Question

Use PRESENT PERFECT TENSE or PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
to fill in the blanks:
1. I’m trying to study. I …………………………………………….. (try) to study for the last
hour, but something always seems to interrupt me. I think I’d better go to the library.
2. The children are playing basketball right now. They ………………………………………
(play) for almost two hours. They must be getting tired.
3. The telephone …………………………………………… (ring) four times in the last
hour, and each time it has been for my roommate.
4. The telephone …………………………………………… (ring) for almost a minute. Why
doesn’t someone answer it?
5. It ……………………………………………….. (rain) all day. I wonder when it will stop.
6. We ………………………………………… (have) three accidents so far this week. I
wonder how many more we will have if you keep using the tools carelessly.
7. We ……………………………………………………. (live) here since last June.
8. My little son is dirty from head to foot because he ………………………………………
(play) in the mud.
9. What’s the matter? Your eyes are red and puffy. I hope you ………………………………
(not / cry). Oh, now I understand. You …………………………………………….. (peel)
some onions. 10. Hello, Rob. I’m happy to see you again. I ………………………………………………..
(not / see) you for weeks. What ……………………. you …………………………… (do)
lately?
11. I …………………………………………………. (not / be) able to reach my boss on the
phone yet. I ………………………………………………………. (try) for the last twenty
minutes, but the line …………………………………….. busy.
12. We …………………………………………. (have) three major snowstorms so far this
winter. I wonder how many more we will have.
13. I ………………………………………………… (write) them three times, but I still
haven’t received a reply.
14. A: Dr. Harrison is a good teacher. How long ……………… he ……………………. (be)
at the university?
B: He ………………………………………… (teach) here for almost 25 years.
15. A: What are you going to order for dinner?
B: Well, I ……………………………………………… (have / have) pizza. So I think, I’ll
order that.
16. My uncle …………………………………………………. (paint) the outside of his house
for three weeks and he’s still not finished.
17. The Smiths are presently in Tunisia. They ………………………………………. (travel)
throughout North Africa since the middle of May. They’ll return home in another month.
C) Use THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE or THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
to fill in the blanks:
1. I’m tired. We ………………………………………………. (walk) for over an hour. Let’s
stop and rest for a while.
2. The zoo isn’t far from here. I ………………………………………………… (walk) there
many times.
3. I …………………………………………………. (write) my friends at least a dozen
letters since I left home and come home.
4. Sally is writing a letter to her boyfriend. She ……………………………………….
(write) it since she got home from class. It’s going to be a long letter.
5. The telephone …………………………………………….. (ring) four times in the last
hour, and each time it has been for my roommate.
6. The telephone ……………………………………………… (ring) for almost a minute.
Why doesn’t someone answer it?
7. She is 80 and she ………………………………………… (never / read) a book in her life.
8. The secretary is very tired. She ………………………………………………… (type) all
morning.
9. Tom is reading a book. He started two hours ago and he is on page 53. He
……………………………………….. (read) for two hours.
10. Hello! I …………………………………………… (clean) the windows. So far I
………………………………………… (clean) five of them and there are two more to do.
11. My grandfather ……………………… (died) 30 years ago. I ……………………………..
…………………. (never / meet) him.
12. A: Is your father at home?
B: No, I’m afraid he ……………………………………………… (go) out.
A: When exactly ………………………………………………… (he / go) out?
B: About ten minutes ago.

Answer 1

Use PRESENT PERFECT TENSE or PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS to fill in the blanks: 

1. I’m trying to study. I have been trying to study for the last hour, but something always seems to interrupt me. I think I’d better go to the library. 
2. The children are playing basketball right now. They have been playing for almost two hours. They must be getting tired. 
3. The telephone has rung four times in the last hour, and each time it has been for my roommate. 
4. The telephone has been ringing for almost a minute. Why doesn’t someone answer it? 
5. It has been raining all day. I wonder when it will stop. 
6. We have had three accidents so far this week. I wonder how many more we will have if you keep using the tools carelessly. 
7. We have been living here since last June. 
8. My little son is dirty from head to foot because he has been playing in the mud. 
9. What’s the matter? Your eyes are red and puffy. I hope you have not cried.  Oh, now I understand. You have been peeling some onions. 
10. Hello, Rob. I’m happy to see you again. I haven't seen  you for weeks. What have you been doing lately? 
11. I haven't been able to reach my boss on the phone yet. I have been trying for the last twenty minutes, but the line has been busy. 
12. We have had three major snowstorms so far this winter. I wonder how many more we will have. 
13. I have written to them three times, but I still haven’t received a reply. 
14. A: Dr. Harrison is a good teacher. How long has he been teaching at the university? B: He has been teaching here for almost 25 years. 15. A: What are you going to order for dinner? B: Well, I have had pizza. So I think, I’ll order that. 
16. My uncle has been painting the outside of his house for three weeks and he’s still not finished. 
17. The Smiths are presently in Tunisia. They have been travelling throughout North Africa since the middle of May. They’ll return home in another month. 

C) Use THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE or THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS  to fill in the blanks: 

1. I’m tired. We have been walking for over an hour. Let’s stop and rest for a while. 
2. The zoo isn’t far from here. I have walked there many times. 
3. I have written to my friends at least a dozen letters since I left home and came home. 
4. Sally is writing a letter to her boyfriend. She has been writing  it since she got home from class. It’s going to be a long letter. 
5. The telephone has rung four times in the last hour, and each time it has been for my roommate. 
6. The telephone has been ringing for almost a minute.  Why doesn’t someone answer it? 
7. She is 80 and she has never read a book in her life. 
8. The secretary is very tired. She has been typing all morning. 
9. Tom is reading a book. He started two hours ago and he is on page 53. He has been reading for two hours. 
10. Hello! I have been cleaning the windows. So far I have cleaned five of them and there are two more to do. 
11. My grandfather died 30 years ago.  I have never met him. 
12. A: Is your father at home? 
B: No, I’m afraid he has gone out. 
A: When exactly did he go out?
B: About ten minutes ago.