Report Text

Report Text

Definition of Report
Report is a text which presents information about something, as it is. It is as a result of systematic observation and analysis

Generic Structure of Report
1. General classification: Stating classification of general aspect of thing; animal, public place, plant, etc which will be discussed in general
2. Description: Describing the thing which will be discussed in detail; part per part , customs or deed for living creature and usage for materials

Language Feature of Report
• Introducing group or general aspect
• Using conditional logical connection; when, so, etc
• Using simple present tense

Example of Report Text

ELEPHANTS 

An elephant is the largest and strongest of all animals. It is a strange looking animal which it has thick legs, huge sides and backs, large hanging ears, a small tail, little eyes, long white tusks and above all, elephant has a long nose, the trunk. An elephant is commonly seen in a zoo, it has hard found in it natural habitat.

The trunk is the elephant's peculiar feature. This trunk has various usages. The elephant draws up water by its trunk and can squirt the water all over its body like a shower bath. The elephant's trunk also lift leaves and put them into its mouth. In fact, the trunk serves the elephant as long arm and hand. An elephant looks very clumsy and heavy and yet an elephant can move very quickly.

The elephant is very intelligent animal. Its intelligence combined with its great strength makes an elephant a very useful servant to man. Elephant can be trained to serve in various ways such as carry heavy loads, hunt for tigers and even fight. An elephant is really a smart animal.

KOMODO DRAGON
Do you know what is the largest lizard? This lizard is called komodo. It lives in the scrub and woodland of a few Indonesian islands.

Komodo dragon is the world's heaviest lizard, weighing 150 pounds or more. The largest Komodo ever measured was more than 10 feet (3 meters) long and weighed 366 pounds (166 kg) but the average size of komodo in the wild is about 8 feet (2.5 meters) long and 200 pounds (91 kg)

Komodo has gray scaly skin, a pointed snout, powerful limbs and a muscular tail. They use their keen sense of smell to locate decaying animal remains from several miles away. They also hunt other lizards as well as large mammals and are sometimes cannibalistic.

The Komodo dragon's teeth are almost completely covered by its gums. When it feeds, the gums bleed, creating an ideal culture for virulent bacteria. The bacteria that live in the Komodo dragon's saliva causes septicemia, or blood poisoning, in its victims. A dragon will bite its prey, then follow it until the animal is too weak to carry on.

This lizard species is threatened by hunting, loss of prey species and habitat loss.

Human Body Energy 

Human body is actually a living machine and is like all other machines. This living machine needs fuel to supply it with energy. The fuel is provided by the food which we eat. However do we know how much we need to stay healthy?
The energy value of food is usually measured in calories. A calorie is the amount of heat which is required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water by 1 degree C. The number of calories which people need per day varies. It depends on the activity which the people are involved in. For example; people will need more calories for standing than for sitting, people need more for running than for walking, etc.
The energy which is provided by food is in the form of three kinds of chemical substances. They are carbohydrate, protein and fat. Carbohydrate provides 8.8 calories per gram (cal/gm) of energy, protein 4.0 cal/gm and fat 8.0 cal/gm. Each food contains different proportion of these substances.These three chemical substances are all important for body staying healthy.

Report Text Notes
Report often starts discussion with brief definition or classification about the thing discussed. The first paragraph matches with the brief definition of body energy.
After brief definition or classification paragraph, report text is commonly followed by the important fact about the topic. The second and third paragraphs tell the important information about the body energy; how it comes from and what form it is available.
Report text is commonly featuring technical or scientific term. Calories, carbohydrate, protein, fat etc are some of the example.

Descriptive text

Descriptive text

The Definition and Purpose of Descriptive Text
Descriptive text is a text which say what a person or a thing is like. Its purpose is to describe and reveal a particular person, place, or thing.

The Generic Structure of Descriptive Text
Descriptive text has structure as below:
Identification; identifying the phenomenon to be described.
Description; describing the phenomenon in parts, qualities, or/and characteristics.

