Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous

The Present Perfect Tense

When we use the present perfect tense, we see a connection between the current situation and actions completed in the past. ‘Perfect’ refers to the completion of actions, not to an ideal tense. The present perfect tense is used in three main kinds of the sentence:

A. A recent action where the situation continues, such as I’ve lost my wallet. Note that (1) the action is completed, (2) I don’t say when I lost it, and (3) I still don’t have my wallet. In this kind of sentence, it’s not wrong to use the simple past tense (I lost my wallet) since the action is finished, but the simple past doesn’t tell you whether I have my wallet now; perhaps I found it again. Here are some typical sentences:

I’ve misplaced my glasses and I can’t see properly. Can you help me look for them?

Where has Mary gone? She said she’d help me with these figures.

Who has taken my book? I haven’t finished reading it.

You can use only vague terms like lately, recently, yet, already and just to say when something has happened.

Have you seen Mary lately?

Jack: Have you finished that report yet? Jill: Yes, and I’ve already submitted it.

Call the technician. My computer has just crashed.

Note that North Americans frequently use the simple past with yet, just, and already. The adverbs make the sense clear: Did you finish it yet? Yes, I already finished it. My computer just crashed.

The present perfect is often used in announcements about recent events that are still newsworthy:

The prime minister has declared that tomorrow will be a national holiday.

Flash. The president has fled to Mexico to avoid imprisonment.

I’m so happy. My dog has just had puppies.

Have you heard? Sam has decided to quit his job and start his own business.

Don’t repeat this, but Kathy’s husband has left her.

The present perfect is used in sentences where one thing has happened but the story is not yet complete or we are waiting for another development:

I have written to ask them for an explanation but have not yet received a reply.

Sally, who was adopted, has finally identified her birth parents and has made plans to surprise her mother at Christmas.

My wife has decided to buy a new car but she hasn’t chosen the make or model yet.

B. An action or actions that happened (or didn’t happen) in the past and may happen again or may yet happen. In this kind of sentence, we’re usually still in the same time period in which the actions happened or may happen; we usually say what the time period is, such as in I’ve eaten three donuts today. We often count things that have happened. Note that I didn’t say exactly when I ate the donuts, and since the day isn’t over, I may eat more. Normally, we can’t use the past tense unless the time period is almost over, e.g., just before bed, I ate three donuts today, or an old man might say, I loved many women, if he doesn’t expect to love any more. Here are some typical sentences:

Have you talked to the boss today? He wants to see you.

I’ve done many strange things in my life. I ate termites in Africa, for example.

Jack: Have you ever eaten squid? Jill: No, I haven’t, but I’ve often eaten octopus.

I’ve only drunk five bottles of beer so far this evening. Is there any more?

The present perfect is commonly used in job interviews because it simultaneously describes things that someone did and can do again:

Interviewer: Please tell us something about your background.

Candidate: Certainly. I’ve been an airplane pilot, I’ve recently become an architect and I’ve worked part-time as a martial arts instructor for years. I’ve also won two Nobel Prizes and have played the bagpipes to serenade the Queen. In fact, she’s invited me to Balmoral for Christmas several times.

The present perfect is often used with superlatives and with only, first, second, third, etc.:

This is the best pizza I’ve ever tasted, and you’re the nicest girl I’ve ever met.

This is the third time you’ve been late this week.

You’re the only person I’ve ever met who wears a nosering.

The expression have/has been to a place—i.e., went or visited and came back —can only be used in perfect tenses:

Jack: Have you ever been to Panama? Jill: No, but I’ve been to Cuba many times.

The expression “have/has gone to a place” normally implies that the person is there or en-route:

Jack: Where’s Joe? Jill: He’s gone to Calgary. He’ll be back on Tuesday.

But ‘have gone to’ may be a substitute for have been to if no confusion is possible:

Jack: Please buy some bread when you go to the store. Jill: Too late. I’ve already gone. I got back ten minutes ago.

C. Some ‘how long’ sentences. In most cases, ‘how long’ sentences are expressed in the present perfect continuous tense, but the present perfect is normally used for three kinds of ‘how long’ sentences:

1. Sentences where the action or situation started a long time ago, often with verbs like ‘live’ and ‘work’ and especially with the adverb ‘always’: I’ve always worked for this company, and I’ve lived in this town ever since I was born. Note that the speaker can decide what he or she thinks is a long time. For example, I’ve worked here for five years and I’ve been working here for five years are equally possible, though I’ve worked here for five years suggests that the speaker thinks that five years is a long time.

2. Sentences with verbs not normally used in continuous tenses: I’ve been here for ten minutes. I’ve only believed this for a short time. I’ve owned this car for two years.

3. Negative sentences describing the time elapsed since the last time something happened; note that we usually use ‘in’ instead of ‘for’ to describe the length of time: I haven’t worked since July. He hasn’t phoned his mother in weeks.

