The Present Perfect Progressive

Ex. 242. Read and translate the sentences Comment on the tenses in them

1. — Can I let you in on a little secret? — Why not? You've been telling me your secrets since you were eight. 2. There's something I've been meaning to ask you. 3. A fine rain has been falling steadily since six o'clock and there is a dark mist on the river. 4. "Are you thinking of selling off one of the hotels?" "I have been toying with the idea," Meredith admitted. 5. She is filling the case with the papers she has been working on all day. 6. Was it gout again? Has it been bothering you lately, Bruce? 7. Blair has been working for days to make this Christmas Day a very special one. 8. Is there someone you've been seeing? 9. For generations, Transamerica has been helping people plan for a comfortable career. 10. In my eyes you can see all the love that I've been feeling. \ 1. Let's talk about that fatigue, the attacks you've been having. When did the first one occur? 12. Her mind is still on her mother who has been seeing psychiatrist for the past few weeks. 13. British Rail has been wanting to close this line down for years on the grounds that it doesn't pay its way. 14. We've been hearing this warped reasoning for so long about so many things that it has become received wisdom. 15. What's been going on? Why haven't you been answering my letters?

Ex, 243. Read the text and retell it Find the cases of the Present Perfect Progressive and comment on them

In the evening Mrs. Dursley told her husband that she had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!"). When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:

"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunshine. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?" "Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people were celebrating Bonfire Night early — it's not until next week, folks!

But I can promise a wet night tonight."

I Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place?

(from "Harry Potter" by J.K. Rowling)

 

Ex. 244. Use the right form of the verbs in brackets

1. Good gracious, Kit, whatever you (do)? You seem to have all the paint on yourself that there is in the world. 2. I (think) about you all day, Emma. 3. What you (do) since we last (meet)? 4. — You look hot. — Yes, I (play) tennis. 5. I (work) in a bookshop now. I (work) here for about six weeks. 6.1 (do) so for thirty years and I'm not going to change my ways. 7. She (have) toothache since she (get) up this morning. 8. How long you (know) Susan? 9. We (write) invitation cards all morning. We (write) eleven already. And we still not (finish) them all. 10. Mary (go out) with Steve for a year now, and they (plan) to get married soon. 11. I (keep) a watch on the road for the last few days, trying to catch a glimpse of you as you passed. 12. And now, gentlemen, I want to know what (go on) here and how long it (go on). 13. He (chase) this girl for half a year but she wouldn't even look at him. 14. They (think) a lot about this situation these past few days, since they (be) home. 15. There's something I (want) to ask you for the last couple of hours.

 

Ex. 245. Translate into English

1. Мы слушали тебя очень внимательно последние два часа, и теперь мы уверены, что ты говоришь правду. 2. Ты встречаешься с кем-нибудь последнее время? 3. Ты можешь все мне рассказать. Ты доверяла мне все свои секреты с тех пор, как научилась говорить.

4. Мы живем рядом с Романовыми двадцать четыре года. И мы всегда были хорошими соседями. 5. «Я хранила это кольцо много лет и теперь отдаю его тебе», — сказала мне бабушка. 6. Не могу передать, что чувствовали твои родители все то время, пока тебя не было. 7. — Давно мы не встречаем (to see) эту девушку. — Да, мы не видели (to meet) ее с тех пор, как вернулись из Парижа. 8. Мой сын собирает ма­шинки (toy cars) с трех лет. 9. Я с утра готовлю, на­деюсь, обед всем понравится. 10. Всю свою жизнь я работаю как раб для того, чтобы мои дети получили хорошее образование. 11. — Как давно ты носишь эти очки? - Они у меня уже два года. 12. Что это здесь происходит, мальчики? Вы что, дрались? 13. Есть не­что, о чем я уже давно хочу (to mean) спросить тебя. 14. Последние несколько недель она иллюстрирует детскую книжку. 15. — Как давно вы стоите в оче­реди? — Мы здесь с тех пор, как касса открылась. 16. Парламент дебатирует по этому вопросу уже двадцать лет

