LANGUAGE REFERENCE
130
3
GRAMMAR
G1
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Form the present perfect continuous with
have
/
has
(’ve
/
’s)
+
been
+
-ing
.
He
’s
been working
from home.
Employers
have been investing
in video conference
technology.
We use the present perfect continuous to talk about
actions and situations that continue into the present.
I
’ve been studying
at Oxford University for two years
(and I am still studying there).
They
’ve been talking
on the phone for two hours
(and they are still talking).
We often use the present perfect continuous with
the time expressions
since
and
for
. Use
since
to refer
to a point in time and
for
to indicate a period of time.
I’ve been studying at Oxford University
since 2006
.
I’ve been studying at Oxford University
for two years
.
We don’t usually use state verbs with the
continuous form.
I’ve been knowing John for years.
û
I’ve known John for years.
ü
G2
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE AND PRESENT
PERFECT CONTINUOUS
We use the present perfect simple to emphasise:
•
that an action started in the past and is completed.
I
’ve prepared
the leaflets you asked for.
They
’ve interviewed
everyone.
•
the result of the activity (for example, by telling us how
much or how many).
We
’ve asked
over five hundred people.
He
’s done
all his homework.
How many people
have
you
interviewed
?
How much of your work
have
you
done
?
We use the present perfect continuous to emphasise:
•
that an action started in the past and is still continuing.
She
’s been working
here for over three years.
We
’ve been writing
letters to all the candidates.
•
the activity and its duration (for example, by telling us
how long).
Roger
has been playing
tennis for years.
Roger
has been playing
tennis since he was a boy.
How long
have
you
been working
here?
KEY LANGUAGE
KL
ASKING QUESTIONS, GIVING ANSWERS
FRAMING QUESTIONS
I’d also like to know …
I’m (also) interested in knowing …
A question we like to ask all our …
I was wondering what/if/when …
A question now about …
Let me follow that up with another question.
Moving on, can/could you tell me …
Just one last/final question …
FRAMING ANSWERS
I’m glad you asked me that.
That’s a very good question.
Without going into too much detail, …
Let me just think about that for a moment.
I thought you might ask me that.
I haven’t really thought about that.
I’m not an expert, but …
I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to that.
VOCABULARY
V1
WORK ADJECTIVES
challenging, exciting, flexible, glamorous,
monotonous, repetitive, rewarding, satisfying,
stressful, stimulating, tedious
V2
DEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS
ability to, depend on, expected to, experience of,
fluency in, knowledge of, look for, motivated by,
prospects for, report to, responsible for, suitable for
V3
EXPRESSIONS CONNECTED WITH TIME
AND WORK
spend time, time-consuming, time management,
work–life balance, workstation
since
NOW
for
