Focus on Grammar 4Focus on Grammar 498-1

By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ WellsCopyright © 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

ContentContent

Simple Past, Present Perfect, and Present Perfect Progressive

Future Perfect and Future Perfect Progressive

Negative Yes/No Questions and Tag Questions

Phrasal Verbs

Part 1Part 1

Simple Past, Present Perfect, and

Present Perfect Progressive

Adventure Travel AdAdventure Travel Ad

Are you looking for a little adventure in your life? Travel with me to beautiful Colorado. I’m an experienced river rafting and rock climbing guide. I’ve been guiding adventure travelers in this area for 10 years. In fact, last year, I took 30 trips down the Colorado River. Oh, and don’t worry about safety. I’ve also taken a number of first aid and safety courses. No one has ever broken any bones on my trips!

He’s not kayaking now.

He’s not kayaking now.

Use ago to show when something

started.

Use ago to show when something

started.

Simple Past 1Simple Past 1

I kayaked in the Grand Canyon for two months.

past

now

future

Use the simple past to talk about things that happened and were completed in the past.

kayaked

I rafted down the Nile River a year ago.

rafted

Perfect Tenses 1Perfect Tenses 1

I have guided travelers my entire career.

I have been rock climbing for 10 years.

These things continue up to the present and may continue into the future.

These things continue up to the present and may continue into the future.

have guided have been rock climbing

past

now

future

Use the present perfect and the present perfect progressive to talk about things that started in the past, but were not completed.

Remember!Remember!

Non-action (stative) verbs are not usually used in the progressive.

I’ve been knowing how to rock climb since I was young.

I’ve known how to rock climb since I was young.

for six years

Perfect Tenses 2Perfect Tenses 2

We often use the present perfect and the present perfect progressive with for and since. Use for to show how long something has been true and since to show when something started.

I have trained for six years to take this trip.

He has been guiding trips since 2000.

since 2000

for six years

past

now

future

have trained

since 2000.

has been guiding

Simple Past 2Simple Past 2

Use the simple past with past time expressions.

We trekked through the Andes Mountains last year.

He backpacked in Peru two months ago.

past

now

future

trekked

last year.

ago.

backpacked

Be Careful!Be Careful!

Don’t use specific time expressions with the present perfect except after since.

She took skydiving lessons last year.

She has taken skydiving lessons last year.

She has taken skydiving lessons since 2004.

last year.

last year.

since 2004.

Present Perfect 1Present Perfect 1

Use the present perfect without time expressions to talk about things that happened at some indefinite time in the past.

They have canoed down the Amazon River.

past

now

future

We don’t know when they canoed down the river, or the

time is not important.

We don’t know when they canoed down the river, or the

time is not important.

time ????

Present Perfect 2Present Perfect 2

The present perfect without for or since shows that an activity is finished. We often say how many or how many times with this use of the present perfect.

He has visited Machu Picchu three times.

past

now

future

three times.

for five hours

Present Perfect ProgressivePresent Perfect Progressive

The present perfect progressive shows that an activity is unfinished. We often say how long with the present perfect progressive.

They have been climbing for five hours.

past

now

future

for five hours.

have been climbing

The activity is not finished. They’re still climbing.

The activity is not finished. They’re still climbing.

She traveled to Alaska twice this month.

She’s traveled to Alaska twice this month.

Present Perfect & Simple PastPresent Perfect & Simple Past

Use the present perfect or the simple past with unfinished time periods such as today, this week, this month, and this year. Notice the difference in meaning.

this month.

this month.

The month isn’t over, but she

probably won’t travel again this month.

The month isn’t over, but she

probably won’t travel again this month.

The month isn’t over. She

might travel again.

The month isn’t over. She

might travel again.

Part 2Part 2

Future Perfect and Future Perfect Progressive

Form 1Form 1

Use will/won’t + have + past participle to form the future perfect.

Contestants a dream.

Some racers the course.

They dehydration.

will

won’t

will

have

have

have

fulfilled

finished

endured

pastpast

nownow

futurefuture

Future Perfect Progressive 1Future Perfect Progressive 1

Use the future perfect progressive to talk about an action that will be in progress at a certain time in the future.

By her first Ironman raceBy her first Ironman race, she will have been running for three years.

began runningbegan running will enter racewill enter race

three years

pastpast

nownow

futurefuture

Future Perfect Progressive 2Future Perfect Progressive 2

In the future perfect progressive, the action may start sometime in the future or it may have already started.

By the time the team begins paddlingBy the time the team begins paddling, they will have been trekking for 18 hours straight.

will begin trekkingwill begin trekking will begin paddlingwill begin paddling

18 hours

Form 2Form 2

Use will / won’t + have been + base form + -ing to form the future perfect progressive.

Shefor three years.

Some racers

very long.

Riders all day.

will

won’t

will

have

have

have

been

been

been

running

training

eating

When the race starts, millions of spectators will have lined up.