The Present Perfect Continuous Tense

This tense normally describes recent or ongoing actions, as opposed to situations, and is used in two distinct situations:

A. ‘How long’ sentences such as I’ve been standing here for three hours and I’ve been working on this project since July. The action is still going on or has only recently stopped; it may or may not continue. This kind of sentence may refer to uninterrupted actions such as ‘standing’ or to repeated actions such as ‘working.’ We cannot use the past, present or present continuous tenses instead. In most cases, we may, however, use the present perfect tense if we so choose.

B. Recent actions that explain or lead up to the present situation, such as I’m tired because I’ve been playing soccer. In this case, the soccer game may or may not be finished; that’s not important. What’s important is that it explains why I’m tired now. In this kind of sentence, we can use the past continuous tense instead, e.g. I’m tired because I was just playing soccer, but that suggests that the soccer game is over.

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Leave a comment with 2 examples where we can differ the usages of Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous.

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Repaso 4to-5to Intermediate Oct 2017

A. Match the verbs with the correct definitions.

*break up	*look up to	*put up with	*keep up with	*chase after
*terminar relación	*tolerar	*admirar	*perseguir	*estar al tanto

B. Use the definitions to fit each phrasal verb.
a) (down) Information obtained from the Internet                            _____________
b) (break) New and successful development                                  _____________
c) (break) Ending a marriage                                                          _____________
d) (out) A store or company through which products are sold         _____________
e) (down) A lot of rain that falls fast and heavily                              _____________

C. Chose the correct Idiom.
a) He got upset and started ranting and raving / hemming and hawing about politics.
b) It’s OK. I can hear you far and wide / loud and clear.
c) I should never have trusted him, but you hit and miss / live and learn, don’t you?
d) He has many talents, but first and foremost / by and large he’s an actor.
e) If and when / Now and then I see her again, I’m going to give her the picture I took at the party.

D. Complete using a correct phrasal verb.

Chase after - Split up - Ask sb out - Put up with - Get over sb

a) I think she’s seeing him. I don’t know how she ______________ him.
b) Yesterday Frank __________ me ________ but I said no. I don’t like him.
c) He _______________ her by sending lots of presents and flowers.
d) Did you know that Javier and Juana have __________?
e) She’s totally in love so it’ll take forever to ______________ him.

E. Match the correct pairs of nouns to create Idioms.

a) Keep an		shoulder       (   )
b) Play it by		face             (   )
c) Put on a brave	and	ear               (   )
d) Give sb the cold		leg                (   )
e) Pull someone’s		eye on sb     (   )

F. Match definitions a-e. Use the particles from the box with either put or take to form phrasal verbs.
a) Suddenly become successful                  __________________
b) Admit you said something wrong            __________________
c) Stop you from wanting something           __________________
d) Store something                                     __________________
e) Make something stop burning                 __________________ 

Take back - Put out - Take off - Put off - Put away

Reading Comprehension #20 - Elementary

Read the text. Are the statements are true (T) or false (F)?

History of Halloween Like many other holidays, Halloween has evolved and changed throughout history. Over 2,000 years ago people called the Celts lived in what is now Ireland, the UK, and parts of Northern France. November 1 was their New Year's Day. They believed that the night before the New Year (October 31) was a time when the living and the dead came together. More than a thousand years ago the Christian church named November 1 All Saints Day (also called All Hallows). This was a special holy day to honor the saints and other people who died for their religion. The night before All Hallows was called Hallows Eve. Later the name was changed to Halloween. Like the Celts, the Europeans of that time also believed that the spirits of the dead would visit the earth on Halloween. They worried that evil spirits would cause problems or hurt them. So, on that night people wore costumes that looked like ghosts or other evil creatures. They thought if they dressed like that, the spirits would think they were also dead and not harm them. The tradition of Halloween was carried to America by immigrating Europeans. Some of the traditions changed a little, though. For example, on Halloween in Europe some people would carry lanterns made from turnips. In America, pumpkins were more common. So people began putting candles inside them and using them as lanterns. That is why you see Jack 'o lanterns today.   These days Halloween is not usually considered a religious holiday. It is primarily a fun day for children. Children dress up in costumes like people did a thousand years ago. But instead of worrying about evil spirits, they go from house to house. They knock on doors and say "trick or treat." The owner of each house gives candy or something special to each trick or treater

Are the sentences True(T) or False(F)?

a) The Celts created All Hallows.	_____
b) All Hallows is on October 31st.	_____
c) The word Halloween comes from the word Hallows Eve.	_____
d) A thousands years ago Europeans wore customes to get candy.	_____
e) All Americans still carve turnips to use as lanterns.	_____
f) Today Halloween is especially for children.	_____
g) Children get candy by saying "trick or treat".	_____
h) The Celts thought the spirits of dead people returned on the earth on October 31st.	_____

 

 

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Reading Comprehension #5 - Upper-Intermediate

Read the article and complete the gaps (1–5) with the sentences (A–E).

