LANGUAGE REFERENCE
128
2
GRAMMAR
G1
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS
Form the present perfect continuous with
has
/
have
+
been
+ -
ing
.
John’
s
been telling
us about climate change.
Have you been watching
that new series on global warming?
Use the present perfect continuous to talk about an
ongoing situation or action that started in the past and
is still continuing.
Sea levels
have been rising
.
The climate
has been getting warmer
.
Compare this use of the present perfect continuous
with the present perfect simple:
We
’ve been painting
the house. (continuing action)
We
’ve painted
the house. (completed action)
We also use the present perfect continuous to talk
about the reason for something in the present. We are
more interested in the activity than the result.
‘Why are you wet?’ ‘Because I
’ve been washing
the car.’
(This is the reason I’m wet.)
With the present perfect simple the focus is on the
result, not the activity.
‘Is the car ready?’
‘Yes,
I’ve washed
it.’ (So now it is ready.)
!
To describe repeated actions we use the present
perfect simple, not the present perfect continuous.
I’ve watched that film ten times.
P
I’ve been watching that film ten times.
O
SINCE, FOR
AND OTHER TIME EXPRESSIONS
We often use
since
or
for
and expressions such as
recently, over the last
…, etc. with the present perfect
continuous to talk about an ongoing situation or action
that started in the past and is still continuing.
We’ve been studying climate change
since the 1980s
.
Recently
, I’ve been thinking about changing jobs.
With
since
and
for
and some verbs that describe
continuous actions or states (e.g.
live
,
stay
,
work, study
,
teach
) we can use the present perfect simple or continuous
with little difference in meaning.
I’
ve waited
for ages. / I’
ve been waiting
for ages.
He’
s worked
there since 1995. / He’
s been working
there since 1995.
G2
INDIRECT QUESTIONS
An indirect question is a question inside another
question or statement.
What is the answer? + Do you know …?
Do you know what the answer is?
There are a number of introductory phrases that can be
used to begin an indirect question. For example:
I’d like to know … Do you know …?
Can/Could you tell me …?
I wonder …
Use indirect questions in formal situations or to be tentative.
Could you tell me if it’s OK to use mobiles here?
I wonder if she likes me.
!
In indirect questions use statement word order
(subject before the auxiliary), not question word
order (subject after the auxiliary).
Do you know where the post office is?
P
Do you know where is the post office?
O
But with an indirect subject question (when we use
who
,
what
or
which
to ask about the subject of a
sentence), do not change the word order.
Who knows him? (I wonder
who knows him
.)
What made it go wrong? (Do you know
what made
it go wrong
?)
We use
if
or
whether
to introduce
yes
/
no
questions.
Are they expensive? (I wonder if/whether they are
expensive.
!
We only use question marks if the introductory
phrase itself is a question.
I
’d like to know
how much it costs. (not a question)
Do
you
know
how much it costs? (a question)
KEY LANGUAGE
KL
BEING POLITE
ASKING POLITE QUESTIONS
I’d like to know …
I’m interested in knowing …
AGREEING
You’re absolutely right, because …
That’s very true, because …
I’d go along with you there, because …
BEING DIPLOMATIC
That’s one way of looking at it, but …
You have a point, but don’t you think … ?
VOCABULARY
V1
TYPES OF AREAS
coastal, inner-city, long-established, recently developed,
residential, rural, smart, suburban, traditional, up-and-
coming, urban
V2
LOCAL ENVIRONMENT COLLOCATIONS
abandoned cars, apartment block, cosmopolitan
atmosphere, crime rate, cultural activities, desirable
area, detached house, environmental issue, friendly
neighbourhood, mindless vandalism, natural environment,
noise pollution, open spaces, recycling points, renewable
energy, rush hour, traffic congestion, transport connections,
urban environment, wind farm
V3
THE ENVIRONMENT
deforestation, drought, ecosystem, emissions, extinction,
famine, fossil fuels, glaciers, habitat, species
V4
ADVERBS WITH SIMILAR MEANINGS
comparatively – relatively, generally – normally,
intentionally – deliberately, mostly – mainly, possibly –
perhaps, thoughtfully – slowly and carefully