The Language Feature of Descriptive Text
Using attributive and identifying process.
Using adjective and classifiers in nominal group.
Using simple present tense
Descriptive text is a text which describes a person, thing, place and certain condition in particular. the example of descriptive text can be the appearance of a person, detail of location or requirement for employment. Commonly a descriptive text uses the first and third person pronoun as point of view.

EXAMPLE OF DESCRIPTIVE TEXT

Borobudur Temple;

Borobudur is Hindu - Budhist temple. It was build in the nineth century under Sailendra dynasty of ancient Mataram kingdom. Borobudur is located in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia.
Borobudur is well-known all over the world. Its construction is influenced by the Gupta architecture of India. The temple is constructed on a hill 46 m high and consist of eight step like stone terrace. The first five terrace are square and surrounded by walls adorned with Budist sculpture in bas-relief. The upper three are circular. Each of them is with a circle of bell shape-stupa. The entire adifice is crowned by a large stupa

at the centre at the centre of the top circle. The way to the summit extends through some 4.8 km of passage and starways. The design of borobudur which symbolizes the structure of universe influences temples at Angkor, Cambodia.
Borobudur temple which is rededicated as an Indonesian monument in 1983 is a valuable treasure for Indonesian people.

Analyzing the Text
Generic Structure Analysis
Identification; identifying the phenomenon to be described in general; Borobudur temple
Description; describing the Borobudur temple in parts; eight terraces of Borobudur temple and its characteristics
Language Feature Analysis
Using adjective and classifiers; valuable
Using simple present tense; Borobudur is well-known,The temple is constructed, etc

What am I?

I inhabit a small area in south-western Western Australia. My species was quite widespread in Australia before European settlement but now we are endangered.
I prefer areas of open woodland. I forage for my food in the mornings and afternoons. At night I sleep in hollow logs or under fallen timber.
My body is about 25 centimeters long. My bushy tail is nearly as long as my body. I am covered in a reddish-brown coat with white stripes. My front legs are shorter then my back legs and I have small claws.
My ears are short but my snout is long I have a very long, sticky tongue for eating termites I can eat over 10000 termites in one day.
I am a marsupial mammal. What animal am I?

The Descriptive Facts about the Moon

Moon is the earth's satellite which we often see in the night. The Moon is the one place in our solar system where humans have visited. For the firs time on July 20, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin landed the Lunar Module of Apollo 11 on the surface of the Moon. Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the Moon. However do you know what descriptive facts about the Moon are?

The moon rises in the east and sets in the west. It moves toward the east in our sky by about 12 degrees each day. The Moon is about 384,400 kilometers from Earth. The Moon has a diameter of 2,000 miles which is like to 3,476 kilometers.

The surface of the Moon has many things, such as craters, lava plains, mountains, and valleys. Scientists believe the craters were formed around 3.5 to 4.5 billion years ago by meteors hitting the moon's surface. The Moon does not have atmosphere, wind and weather that is why the footprints left there on

the Moon by the Apollo astronauts will remain there for millions of years.

The Moon is not a light source. It mean that Moon does not make its own light. It reflects light from the sun. All of us can can see the Moon especially in the night because light from the Sun bounces off it back to the Earth. If the Sun wasn't there, we can not see the Moon.

The moon influences many of the tides in the oceans. This is because of the gravity force between the Earth and Moon. At

full Moon and new Moon, the Sun, Earth and Moon are lined up, producing the higher than normal tides. When the Moon is at first or last quarter, it forms smaller neap tides.