You only get one chance 0   One thing in common   Look on the Internet and you will find thousands of websites dedicated to extreme sports, from mountain boarding to barefoot waterskiing, sky surfing to white-water kayaking. Although these sports are all very different, they do all have one thing in common and that is a high level of inherent danger. 1   ___________________________ Whether on land, water, or in the air, these sports involve speed, height, a high level of physical exertion and spectacular stunts. One of the most extreme of these extreme sports is base jumping.  BASE stands for Buildings, Aerials, Spans (bridges) and Earth, so basically anything that is tall enough to allow someone to jump off. There are people risking life and limb all over the world and they been doing so since the 1990s when the sport really started to take off. 2   ___________________________ Dan ‘the Man’ Witchalls is Britain’s premier base jumper, a veteran with ten years’ experience. He is a roofer by profession, an appropriate line of work for someone addicted to heights. ‘I can’t drive past a new building or crane without thinking, maybe, maybe …’ he says. His business card shows him in his trademark jade-and-white jumpsuit, leaping from the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. It reads: ‘Extreme Roofing’. 3   ___________________________ While for many sportsmen, base jumping is like an act of personal rebellion, to Witchalls it is not.  He claims that he does it because it’s fun. At his house there are two places dedicated to base: a room filled with photographs of his most impressive jumps with every building named and dated, and the room where he keeps his equipment. 4   ___________________________ The room full of photos, while highlighting Witchalls’ triumphs, also serves as a sad reminder of just how dangerous this sport can be. There are six orders of service from the funerals of jumpers he has known, including Angus ‘Gus’ Hutchison-Brown, a popular British jumper who died in Switzerland in 2009.  Over 150 people have died over the years and the list of near-fatal injuries is quite horrific yet the sport goes on with people always looking for greater challenges. 5   ___________________________ So, how do you go about becoming an officially-recognised base jumper? You can apply for an official number when you’ve carried out all four genres of jumps successfully (building, aerial, span and earth). At the moment about 1,400 base numbers have been allocated, but none to women. I wonder if this means anything?!

 

Complete the gaps (1–5) using these sentences (A–F).

One thing in common

A The signs of success.

B The derivation of BASE.

C The cost in human terms.

D Qualifications needed..

E A well-known expert?.

 

 

 

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Reading Comprehension #4 - Upper-Intermediate

Read the article and complete the gaps (1–5) with the sentences (A–E).

Think carefully before you choose. The world of work has changed so much over the past couple of decades that it can often be quite challenging to decide which career path to follow. (0) Some people are very lucky and have a vocation. They know exactly what they want to do and have always done so. For others, however, the choices can be far harder to make. When you consider that you might well be spending fifty years in the workplace, as the retirement age rises, you will realise just how important it is to spend some time thinking about what it is you really want to do. Of course, we are not all lucky enough to have the ‘perfect’ job. How many people do you know who can honestly say they wake up every morning excited about the day ahead with all its demands and challenges? (1) _________________________ It’s more a case of ‘well it’s almost the weekend’. Most people would say that they just ‘fell’ into the line of work they’re doing. They knew someone who knew someone or they just happened to be in the right place at the right time. After that, there’s a natural progression. (2) ______________________ Increasingly, however, in this age of technology, people are choosing to work from home rather than going out to work. (3) ________________________________ It is an environment which needs to function, the only difference being that there you are likely to be working on your own, which in itself can be problematic if isolation does not suit your temperament. (4) _________________________________ You need to have a clear division between home as a place to relax and home as a place to work, ideally with a separate office so that you can shut the door at the end of the working day. This existence is not for everyone and is something that should be considered very carefully.  It is hard to predict how working patterns will change over the next twenty years as unemployment levels rise, but I imagine that the workplace as we know it will disappear as more and more people find new ways to work. (5) __________________________________ Only time will tell.

 

Complete the gaps (1–5) using these sentences (A–F). There is one extra sentence.

Some people are very lucky and have a vocation.

A One job leads to another and you acquire various skills along the way..

B Working from home means you have to be very disciplined and focused.

C Perhaps there will be a return to smaller communities becoming more self-sufficient.

D I for one, can’t think of anyone.

E And home is a ‘workplace’ in much the same way as the traditional workplace.

 

 

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Reading Comprehension #3 - Upper-Intermediate

Read the posting on a web forum and answer the questions.