Time ClausesTime Clauses

Use the future perfect or future perfect progressive with the simple present to show the relationship between two future events.

When the race starts

futurefuture

nownow

pastpast

simple presentsimple present future perfectfuture perfectFirst, millions of spectators line up.First, millions of spectators line up.

Then the race starts.Then the race starts.

Part 3Part 3

Negative Yes/No Questions

and Tag Questions

Negative Yes/No QuestionsNegative Yes/No Questions

Like affirmative yes/no questions, negative yes/no questions begin with a form of be or an auxiliary verb, such as have, do, will, can, or should.

Aren’t sharks vegetarians?

Aren’t sharks vegetarians?

Haven’t you had lunch

yet?

Haven’t you had lunch

yet?

Can’t you swim somewhere else?

Can’t you swim somewhere else?

Didn’t you see the shark

warning sign?

Didn’t you see the shark

warning sign?

Tag Questions 1Tag Questions 1

Form tag questions with statement + tag. The statement expresses an assumption. The tag means Right? OR Isn’t that true?

It’s a long way down, isn’t it?It’s a long way down, isn’t it?

StatementStatement

TagTag

I went the wrong way, didn’t I?I went the wrong way, didn’t I?

StatementStatement

TagTag

You won’t talk for too long,

will you?

You won’t talk for too long,

will you?

This rope will hold me, won’t it?

This rope will hold me, won’t it?

Tag Questions 2Tag Questions 2

If the statement verb is affirmative, the tag verb is negative. If the statement verb is negative, the tag verb is affirmative.

NegativeNegative

AffirmativeAffirmative

AffirmativeAffirmative

NegativeNegative

He isn’t joking, is he?

He isn’t joking, is he?

He has done this before, hasn’t he?

He has done this before, hasn’t he?

Tag Questions 3Tag Questions 3

Form the tag with a form of be or an auxiliary verb, such as have, do, will, can, or should. Use the same auxiliary that is in the statement.

You bought life insurance,

didn’t you?

You bought life insurance,

didn’t you?

Intonation 1Intonation 1

Use tag questions in conversations when you expect the other person to agree with you. In this type of tag question, the voice falls on the tag.

You didn’t wear a seatbelt, did you?You didn’t wear a seatbelt, did you?

The speaker is checking information he believes is correct. He expects the listener to answer

(and agree).

The speaker is checking information he believes is correct. He expects the listener to answer

(and agree).

You’re right. I didn’t wear a

seat belt.

You’re right. I didn’t wear a

seat belt.

Uh-huh.Uh-huh.

That hurts, doesn’t it?That hurts, doesn’t it?

This type of tag question is more like a statement than a question. The listener can just nod or say uh-huh to

show that he or she is listening and agrees.

This type of tag question is more like a statement than a question. The listener can just nod or say uh-huh to

show that he or she is listening and agrees.

That’s what they told us in the

skydiving class.

That’s what they told us in the

skydiving class.

Intonation 2Intonation 2

Tag questions can be used to get information. This type of tag question is more like a yes/no question. Like a yes/no question, the voice rises at the end, and you usually get an answer.

The speaker wants to confirm his information because he is not sure

it is correct.

The speaker wants to confirm his information because he is not sure

it is correct.

Well, sometimes there are sharks.

Well, sometimes there are sharks.

This parachute will open before

we land, won’t it?

This parachute will open before

we land, won’t it?

This isn’t dangerous,

is it?

This isn’t dangerous,

is it?

Part 4Part 4

Phrasal Verbs

Transitive Phrasal Verbs 1Transitive Phrasal Verbs 1

Most transitive phrasal verbs are separable. This means that noun objects can go after the particle or between the verb and the particle.

noun object

He can’t figure the instructions out.

noun object

He can’t figure out the instructions.

Transitive Phrasal Verbs 2Transitive Phrasal Verbs 2

Some transitive phrasal verbs are inseparable. This means that both noun and pronoun objects always go after the particle. You cannot separate the verb from its particle.

Sam ranran his boss intointo.

He ran him intointo.

Sam ran intoran into him.

Sam ran intoran into his boss.

Transitive Phrasal Verbs 3Transitive Phrasal Verbs 3

A small group of transitive phrasal verbs must be separated.

I have to do overdo over the report.

I have to dodo the report overover.

Transitive Phrasal Verbs 4Transitive Phrasal Verbs 4

Some transitive phrasal verbs are used in combination with certain prepositions. A phrasal verb + preposition combination (also called a three-word verb) is usually inseparable.

I think I should drop out of this class.

I can’t keep up with new technology.

Intransitive Phrasal VerbsIntransitive Phrasal Verbs

Some phrasal verbs are intransitive. This means that they do not take an object.

Dad, hang up and call the fire department!

Son, hold on. I’m busy talking on the phone right now.