 Questions Tag Quiz

She didn't watch the film last night, -- did she? It's great to see each other again, -- isn't it? He comes every Friday, -- doesn't he? You're married, -- aren't you? You went to Tom's last weekend, -- didn't you? You don't like tripe, -- do you? She isn't much of a cook, -- is she? He hasn't lived here long, -- has he? You weren't invited to the party, -- were you? He'll go to university, -- won't he? They hadn't visited you before, -- had they? 1. You wanted that, .......... ?    a) would you    b) didn't you    c) wouldn't you    d) do you 2. He saw that .......... ?    a) is he    b) won't he    c) didn't he    d) doesn't he 3. You know that's right .......... ?    a) would you    b) wouldn't you    c) don't you    d) didn't you 4. He wil be coming .......... ?    a) is he    b) did he    c) doesn't he    d) won't he 5. After all this time you'd think he'd have forgotten .......... ?    a) didn't you    b) wouldn't you    c) don't you    d) do you 6. The amount he is suffering from hay fever he needs to see a doctor .......... ?    a) doesn't he    b) did he    c) won't he    d) is he 7. You may think you know the answer but you don't .......... ?    a) don't you    b) would you    c) wouldn't you    d) do you 8. After working so hard he didn't deserve to fail the exam .......... ?    a) doesn't he    b) did he    c) won't he    d) is he 9. You wouldn't report me, .......... ?    a) don't you    b) would you    c) wouldn't you    d) do you 10. He isn't going to like this, .......... ?    a) didn't he    b) did he    c) won't he    d) is he

Find the correct questions tags to the sentences on the left. He sometimes reads the newspaper,      ??? did she?hasn't she?isn't he?didn't they?won't they?was she?doesn't she?aren't you?doesn't he?is he? You are Indian,      ??? did she?hasn't she?isn't he?didn't they?won't they?was she?doesn't she?aren't you?doesn't he?is he? They had a nice weekend,      ??? did she?hasn't she?isn't he?didn't they?won't they?was she?doesn't she?aren't you?doesn't he?is he? Peggy didn't use the pencil,      ??? did she?hasn't she?isn't he?didn't they?won't they?was she?doesn't she?aren't you?doesn't he?is he? Mary has answered the teacher's question,      ??? did she?hasn't she?isn't he?didn't they?won't they?was she?doesn't she?aren't you?doesn't he?is he? The boy is from Turkey,      ??? did she?hasn't she?isn't he?didn't they?won't they?was she?doesn't she?aren't you?doesn't he?is he? Sue wasn't listening,      ??? did she?hasn't she?isn't he?didn't they?won't they?was she?doesn't she?aren't you?doesn't he?is he? Andrew isn't sleeping,      ??? did she?hasn't she?isn't he?didn't they?won't they?was she?doesn't she?aren't you?doesn't he?is he? Tom and Maria will arrive at Heathrow,      ??? did she?hasn't she?isn't he?didn't they?won't they?was she?doesn't she?aren't you?doesn't he?is he? She has a brother,      ??? did she?hasn't she?isn't he?didn't they?won't they?was she?doesn't she?aren't you?doesn't he?is he?

Question tags

Tag Questions

You speak English, don't you?

A tag question is a special construction in English. It is a statement followed by a mini-question. The whole sentence is a "tag question", and the mini-question at the end is called a "question tag".

A "tag" is something small that we add to something larger. For example, the little piece of cloth added to a shirt showing size or washing instructions is a tag.

We use tag questions at the end of statements to ask for confirmation. They mean something like: "Am I right?" or "Do you agree?" They are very common in English.
The basic structure is:

+ Positive statement,	- negative tag?
Snow is white,	isn't it?
- Negative statement,	+ positive tag?
You don't like me,	do you?

Look at these examples with positive statements:

positive statement [+]				negative tag [-]			notes:
subject	auxiliary	main verb		auxiliary	not	personal pronoun (same as subject)
You	are	coming,		are	n't	you?
We	have	finished,		have	n't	we?
You	do	like	coffee,	do	n't	you?
You		like	coffee,	do	n't	you?	You (do) like...
They	will	help,		wo	n't	they?	won't = will not
I	can	come,		can	't	I?
We	must	go,		must	n't	we?
He	should	try	harder,	should	n't	he?
You		are	English,	are	n't	you?	no auxiliary for main verb be present & past
John		was	there,	was	n't	he?