School days are the happiest days of your lives St Anthony’s School is celebrating its centenary this year so we are inviting all of our former students to write in with memories of their time with us. We look forward to hearing what you have to say. Philip I vividly remember my first day at school. I walked through the main doors and felt so small.  I’d been at a village school before starting at St Anthony’s so it was quite a shock to the system. Everyone seemed so much older than me and everyone seemed to know what they were doing and where they were going. Whenever I start something new, I’m reminded of that awful sinking feeling. I don’t suppose it’ll ever go away.  Marianne My favourite subject was English because I really liked our teacher. She was so passionate about literature so we all just got caught up in her enthusiasm. At the start of every lesson she would read us a short extract from whatever it was that she was reading at the time. She also encouraged us to write for ourselves and I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be a teacher myself if it hadn’t been for her influence and encouragement. Luke To be honest, I don’t have happy memories of my time at the school. I was a very introverted child and had always found it hard to make friends. Everyone seemed so sporty and competitive and I just didn’t fit in. Looking back, I wish I’d told my parents how unhappy I was instead of staying put. The one saving grace, as far as I’m concerned, was the library. Whenever we had a break I just went there and studied. Graham I’m not really academic so I don’t see the point of learning all about physics and history and all that kind of stuff. From my point of view it would have been far better if we’d done a few vocational subjects something that’s actually useful if you want to go out and get a job. I dropped out when I was 16 and got myself an apprenticeship with a local building company. I don’t think the teachers were particularly interested in anyone who didn’t want to go to university but I still see some of my classmates from time to time. Kate One of my best memories is our trip to Berlin. We’d been studying German for four years. There were fifteen of us so it was a good number. A couple of parents came along as well and we all stayed in a small hostel in the city centre. It was so good to be able to practise what we’d spent so long learning in the classroom. And amazingly people actually understood us!

Who...

...felt unappreciated by the teachers?	Graham
a)...was lonely at school?	_____
b)...was able to put theory into practice?	_____
c)...is still affected by memories of school?	_____
d)...was inspired to into the teaching profession?	_____
e)...wanted to study practical subjects?	_____

 

 

 

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Reading Comprehension #2 - Upper-Intermediate

Read the email. Are the statements true (T), false (F) or not given (NG)?

Hi Anna How are things? I hope you managed to get yourself a decent last-minute flight. I know how tired you must be after the house move, and a break somewhere out of the way is probably just what you need. I can’t believe that I was at home this time last week and now I’m on the other side of the world. It’s been an amazing few days. Well, you of all people know how it is when you travel. I must say I’ve forgotten how many times I’ve had emails from you from some internet café or other! And now it’s my turn. To be honest, I was a bit nervous at first as I found the idea of travelling on my own quite daunting but once I’d checked in and gone through security to the departure lounge I could feel the excitement rising. It was a long flight but, would you believe, I got an upgrade so ended up travelling in business class! How the other half lives. Beginner’s luck I guess. There was plenty of room so I even managed to sleep for a while. We landed in Seattle in the early evening and I felt quite overwhelmed by all the signs and security. You wouldn’t think we all spoke the same language, but finally I was through, picked up my luggage and took the airport shuttle to my hotel. I’d taken your advice and booked accommodation for the first night. It was fine – clean and functional. I didn’t really sleep very much at all due to jetlag and the usual noises you get in hotels so I got up early and headed into town. There’s something about cities that are built by the sea. Do you think it’s the sense of space perhaps? You just feel you can breathe more easily. Anyway, I took the bus down town to the waterfront and spent the whole day breathing in all the sights and sounds of the bustling market. In fact, it was quite exhausting – sensory overload.  And by the end of the day I was looking forward to the next stage of the journey especially as it had started drizzling and was quite chilly. Surprisingly, given I’m a Brit, I didn’t have an umbrella with me! Day Two and the ferry over to Orcas Island.  had to take a bus to the ferry port and then it was a couple of hours on the ferry. Orcas is one of the few San Juan Islands that is inhabited. I’d heard about these islands from a friend of mine and had decided to head out there and do some island-hopping away from the bustle of the big city. Since getting off the mainland, I haven’t made any firm plans at all, so will take each day as it comes and will write to you again when I have internet connection – it’s quite difficult here to find places with decent reception. Take care and write back soon. Love, Sam xx

 

Are the statements true (T), false (F) or not given (NG)?

Ann has travelled a lot.	T
a) Sam hasn't travelled alone before.	_____
b) He found a hotel when he landed in Seattle.	_____
c) Seattle is surrounded by water.	_____
d) It poured with rain on the first day.	_____
e) It's not easy to send emails.	_____

 

 

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Reading Comprehension #1 - Upper-Intermediate

Read the article and complete the gaps (1–5) with the sentences (A–F).

