberto and Jan

Show answers

Example answers:

2) ’ve/have been

3) ’ve/have decided

4) ’re/are enjoying

5) ’ve/have seen

6) haven’t bought

7) ’ve/have visited

8) hasn’t been

9) say   10) snows

11) ’ve/have been   12) think

4. Put the verbs into the correct form: present perfect simple, present perfect continuous, present simple or present continuous.

Sam is the captain of his local football team. He’s talking to his brother, Dave.

SAM:   Dave, I’m worried about the team.

DAVE: But why? (1) __You’ve won __ . (You / win) every game this season.

SAM:   Yeah, (2) ________ (we / be) very lucky. That’s (3) ________ (what / cause) me problems now.

DAVE: How come?

SAM:   Well, (4) ________ (we / practise) twice a week since the beginning of this season and (5) ________ (that / really / make) a difference. Now, some of the guys say that’s not necessary because (6) ________ (we / always / win). The thing is, I’m afraid that if (7) ________ (we / not / practise) so often, we may start losing matches. (8) ________ (we / play) Donnington on Saturday and (9) ________ (everyone / agree) they’re a really strong team. I’m worried because the trouble is, (10) ________ (we / not / practise) since Monday.

DAVE: I can see (11) ________  (you / have) a problem. What can you do?

SAM:   I think the problem is really Callum.

DAVE: The big guy (12) ________  (who / play) for you since last season?

SAM:   Yeah, and (13) ________ (he / usually / score) most of the goals. The trouble is, since the summer (14) ________ (he / arrive) for training really late. And now several of the other players in the team (15) ________ (begin) to do the SAMe. When I try to talk to him, (16) ________ (he / refuse) to listen to what (17) ________ (I / say).

DAVE: Well, you’re the captain, tell him he can’t play in the match against Donnington if (18) ________ (he / not / listen) to you.

SAM:   OK, but (19) ________ (I / not / like) to speak to people like that. What if he gets angry and leaves the team?

DAVE: I’m sure he won’t.

SAM:   Yeah, well. (20) ________ (I / hope) not.

Show answers

2) we’ve been or we have been

3) what’s causing or what is causing

4) we’ve been practising / we have been practising or we’ve practised / we have practised

5) that’s really made or that really makes

6) we always win

7) we don’t practise

8) We’re playing / We are playing or We play

9) everyone agrees

10) we haven’t practised

11) you have

12) who’s been playing / who has been playing

13) he usually scores

14) he’s been arriving / he has been arriving

15) have begun / are beginning

16) he refuses

17) I say

18) he doesn’t listen

19) I don’t like

20) I hope

IELTS Practice Tests