Look at these examples with negative statements:

negative statement [-]						positive tag [+]
subject	auxiliary		main verb			auxiliary	personal pronoun (same as subject)
It	is	n't	raining,			is	it?
We	have	never	seen		that,	have	we?
You	do	n't	like		coffee,	do	you?
They	will	not	help,			will	they?
They	wo	n't	report		us,	will	they?
I	can	never	do		it right,	can	I?
We	must	n't	tell		her,	must	we?
He	should	n't	drive		so fast,	should	he?
You			are	n't	English,	are	you?
John			was	not	there,	was	he?

Some special cases:

I am right, aren't I?	aren't I (not amn't I)
You have to go, don't you?	you (do) have to go...
I have been answering, haven't I?	use first auxiliary
Nothing came in the post, did it?	treat statements with nothing, nobody etc like negative statements
Let's go, shall we?	let's = let us
He'd better do it, hadn't he?	he had better (no auxiliary)

Here are some mixed examples:

• But you don't really love her, do you?
• This will work, won't it?
• Well, I couldn't help it, could I?
• But you'll tell me if she calls, won't you?
• We'd never have known, would we?
• The weather's bad, isn't it?
• You won't be late, will you?
• Nobody knows, do they?

Notice that we often use tag questions to ask for information or help, starting with a negative statement. This is quite a friendly/polite way of making a request. For example, instead of saying "Where is the police station?" (not very polite), or "Do you know where the police station is?" (slightly more polite), we could say: "You wouldn't know where the police station is, would you?" Here are some more examples:

• You don't know of any good jobs, do you?
• You couldn't help me with my homework, could you?
• You haven't got $10 to lend me, have you?

Intonation

We can change the meaning of a tag question with the musical pitch of our voice. With rising intonation, it sounds like a real question. But if our intonation falls, it sounds more like a statement that doesn't require a real answer:

	intonation
You don't know where my wallet is,	do you?	/ rising	real question
It's a beautiful view,	isn't it?	\ falling	not a real question

Answers to tag questions

A question tag is the "mini-question" at the end. A tag question is the whole sentence.

How do we answer a tag question? Often, we just say Yes or No. Sometimes we may repeat the tag and reverse it (..., do they? Yes, they do). Be very careful about answering tag questions. In some languages, an oposite system of answering is used, and non-native English speakers sometimes answer in the wrong way. This can lead to a lot of confusion!

Answer a tag question according to the truth of the situation. Your answer reflects the real facts, not (necessarily) the question.

For example, everyone knows that snow is white. Look at these questions, and the correct answers:

tag question	correct answer
Snow is white, isn't it?	Yes (it is).	the answer is the same in both cases - because snow IS WHITE!	but notice the change of stress when the answerer does not agree with the questioner
Snow isn't white, is it?	Yes it is!
Snow is black, isn't it?	No it isn't!	the answer is the same in both cases - because snow IS NOT BLACK!
Snow isn't black, is it?	No (it isn't).

In some languages, people answer a question like "Snow isn't black, is it?" with "Yes" (meaning "Yes, I agree with you"). This is the wrong answer in English!
Here are some more examples, with correct answers:

• The moon goes round the earth, doesn't it? Yes, it does.
• The earth is bigger than the moon, isn't it? Yes.
• The earth is bigger than the sun, isn't it? No, it isn't!
• Asian people don't like rice, do they? Yes, they do!
• Elephants live in Europe, don't they? No, they don't!
• Men don't have babies, do they? No.
• The English alphabet doesn't have 40 letters, does it? No, it doesn't.