 

Ex 246. Complete the sentences by using the right tense of the hints

1. Why are your eyes red? a. celebrate something

2. The kitchen smells of fresh b. look for the passport fruit.

c. eat a Mars bar

3. Why is the computer switched on? d. talk about me again?

e. eat honey

4. You both look upset. f. bake a pie?

5. Ben, why are your jeans torn? g. my daughter, try on

h. play football

6. My clothes are all on the bed. i. quarrel again

7. Your hands are in flour. j. look for the programme

8. Why have you all fallen k. make a fruit salad silent?

l. watch television for hours

9. My fingers are sticky.

10. Little Nancy's face is in something brown. m. clean the snow off the doorstep

11. Why is your room in such a mess?

12. There are empty bottles and glasses and

packets all over the place.

13. Mary, your hands are so cold!

 

Ex 247. Use the right form of the verbs in brackets

Tanya: Julia, what you (do)? It's already 2.00. Aren't we going shopping?

Julia: I know, but everything takes twice as long to do as I expected. I (have) a lot of problems since I (move) into this apartment.

T: How long you (paint) those (abiriets?

J: I started at 8.00 this morning.

T: You mean you (paint) for six hours!

J: I really don't know what I (do). I never (paint) before. Besides, nothing (go) right today. The man from the phone company still not (corne). I (wait) for him all day.

Т: What's that strange noise I hear?

J: Oh, that! That's the toilet. It (run) like that since last night. And the refrigerator not (work)

properly since I moved in.

T: Well, just call the superintendent to fix those things.

J: I don't know. Maybe I (make) a mistake. I (think) things over lately. Maybe I shouldn't have moved into this apartment. It (need) too much work.

T: It's not that bad. Your apartment will be great in a few weeks.

J: Maybe. All I know is that I (have) nothing but headaches ever since I moved in.

T: But don't forget that you (have) a lot of fun, too.

Ex. 248. Answer the questions

1. Have you made any change in your life recently? What have you been doing since that change took place?

2. Choose a person that you know whose life-style has changed. What change took place in this person's life? What was his or her life like before? What has he or she been doing since the change took place?

3. Do you have a particular hobby? Have you ever had one? How long have you been interested in this? How did you become interested in it? Why do you enjoy it? Why are hobbies important to people? What are some typical hobbies that people in this country enjoy?

 

Ex. 249. Translate into English.

1. Когда падает звезда, нужно загадать желание. 2. — Посмотри, падает звезда. — Ты загадала желание? — Да. 3. Мода в наши дни постоянно меняется. 4. — Мой друг работает в компании, которая производит компь­ютеры. — Давно он там работает? — Он работает со дня основания этой фирмы. 5. Пришел сентябрь. Мно гие люди готовятся к зиме. 6. В наше время все боль­ше женщин водят машины. Да, облик женщины очень

изменился за последние годы (over the years). 7. На­стя опять поссорилась со своим парнем, потому что он постоянно названивает ей после полуночи. 8. У нас была не очень-то продуктивная неделя. Мы практи­чески ничего не сделали. Мы попусту тратим время. Какая досада! 9. Полиция работает, но она пока не обнаружила возможного мотива для преступления. 10. Я так устала от этого шума! Соседи уже неделю сверлят стены. 11. — В доме пахнет краской. — Да, мы уже месяц ремонтируем дом. Мы закончили ком­наты, но пока еще не начали красить кухню. 12. Мои родственники собираются купить загородный дом. Они планируют и говорят об этом уже два года, но пока что не нашли подходящий вариант. 13. Сколько я ее знаю, она всегда была такой привередливой. 14. — Уже много лет мой дедушка владеет кусочком земли в деревне. Он всегда увлекался садоводством и превра­тил свою землю в чудесный сад. 15. — Как давно у тебя этот компьютер? — Он принадлежит мне уже пять лет. 16. С самого детства он обладает тонким чувством юмора.