English Lesson & Quiz: Using Already & Yet

The train hasn't arrived yet

I’ve had a busy day. It’s just 9am now, but I have already done so much. I have prepared my lessons, checked Facebook, Twitter, and Weibo, and made breakfast. Of course, I have already taken Happy for a walk. I was planning to go to the gym, but I haven’t gone yet. Maybe I’ll go this afternoon.

We use already and yet with present perfect. Do you know how to use these words? Have a look at the paragraph above, and then check out today’s lesson:

We use already with the present prefect to show that something was completed before the time of speaking. Note that already generally comes between have and the main verb.

  • It’s just 9am now, but I have already done so much.
  • I have already taken Happy for a walk.

We use yet with the present prefect to show that something was not completed before the time of speaking. Note that yet comes at the end of the sentence.

  • I was planning to go to the gym, but I haven’t gone yet.
  • The train hasn’t arrived yet.

We use both already and yet when we ask questions using present perfect. Yet has a neutral meaning. Already has a meaning that the speaker expects that something has happened. Notice the difference:

  • Has Carol heard from Jim yet? Neutral meaning
  • Has Carol already heard from Jim? The speaker expects that Carol has heard from Jim.

Is that clear? Take this quiz and check your understanding.

Already & Yet Quiz

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Question 1
Have you _______ seen that  movie?
A
yet
B
already
Question 2
________ fed the dog?
A
Have you already
B
Have you yet
Question 3
Adriao________ that movie
A
already has seen
B
has already seen
Question 3 Explanation: 
Remember! Put "already" before the main verb.
Question 4
Despite the weather, I have ____________ at the office.
A
arrived already
B
already arrived
Question 5
I have ________ .
A
already talked to Ann
B
talked to Ann yet
Question 6
Biatta________
A
hasn't arrived yet
B
hasn't arrived already
Question 7
Bob hasn't finished his homework ________.
A
yet
B
already
Question 8
Jim has ___________
A
not been to Sao Paolo yet
B
not already been to Sao Paolo
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English Lesson & Quiz: Simple Past Vs Present Perfect

I had some delicious curry last night.

Today, let’s have a look at the difference between how to use the simple past and present perfect. Do you know how to use these tenses? Have a look at today’s lesson and then check your understanding with the quiz at the end of the lesson.

Situation #1 – Has the action finished or not?

We can use the simple past with for when the action has finished.

  • I worked at that company for 10 years. I don’t work there anymore.
  • Steve lived in Miami for three months. Steve doesn’t live there anymore.

We can use present perfect with for or since when the action has not finished.

  • I have worked at that company for 10 years. I still work there.
  • Steve has lived in Miami for three months. Steve still lives there.

Situation #2 – Is the time specific or not?

We can use the simple past when we know the specific time.  

  • I ate some delicious curry last night.
  • Steve lived in Miami last year.

We can use present perfect when we don’t know the specific time.

  • I have seen Casablanca many times. We know his experience, but we don’t know when.
  • Steve has lived in Miami and Mexico City. We know his experience, but we don’t know when.

Situation #3 – Has the time period ended or not?

We can use the simple past when the time period has finished  

  • I saw Casablanca last night. Last night has finished.
  • Steve lived in Miami last year. Last year has finished.

We can use present perfect when the time period has not finished.

  • I have seen Casablanca twice this week. This week has not finished.
  • Steve has lived in Miami all his life. All his life means Steve is still living, the time period “all his life” has not finished.

Situation #4 – Is this recent information, or old information

We can use the simple past when we talk about some old news:

  • I saw Casablanca when I lived in Miami.
  • Steve moved away from New York when he went to college.

We can use present perfect when we talk about some recent news, and we often use words like “again” or “recently” when we do:  

  • I have seen Casablanca again.
  • Steve has moved back to Mexico City recently.

Simple Past Vs Present Perfect Quiz

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Your answers are highlighted below.
Question 1
Steve ___________ in Paris and Istanbul. He’s quite a citizen of the world.
A
has lived
B
lived
Question 1 Explanation: 
We don't know when he lived there
Question 2
I heard Jenny ___________ a cold recently
A
caught
B
has caught
Question 2 Explanation: 
Both "caught" & "has caught" could be used here, however, using the present perfect, "has caught," is more common for recent news.
Question 3
I ___________ to that speech a few times today.
A
have listened
B
listened
Question 3 Explanation: 
Today has not finished yet.
Question 4
I ___________ to a nice pizza shop last night. It was great!
A
went to
B
have gone to
Question 4 Explanation: 
We know the time...it was last night.
Question 5
My friend Jack ___________ in the Navy all his life.
A
has been
B
was
Question 5 Explanation: 
I said my friend, and used "all his life" so the nuance is that my friend is still alive.
Question 6
I ___________ at ABS Corp. for 5 years, and then started working here.
A
have worked
B
worked
Question 6 Explanation: 
I don't work at ABC company now.
Question 7
I ___________ golf quite often when I lived in Miami.
A
have played
B
played
Question 7 Explanation: 
This is old news. I don't live in Miami any more.
Question 8
I ___________ at ABS Corp. for 5 years, and I love it!
A
worked
B
have worked
Question 8 Explanation: 
I still work at ABC Corp
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English Lesson & Quiz: Ever & Never

Have you ever seen anything like this?