We recently asked our readers to tell us about their experiences growing up, whether as one of several siblings or as only children. (0) We were inundated with entries and will be publishing a selection over the next couple of weeks.Thank you all for sharing your childhood memories with us.  Only is lonely – or is it? bySally MacFarlane I was brought up as an only child, the daughter of two intellectual, emotionally absent parents who believed that children should be seen and not heard. On the surface perhaps not the best start in life, but there were many advantages to this rather isolated upbringing. (1) ___________________________________ They were both successful writers who worked long hours and then often had to travel abroad to attend conferences and give talks. As a consequence I was left in the capable hands of an endless stream of nannies.  Once I started going to primary school, however, the focus of my world changed and I found that I enjoyed being challenged, learning new things every day. (2) ___________________________________ If I could show them the progress I was making, we had some point of contact. They weren’t really interested in my social development, more my academic skills. At first I was shy and introverted, although I think I probably came across as rather arrogant. It’s just that I was not accustomed to spending so many hours every day in the company of others and I’d grown to depend on myself for my own entertainment.  I spent hours creating stories for all my imaginary friends to star in. (3) ___________________________________ How could you be lonely when you had all this? Most of my friends had brothers and sisters and I could see that they sometimes felt sorry that I was often alone. I, on the other hand, felt sorry for them in a way as they had to compete with one another for attention and possessions. (4) ___________________________________ The years passed and I continued to do well at school. I passed all my exams and went on to university and strangely enough followed in my parents’ footsteps. (5) ___________________________________ It is now, as an adult with children of my own, I look back and wish I’d had brothers and sisters.

 

Complete the gaps (1–5) using these sentences (A–F). There is one extra sentence.

A   I quickly realised too that this was the way to engage my parents.

B   I at least did not have to do that.

C   There is, however, one big difference and that is my family life.

D   Even when my parents were around, they weren’t – if you know what I mean.

E   I had a room full of books as well and could happily spend all weekend in other worlds.

F   I don’t think I really appreciated what I had at the time.

 

 

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Reading Comprehension #10 - Intermediate

Tom trekked to Everest Base Camp to raise money for charity. Read his competition-winning article and match the headings to the correct paragraph.

Trying not to look down! An adventure in memory of my grandfather 0   a I’ve always been afraid of heights. Even climbing up a ladder to change a light bulb or paint the ceiling makes me feel quite sick, so imagine everyone’s surprise when I announced that I would be trekking to Everest Base Camp which is over 5,000 metres above sea level. Well, it’s all about overcoming your fears and challenging yourself, isn’t it? 1   ___ I’ve wanted to raise money for charity for a long time and when I saw an advertisement in the paper I jumped at the chance and I’d signed up. Of course as soon as I’d made my decision, I started to panic. What was I thinking? I’d never be able to get fit enough. I wouldn’t be able to cope. 2   ___ What kept me going, however, was the thought that I was doing this for my grandfather who was such a great influence on me as a child. I miss him every day and I felt that this would be the best way to commemorate his life as he was a great adventurer and used to tell me stories of his travels around the world. He’d always wanted to see the great mountain but had never managed to get there. 3   ___ Training was hard but I was determined to carry on. I went to the gym several times a week and went jogging after work. Not only that, I also had to raise money for the charity. I sent out letters to everyone I knew and I asked my colleagues to sponsor me. I held coffee mornings and even went to the local schools to give talks. 4   ___ And finally departure day arrived and soon we were standing in Lukla, at the foot of the mountain, ready to start our trek. Although I was physically fit, nothing could have prepared me for the mental challenge. I had to face my fear of heights every single moment. Crossing rope bridges hundreds of feet above raging rivers made my stomach turn but I carried on and thought of how proud my grandfather would have been. 5   ___ I would say that all the climbers went through some personal highs and lows but I’m proud to say that I achieved everything I set out to do. I raised money for those who’ve had a difficult start in life and I’ve done something that no-one believed I could do. In fact, I felt so good when I came back that I started to look for new challenges and am now thinking of running in next year’s London Marathon. Watch this space...

 

Match the headings to the correct paragraph.

a Motivation.

b A sense of achievement.

c Fundraising.

d Second thoughts

e Overcoming obstacles

f Inspiration

 

 

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Reading Comprehension #9 - Intermediate

Complete the article with the sentences below. There is one extra sentence.