Question tags with imperatives

Sometimes we use question tags with imperatives (invitations, orders), but the sentence remains an imperative and does not require a direct answer. We use won't for invitations. We use can, can't, will, would for orders.

	imperative + question tag	notes:
invitation	Take a seat, won't you?	polite
order	Help me, can you?	quite friendly
	Help me, can't you?	quite friendly (some irritation?)
	Close the door, would you?	quite polite
	Do it now, will you?	less polite
	Don't forget, will you?	with negative imperatives only will is possible

Same-way question tags

Although the basic structure of tag questions is positive-negative or negative-positive, it is sometime possible to use a positive-positive or negative-negative structure. We use same-way question tags to express interest, surprise, anger etc, and not to make real questions.

• So you're having a baby, are you? That's wonderful!
• She wants to marry him, does she? Some chance!
• So you think that's amusing, do you? Think again.

Negative-negative tag questions usually sound rather hostile:

• So you don't like my looks, don't you?

 Question tags

Use

frequently used in spoken English when you want s.o. to agree or disagree

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Form

positive statement ->question tag negative - You are Tom, aren't you?
negative statement->question tag positive - He isn't Joe, is he?

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Examples

with auxiliaries
You've got a car, haven't you?
without auxiliaries (use: don't, doesn't, didn't)
They play football on Sundays, don't they?
She plays football on Sundays, doesn't she?
They played football on Sundays, didn't they?
Questions tags are used to keep a conversation going. You can agree or refuse to a sentence with a question tag.

You go to school, don't you?
You agree.	You refuse.
Yes, I do.	No, I don't.

You aren't from Germany, are you?
You agree.	You refuse.
No, I'm not.	Yes, I am.

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Questions tags - Special

Although the negative word not is not in the sentence, the sentence can be negative. Then we use the "positive" question tag.

He never goes out with his dog, does he?

have is a main verb in the sentence -> two possibilities

We have a car, _____?
We have a car, haven't we?	We have a car, don't we?
mostly British English	mostly American English

We use will with the imperative (Simple Present).

Open the window, will you?

Don't open your books, will you?

We use shall after Let's.

Let's take the next bus, shall we?

Auxiliary must

We must be at home at 8 pm, mustn't we?
Yes, we must.	No, we needn't.

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Procedure adding a question tag

Look at the sentence.
1	Is an auxiliary or a form of to be in the sentence?
	yes	no
	auxiliary or form of to be affirmative -> negate auxiliary (add n't) auxiliary or form of to be negative -> (delete n't)	affirmative sentence -> Negate sentence (e.g. don't; doesn't; didn't) negative sentence -> (delete n't)
2	Is a personal pronoun the subject of the sentence?
	yes	no
	Use the personal pronoun.	Form the personal pronoun.
3	Complete the sentence.

 

Example 1: He can play football, ________.
1	Is an auxiliary or a form of to be in the sentence?
	yes -> can
	auxiliary or form of to be affirmative -> negate auxiliary (add n't) can't
2	Is a personal pronoun the subject of the sentence?
	yes
	Use the personal pronoun.
3	He can play football, can't he?

 

Example 2: Peter can play football, ________.
1	Is an auxiliary or a form of to be in the sentence?
	yes -> can
	auxiliary or form of to be affirmative -> negate auxiliary (add n't) can't
2	Is a personal pronoun the subject of the sentence?
		no
		Form the personal pronoun. Peter -> he
3	Peter can play football, can't he?

 

Example 3: Peter plays football, ________.
1	Is an auxiliary or a form of to be in the sentence?
		no
		affirmative sentence -> Negate the verb. verb plays -> Negation: doesn't play We only use the auxiliary doesn't.
2	Is a personal pronoun the subject of the sentence?
		no
		Form the personal pronoun. Peter -> he
3	Peter plays football, doesn't he?

Verb Tense Exercise 1 Simple Present / Present Continuous

Verb Tense Exercise 1

Simple Present / Present Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses, then click the "Check" button to check your answers.

A.
1. Every Monday, Sally (drive) her kids to football practice.

2. Usually, I (work) as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I (study) French at a language school in Paris. That is why I am in Paris.

3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep) .

4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain) .

5. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always) .

6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say) because everybody (talk) so loudly.

7. Justin (write, currently) a book about his adventures in Tibet. I hope he can find a good publisher when he is finished.

8. Jim: Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?
Denise: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I (go) to a movie tonight with some friends.

9. The business cards (be, normally ) printed by a company in New York. Their prices (be) inexpensive, yet the quality of their work is quite good.

10. This delicious chocolate (be) made by a small chocolatier in Zurich, Switzerland
B.

1.

Look! It ___________ (snow). We are going to have a white Christmas.

2.

We ___________ (have) a small problem.

3.

_________ (take, bath, you)?

4.

________ sad (look, you). What's the matter?

5.

He __________ (wear) a tie today.

6.

Who __________ (you, talk, to) ?
 

. _____________ (it, rain) at the moment?

Answer:

2. __________ (not, it, work). I think it's broken.

Answer:

	It's not working
	It doesn't work
	Both

3. _____________ (have, I) lunch in the cafeteria every day.

Answer:

	I have
	I'm having
	Both

4. ________ sad (look, you). What's the matter?

Answer:

	You look
	You're looking sad
	Both

5. Sheila _____ (love) reading books.

Answer:

6. I ______ (cook) dinner tonight. Would you like to come?

Answer:

7. I _____________ (not, like) him because he talks too much.

Answer:

8. Have we met? You _________ (look) familiar.

Answer:

	look
	are looking
	Both

9. B: What ________ (you, do)? A: I'm a dentist.

Answer:

10. A: What is she doing? B: ______________ (she, have) a bath.

Answer:

Verb Tense Exercise 7 Present Perfect / Present Perfect Continuous

Verb Tense Exercise 7

Present Perfect / Present Perfect Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses, then click the "Check" button to check your answers.

Robin: I think the waiter (forget) us. We (wait) here for over half an hour and nobody (take) our order yet.

Michele: I think you're right. He (walk) by us at least twenty times. He probably thinks we (order, already) .

Robin: Look at that couple over there, they (be, only) here for five or ten minutes and they already have their food.

Michele: He must realize we (order, not) yet! We (sit) here for over half an hour staring at him.

Robin: I don't know if he (notice, even) us. He (run) from table to table taking orders and serving food.

Michele: That's true, and he (look, not) in our direction once. 

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses, then click the "Check" button to check your answers.

1. Judy: How long (be) in Canada?
Claude: I (study) here for more than three years.

2. I (have) the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about buying a new one.

3. I (love) chocolate since I was a child. You might even call me a "chocoholic."

4. Matt and Sarah (have) some difficulties in their relationship lately, so they (go) to a marriage counselor. I hope they work everything out.

5. John (work) for the government since he graduated from Harvard University. Until recently, he (enjoy) his work, but now he is talking about retiring.

6. Lately, I (think) about changing my career because I (become) dissatisfied with the conditions at my company.

7. I (see) Judy for more than five years and during that time I (see) many changes in her personality.

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

Past Continuous

Quick example:

• What were you doing then?
• I was eating the dinner when someone knocked at the door.
• When he was sleeping, I was working hard
• I was wondering if you could help me.

---

We usually use The Past Continuous (Progressive) to talk about longer actions in progress in the past. The actions can be interruped by something ("He was reading when she arrived") or can be happening at the same some ("She was learning English when he was watching TV"). There are also two other uses.

Use

1. Actions in progress (in the past)
2. Interrupted actions in progress (in the past)
3. Actions in progress at the same time (in the past).
4. Irritation over something or somebody (in the past)
5. Timid / polite question

USE 1: Actions in progress

---

We use the Past Continuous to express the idea that an action was in progress in the past.

Examples:

• I was watching TV yesterday in the evening.
• She was not crying.