Have you ever been to New York City? I have been to several different countries all over the world, but there is something about the atmosphere of the Big Apple that I just love. I have never seen a city that has such a variety of people and authentic cuisines as New York. Here, you can find a restaurant from just about every country or region in the world. We even have ethnic neighborhoods such as Little Brazil, Korea Town, Little Italy, and Chinatown. If you like to eat, you’ll love Manhattan!

We use ever, before, and never along with the present perfect to talk about “any time before now.” Do you know how to use these words? Have a look at today’s lesson and then take the quiz to check your understanding.

We use ever when we ask questions using the present perfect. The structure is have [someone] ever + PP VERB. We use ever, when we are asking someone about their experience at any time in the past before now:

  • Have you ever been to New York City?
  • Has Fred ever read that book?
  • Have you ever eaten at that restaurant?

When we answer this kind of question, we do not use ever in the answer. In addition, for a negative answer, we use never.

Kathy: Have you ever been to New York City?

Larry: Yes, I have been there many times. Not, “Yes, I have ever been there many times.”

 

Danny: Has Fred ever read that book?

Janet: No, he has never read it.

Generally, in a conversation, when someone asks us a question about our experience, for positive responses we answer with the present perfect and then provide more information:

Kathy: Have you ever been to New York City?

Larry: Yes, I have been there many times. In fact, I went there twice last year on business.

 

Danny: Has Fred ever eaten Turkish food?

Janet: Yes, he has. He eats it all the time. He loves it!

Can you remember the rules? Try to check yourself with this quiz:

Using Ever & Never

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Your answers are highlighted below.
Question 1
___________ had so much fun in a long time?
A
Have I never
B
Have I ever
C
I have ever
Question 2
No, ___________ seen that movie.
A
I have never have
B
have I never
C
I have never
Question 3
I heard that Eddie ___________ eaten frog legs before.
A
ever has
B
has
C
has ever
Question 4
___________ eaten frog legs once before?
A
Has Eddie ever
B
Does ever Eddie
C
Has ever Eddie
Question 5
___________ heard that song?
A
Have you never
B
Have ever you
C
Have you ever
Question 6
___________ seen that movie?
A
Has he never
B
Have he never
C
Has he ever
Question 7
I ___________ gone skiing in Colorado.
A
never have
B
have never
C
have ever
Question 8
Sorry, I ___________ heard that song.
A
have
B
have never
C
never have
Question 8 Explanation: 
The correct sentence is "Sorry, I have never heard that song." We can't use "have" because we would not say "sorry" at the beginning of the sentence.
Question 9
___________ gone skiing in Colorado?
A
Have you never
B
Never have you
C
Have you ever
Question 10
I don’t think ___________ had so much fun in a long time.
A
I have ever
B
have I ever
C
ever I have
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English Lesson: Past Vs. Present Perfect

Yesterday I went to my favorite museum, the MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art). I’ve been there many times before, but I still love to go there. I haven’t been there since January, and I am glad I went there this week. There was a special exhibition of guitars. I’ve played guitar since I was a kid, and I spent my childhood surrounded by music.  It was great! If you have never been to the MET, I really recommend it.

Today we will look at the simple past tense vs the present perfect tense. Both of these forms of grammar talk about the past, but they are used differently. Do you know how to use them? Take a look at the paragraph above and then check out today’s lesson:

The simple past is used to talk about events and situations in the past. The structure is the past form of the verb. When we use the simple past, we usually to indicate the specific time the events and situations took place:

  • Yesterday I went to my favorite museum. We know when – “yesterday”
  • I went there this week. We know when – “this week”
  • I spent my childhood surrounded by music.  We know when – “my childhood”

Present perfect has two basic uses. The first use is when we talk about our experience; something that happened in a non-specific time in the past. This is different from the simple present:

  • I have been there many times before. We don’t know exactly when – just “many times before”
  • Joe has never been to the MET. “Never” is some time in the past.
  • Tom has seen Pirates of the Caribbean six times.  We don’t know exactly when those six times happened.

Present perfect is also used to when we talk about something that started in the past and continues to the present. When we use present perfect this way, we use for and since:

  • I have played guitar since I was a kid. I started when I was a kid and still play the guitar.
  • Aki has been in New York for nine months. He arrived nine months ago and he is still here.
  • I have worked at Happy English since October. I started in October and I am still here!

This is the basic idea between these two forms of the past in English. Did I explain that clearly? Have you ever studied this before? I hope you found my lesson helpful! Thanks for reading.