The best job in the world? Choosing a career is surely one of the most important decisions we’ll ever have to make. (0) ___a___ With one click on a website we can apply for jobs on the other side of the world in the hope of making our dreams come true. (1) _______ . The job was for six months and involved living on Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef and looking after the environment there. Not only was there a very good salary but the perks included a beachside mansion boasting magnificent ocean views as well as a private swimming pool. Not surprisingly there were thousands of applicants from all over the world. After a few months, the candidates were down to the final 16 and these lucky few were flown over to the Island for the final selection process. (2) _______ . Ben, a bungee-jumping, scuba-diving charity fundraiser could hardly believe his luck when he heard that he had beaten over 34,000 other candidates to win this dream job. (3) _______ . Paradise was, however, not quite the dream he had anticipated. Instead of relaxing in the sun, Ben had very little time for any relaxation as he found himself working seven days a week and up to 19 hours a day. He had a demanding schedule involving promotional events, press conferences and administration and by the end of his contract, he had visited 90 exotic locations, made 47 video diaries and given more than 250 media interviews including a chat with Oprah Winfrey. (4) _______ . As part of his job he posted more than 75,000 words in 60 separate blogs, uploaded more than 2,000 photos and tweeted more than 730 times. Although some might argue that the blogs didn’t reveal much personal information, his bosses at Tourism Queensland were so pleased with his work that they offered him a new 18-month contract to promote their state worldwide. (5) _______ . In the end this competition, part reality TV show, generated more than $110 million dollars in free publicity.

 

Match the sentences so they best fit to the correct gaps.

a Today, thanks to the Internet, the world is a much smaller place.

b Six months on a tropical island with little more to do than lazing in the sun, snorkelling and writing a weekly blog about life in paradise

c Perhaps this really was the best job in the world after all.

d And this is just what happened to 34-year-old Ben Southall who replied to an advertisement put on the web by Tourism Queensland in Australia.

e He soon realised that this job wasn’t going to be as easy as he had originally thought.

f And as if that wasn’t enough, he also had to meet local politicians, tourists and travel industry representatives.

g They had to prepare an online video, demonstrate their swimming and snorkelling skills and show how they would sell Queensland to the world.

 

 

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Reading Comprehension #8 - Intermediate

Read this email and choose the correct answer.

Hi Laura Hope all’s well with you and the family. I’ve been meaning to write to you for ages but a lot’s been going on and I wanted to wait until I was more settled before I sent you this email. You probably heard from Tina that things weren’t going too well at work. I didn’t get the promotion I’d applied for after my boss left and the person who got the job was a nightmare. I don’t think anyone liked her and she certainly made my life very difficult. I found I was working incredibly long hours and taking work home because I didn’t want her to criticise me. Of course that meant that I wasn’t paying enough attention to Mike and the children. Jack has just started at secondary school and he’s at that difficult age where he wants more independence but he’s still just a kid. You know what it’s like! Hannah has been great though and I’m very grateful that she has been so patient – it can’t have been easy for her either. After a few months I decided to take the plunge and quit. I went into the office and told my boss that I wanted to leave and as soon as I’d spoken the words I felt so relieved. I walked out of the office a new woman. Of course a few days later I started to wonder whether I’d made the right decision so I made an appointment to see a life coach who was really great. In just two hours she managed to give me a new sense of focus. We made lots of lists and now I have a plan for the way forward and have never been happier. I get up every day now with a feeling of excitement instead of panic and I spend my time doing what I love – cooking. Who would have thought that I’d be able to make money doing something as simple and as enjoyable as preparing food for children’s birthday parties? It’s taken time to get to where I am now but if I hadn’t hated my job so much I wouldn’t have had the courage to quit and start a new path. I only wish I’d done it sooner but, as they say, better late than never. I hope you’ll come and visit soon. You can help me with some new ideas for birthday cakes. Love to everyone Jen xx

 

Choose the correct answer.

0 Jen hasn’t written for a while because.

a she has moved house.

b a lot of things have changed.

c she’s been too busy.

1 After her boss left,

a Jen was turned down for promotion.

b Jen got on well with her new boss.

c Jen worked from home.

2.

a Hannah has been behaving badly.

b Jack is a responsible teenager.

c Hannah has been understanding.

3.

a Jen immediately regretted resigning.

b Jen felt much better after resigning.

c Jen wished she hadn’t resigned.

4.

a Jen wrote down a lot of ideas for the future.

b Jen found a new job two hours later.

c Jen spent a few days planning her future.

5.

a Jen panics about the future now.

b Jen looks forward to the future.

c Jen regrets leaving her job.

 

 

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Reading Comprehension #7 - Intermediate

Read the article and answer the questions. Dayton High School is celebrating its centenary this year. In this article, former students share their memories of their school years.