USE 2: Interrupted actions in progress

---

The Past Continuous is often used when one actions in progress is interruped by another action in the past. We usually use "when" to link these two actions. Sentences usually have this form:

[ Sentence in Past Continuous ] + WHEN + [Sentence in Past Simple ]

WHEN + [ Sentence in Past Continuous ] + [Sentence in Past Simple ]

or:

[ Sentence in Past Simple ] + WHEN + [ Sentence in Past Continuous ]

Examples:

• I was talking with James when the telephone rang.
• The plane crashed when Angelica was playing tennis.

---

"When I was jogging someone stopped me and asked what time it was.".

• Why is this in Past Continuous? Click on the button labled "event 1". You can see that the man is jogging. This is a continuous action. Suddenly, another man stops him and asks what time it is. This is "event 2". Notice that the action of jogging is interrupted by event 2. This is why the use of Past Continuous is correct here.

USE 3: Actions in progress at the same time

---

We also use this tense to show that two actions are taking place at the same.

Examples:

• I was watching TV and Barbara was reading a book.
• The family was eating the dinner and talking.

USE 4: Timid / polite questions

---

If we want to ask a polite question, we can use the Past Continuous.

Examples:

• I was wondering if you could open the window.
• I was thinking you might help me with this problem.

Even though the sentences have a Past Continuous form, they refer to the present moment. Their meaning is similar to the "could you" sentences, but they are more polite.
USE 5: Irritation

---

Remember that you can also express irritation over somebody or something in the past.

Examples:

• She was always coming late for dinner!

Form

To form a sentence in the Past Continuous, what you need is:

1. The proper conjugation of the auxiliary verb "to be" in the past form
2. The Present Participle of your verb (verb + ing)

1. Auxiliary verb "to be"
The past form of the auxiliary verb "to be" is:

1. For third person singular: "was"
2. For all others: "were"

Examples:

• She was always coming late for dinner!
• You were always coming late for dinner!

2. The Present Participle
The present participle is of a verb is a verb form that appears with the present tenses. The present participle is formed by adding -ing to the verb.

• talk + ing = talking
• be + ing = being

There are exceptions.

Positive Sentences

Subject	+	Auxiliary verb	+	Verb + ing
e.g. I/a dog etc.		was / were		e.g. swimming/talking etc.

A rhinoceros was swatting flies with his tail when suddenly a fly bit him (Use 2)

Examples		Use
	Have you been running?	(Use 2)
	Has Tom been walking the dog?	(Use 2)
	How long have you been learning English?	(Use 1)
	Q: What have you been doing there? A: I've been eating	(Use 1 or Use 2)

Questions

Auxiliary verb	+	Subject	+	Verb + ing
was / were		e.g. I/a dog etc.		e.g. swimming/talking etc.

Examples		Use
	Have you ever seen this program?	(Use 1)
	Where has she lived for the past 21 years?	(Use 3)
	Have you found the telephone number?	(Use 1,2)
	Have you ever been to France?	(Use 1)
	Has anyone taken my bag?	(Use 1,2)

Negative Sentences

Subject	+	Auxiliary verb	+	Verb + ing
e.g. I/a dog etc.		was not / were not		e.g. swimming/talking etc.

Examples		Use
	He hasn't taken any drug for two years	(Use 3)
	I haven't met my perfect partner yet	(Use 3)
	They haven't contacted you, have they?	(Use 1)

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

Present Perfect

Quick example:

• I have read this book.
• The man has gone away.
• John has worked as a teacher for over 25 years.

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The Present Perfect is used to express actions that happened at an indefinite time or that began in the past and continue in the present. This tense is also used when an activity has an effect on the present moment.

Use

1. Actions which happened at an indefinite (unknown) time before now
2. Actions in the past which have an effect on the present moment
3. Actions which began in the past and continue in the present

USE 1: Indefinite (unknown) time before now

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Use the Present Perfect to talk about actions that happened at some point in the past. It does not matter when exactly they happened.

Examples:

• I have already had a breakfast.
• He has been to England.