‘I just remember being completely terrified on my first day at Dayton High’ recalls former Head Girl, Julia Franks. ‘Everyone was so grown up and all the classrooms seemed so big but the teachers were all very kind and patient so we soon settled down and I look back over my years there with great affection.’ Leonie Brand, however, doesn’t share these warm memories. ‘From the moment I stepped through the door into my new classroom, I felt uncomfortable. It was a steep learning curve for me because my parents had educated me at home until I was 11. I don’t think I ever really fitted in so my parents decided to take me away after a term when they realised things weren’t improving.’ For academic children like Cora Dyson, the school was perfect. ‘The more homework, the better! That’s what I thought in those days. I was like a sponge and wanted to learn everything. No doubt everyone thought I was the teacher’s pet and maybe I was but I didn’t care.’ ‘I don’t really remember that much about school except that we had to learn loads of poems by heart. Our English teacher was a great fan of 19th century literature and poetry so she would make us learn endless poems and then recite them in front of the class. I hated it because I could never remember all the words and she would invariably get annoyed with me,’ said Joe Sexton. Clare Howard used to envy the girls who made everything look so easy. ‘I remember one girl in particular, Stella, who passed all her exams with flying colours. How did she do it I would ask myself. She had everything. She was pretty, popular, funny and intelligent while I had to study so hard to do well.’ ‘It’s funny but when I was at school I was really bad at French grammar though I found it quite easy to pick up the slang when we went on a school trip to Paris,’ remembers Lucy Freeman. ‘I think it had something to do with the fact that our French teacher wasn’t very interesting so we didn’t pay attention in class.'

 

Answer the following questions.

0   Who didn’t find exams easy?	Clare Howard
a) Who was probably the favourite of her teachers?	_____
b) Who has a bad memory?	_____
c) Who found it hard to settle down?	_____
d) Who found it easier to learn outside the classroom?	_____
e) Who remembers her teachers as good people?	_____

 

 

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Reading Comprehension #6 - Intermediate

Read Sarah’s blog. Are the statements true (T), false (F) or not given (NG)?

Day 12: Lake Baikal, Siberia Well, here I am in Listvyanka on the shores of Lake Baikal, the deepest and biggest freshwater lake in the world and I must say it’s absolutely freezing! I arrived yesterday afternoon after a couple of days in Irkutsk, my first stop on this Trans-Siberian adventure. The journey so far has been amazing. I left Moscow on Saturday and didn’t see anyone apart from the train guard who very kindly came into my compartment every evening to make up the bed. You might think that the time would drag being alone but this wasn’t the case. It went really quickly as I spent my time reading, dreaming and looking out of the window at the endlessly barren vistas. The snowy expanses are so dramatic at night when the full moon shines from cloudless skies so it isn’t totally dark, even in the middle of nowhere. The hotel I’m staying in now is huge and I get the feeling that I’m the only guest which is quite spooky in a way. On the first night I had supper in the restaurant and was served by three different waiters who all stood around my table looking at me. I suppose they were all desperate to do something but I couldn’t really relax and enjoy the food. After a good night’s sleep, I got up early this morning and put all my warmest clothes on as I decided to go for a walk along the shore. The water is beginning to freeze and the ice is moving out into the lake. People say that in the old days they used to lay railway tracks over the ice so that trains could cross the lake. Can you imagine how thick the ice must have been? I don’t suppose they’d do that nowadays and if they did, I don’t think I’d want to take a ride. It is so quiet and unspoilt here at this time of year though I’m sure it’s a different story in the summer when tourists arrive to go hiking, fishing and sailing. I prefer to travel when there are few other people around as it’s more atmospheric and you can get a better sense of what life is like for the people who live in these places. I’m here for another day and then back on the train to Ulan-Bator, capital of Mongolia. It’ll be so different from Siberia but probably just as cold! I don’t really know what to expect but I’ve got time to read my guidebook before I get there. Hopefully I’ll be able to find an Internet café so I can write the next instalment of my Trans-Siberian adventure.

 

True (T), false (F) or not given (NG)?

0   Sarah has been on the train for 12 days.	F
a) There were no passengers in Sarah’s train compartment.	_____
b) Sarah didn’t see any trees on the journey.	_____
c) Sarah was the only guest staying at the hotel.	_____
d) It’s possible to cross the lake by train.	_____
e) Sarah has a laptop with her.	_____

 

 

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Reading Comprehension #5 - Intermediate

Read this restaurant review and choose a word from the box which best describes the content of each paragraph.

atmosphere

location

menu

prices

recommendation

service

 

One of the things I enjoy most about travelling is that I get the chance to visit restaurants all over the world. I have been very fortunate over the years as I have tried all kinds of regional delicacies and specialities. 0   location Earlier this year my wife and I spent a few days on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria. One of the highlights of our trip was an evening at a traditional restaurant which had wonderful views over the sea. The restaurant itself was right in the centre of the old part of the town and you could only get to it on foot. 1   _______ As soon as we arrived, we were welcomed by a charming waiter, Georgi, who showed us to a table in the window and immediately offered us a welcome drink. Although the menu was in English as well as Bulgarian, we asked for some recommendations as we didn’t recognise any of the dishes. Georgi kindly explained what the specialities of the restaurant were so we took his advice and ordered a good variety. 2   _______ The food was excellent. We had a selection of starters or ‘meze’ including a yoghurt and cucumber salad, salami, vine leaves stuffed with rice and meat and a dip made of aubergine and mayonnaise, all served with freshly baked bread. We both had grilled fish and salad for the main course and this was followed by ‘baklava’, a deliciously sweet dessert made of nuts, pastry and syrup. 3   ______ The restaurant filled up quite quickly after we arrived. There was a band playing traditional music for most of the evening. This wasn’t to everyone’s taste but it was certainly very lively and colourful. 4   ______ When the bill came I was pleasantly surprised. I had expected to pay more considering the popularity of the restaurant and its situation. I suppose you might have to pay more during the summer when there are lots of tourists but it was a very good deal for us. 5   ______ For anyone interested in experiencing the true taste of Bulgaria, I think this would be an ideal place to go. I would, however, suggest eating early if you don’t like loud music during your meal.

 

 

 

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Reading Comprehension #4 - Intermediate

Read these money saving ideas on a web forum and answer the questions.

Luke I’m a student so I really can’t afford to waste money. I have a part-time job during term time and then work full-time during the holidays. Even then it’s hard but if you shop around, you really can find some good bargains. I always go shopping at the end of the day when a lot of food is reduced because it has reached its sell-by date. It’s amazing how much you can save that way. Marek I’ve just moved to the UK. When I arrived I didn’t have any furniture but someone told me about the ‘freecycle’ scheme and I’ve managed to get almost everything I need without spending any money. Basically, if you have something you don’t want any more, you advertise it on the freecycle website and then anyone who wants it must agree to come and collect it. No-one makes any money so it really is a good exchange. Akiko I love shopping but I also enjoy buying things that are good value for money so I always wait until the sales are on. In some shops you can get as much as 70% off if you go at the right time. I probably don’t save any money in the end though as I usually buy more things because I’m so pleased to have got a bargain! Stella We live way out in the country so I don’t often manage to get to the shops and to be honest, I don’t really have the time but if I do need something, I check out the price comparison websites and of course eBay. At first I was a little nervous about shopping on-line but now I’m hooked. Jon A lot of people these days seem to buy clothes, wear them a couple of times and then give them to charity shops so that’s where I do my shopping. You can get some really good stuff and you know that your money is helping other people so it’s a win-win situation in my opinion. Paul I must admit I don’t think too much about how or where I shop but the one thing I try to do is save money on electricity and gas in the house. In the winter when it’s really cold, instead of turning up the temperature I put on another sweater and I close the doors. I encourage the children to turn off the lights when they leave the room and we don’t leave the TV or computer on standby as that uses up unnecessary energy.

Who recommends...

...shopping in the evening for cheap food?	Luke
a)...waiting until prices come down?	_____
b)...buying second-hand clothes?	_____
c)...using less energy?	_____
d)...getting free items on the Internet?	_____
e)...doing research before buying?	_____

 

 

 

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Reading Comprehension #3 - Intermediate

Lisa has just moved into a new flat. Complete the email with the sentences below.

Hi Ben How are you and how are the children? (0) _____b_______ I can’t believe it’s September and I’ve already been here for a month. I’m sorry it’s taken so long to write to you but I had to wait for my computer to be connected to the Internet. (1) _____________________________________. I can’t remember if you’ve been to Prague before but I can honestly say that it’s one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever seen. (2) _______________________________ Although the centre is touristy, there are lots of green spaces so it doesn’t feel too crowded and of course there’s a river as well so that gives you a sense of space. I decided to wait until I got here before looking for somewhere to live because I wanted to get an idea of what the different neighbourhoods were like. I think it’s hard to make a decision without seeing a place first so I spent a couple of weeks with Jana when I first arrived and was lucky to find a small apartment in a residential area near the city centre. (3) ___________________________ As you know, I really enjoy going out in the evenings so this is ideal because I can walk home most of the time and it’s only a couple of stops on the tram or metro. The flat’s on the fourth floor with a great view over an enormous square. At night it’s pretty quiet but during the day the square’s always bustling with lots of people. There are lots of traditional street cafés and bars so there’s a great atmosphere and I often go downstairs to have a coffee and read the paper. (4) _______________ I’ve got two bedrooms as well as a large living room so you must come and stay. (5) ______________________________________ I’ve already discovered lots of interesting places so there’ll be plenty for you to do. Write soon and let me know your news. Love Lisa x

Complete the gaps (1–5) with the sentences (A–F).

a. Although it’s more expensive to live where I am, I didn’t want to be in the suburbs because it takes so long to get home at night

b. Did you have a good time in Spain?

c. Would you believe, there’s actually a cosy little café on the ground floor of this building.

d. There’s so much to tell you but let me start with a short description of my new flat and the area.

e. There’s plenty of room for all of you so book your flights and stay for as long as you want.

f. The architecture is amazing and you can see the most incredible buildings wherever you look

0. __b___
1. ______
2. ______
3. ______
4. ______
5. ______

 

 

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