You should not use this tense with time expressions like "yesterday", "a week ago", "last year", etc.
Examples:

• I have seen it yesterday.
• We have gone to Paris last year

USE 2: Effect on the present moment

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We also use this tense to when an activity has an effect on the present moment.

Examples:

• He has finished his work. (so he can now rest)
• I have already eaten the dinner. (so I'm not hungry)
• He has had a car accident. (that's why he is in the hospital)

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: "Markus, what's happened". Marcus replies: "I have been struck by a bolt of lightning".

• Why is this in Present Continuous? Click on the button labled as "event 1". You can see that Marcus was struck lightning bolt. Now click on the other button. The use of Present Continuous is correct here because the action has an effect on the present moment (it explains why he looks this way).

USE 3: Continuation in the present

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We often use the Present Perfect when we want to emphasize that an event continues in the present.

Examples:

• Mary has worked as a teacher for over 25 years.
• Patrick has achieved a lot in his life.

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"For" and "Since"...

"Since" and "for" are very common time expressions used with the Present Perfect.
We use "for" with a period of time, for example:

• I have lived here for 20 years.

When talking about a starting point, we use "since", for example:

• I have lived here since 1960.

Form

To form a sentence in the Present Perfect, what you need is:

1. The proper conjugation of the auxiliary verb "to have".
2. The Past Participle of your verb.

1. Auxiliary Verb "to have"
We conjugate the auxiliary verb "to have" the same way we would conjugate the normal verb "to have".

Person	Singular	Plural

Person	Singular	Plural
First	I have	We have
Second	You have	You have
Third	He/she/it has	They have

As you can see, the third person singular is irregular.

More examples:

• She has never seen my brother.
• Neither of my brothers has ever driven a truck.

2. The Past Participle
The past participle of a verb is a verb form that appears with the perfect tenses. The past participle can be either regular or irregular.

• The regular verbs are formed by adding -ed to the verb:
  

  Verb	Past Participle

  Verb	Past Participle
  talk	talked
  explain	explained
  use	used
  deliver	delivered
  include	included
  achieve	achieved

  
  
• The formation of the irregular verbs does not follow one rule. Therefore, they should be memorized.
  

  Verb	Past Participle	Learn more

  Verb	Past Participle	Learn more
  be	been	be
  become	become	become
  see	seen	see
  go	gone	go
  eat	eaten	eat
  grow	grown	grow

Declarative Sentences

Subject	+	Auxiliary verb	+	Past participle
e.g. I/a dog etc.		has/have		e.g. slept/taken/gone etc.

Examples		Use
	We have already had breakfast	(Use 1)
	I have bought new shades	(Use 2)
	I have already been to Paris	(Use 1)
	John has been a plumber for 2 years	(Use 3)
	Someone has just taken my bag!	(Use 1,2)
	Jane has never been so angry	(Use 3)
	He has been our most serious partner for so long that I can assure you he's a very decent man	(Use 3)

Questions

Auxiliary verb	+	Subject	+	Past participle
has/have		e.g. I/a dog etc.		e.g. slept/taken/gone etc.

Examples		Use
	Have you ever seen this program?	(Use 1)
	Where has she lived for the past 21 years?	(Use 3)
	Have you found the telephone number?	(Use 1,2)
	Have you ever been to France?	(Use 1)
	Has anyone taken my bag?	(Use 1,2)

Trivia In sentences with adverbials such as ever, already or yet, American-English speakers may use the Past Simple rather than the Present Perfect. So, an American would say:

• Did you go to the post office yet? (Past Simple)

rather than:

• Have you gone to the post office yet? (Present Perfect)

Negative Sentences

Subject	+	Auxiliary verb + not	+	Past participle
e.g. I/a dog etc.		has not/have not		e.g. slept/taken/gone etc.

Examples		Use
	He hasn't taken any drug for two years	(Use 3)
	I haven't met my perfect partner yet	(Use 3)
	They haven't contacted you, have they?	(Use 1)