6

Module 41

ENGLISH
USING THE PRESENT PERFECT FORM
OF THE VERBS

A DepEd-BEAM Distance Learning Program supported by the Australian Agency for International Development

To the Learner
Good day Learner. How did you find your module on indefinite
pronouns? Did you have fun?
We are going to do many activities today. We will learn about
another tense of the verb.
Be ready!

Lets Learn This

Verbs have many tenses. This module will help you learn about
the present perfect tense of the verb.

Lets Try This

Complete the following sentences in each fish using the present

perfect tense of the verb in parenthesis. The first one is done for you.

1.
1. Katherine __________
(visit)
us four times since last
May.

has visited

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2.
They ______
(be) good
friends since they were
in grade one.

3.

_______________

(wait) for Mothers

I ______
letter for the last two
months.

_______________

4.

(live)
We _______ in this
house since my father
died.

_______________

5.

Ms. Reyes ______

(teach)in this
school for five years
now.

_______________

6.

He ________
(become) popular
since last year.

_______________

How did you find the exercise? Are all your answers like these?
( 2. have been 3. have waited
5. has taught

4. have lived

6. has become )

Dont worry dear Learner. You will learn more about the present
perfect tense of the verb in this module.

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Lets Study This

Read the dialog.

Mr. Reyes has worked in

this office since last year.
He has worked for a year
now. Miss Lopez has
been his secretary since
she was 22 years old.
Miss Lopezs job has
been so interesting! I like
to be a secretary.

My mother has worked

as secretary too for five
years. Then she has
started a new business
since last year after her
retirement
from
the
office.
How I wish to become a
secretary too.

Analou
Wendy

Answer the questions.

1. Who are talking in the dialog?
2. Who are they talking about?
3. Why do you think the two girls also wish to be a secretary?
4. How about you, do you wish to wok in the office someday? Why?

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Read the sentences again.

1. Mr. Reyes has worked in this office since last year.

2. Miss Lopez has been his secretary since she was 22 years
old.
3. Miss Lopezs job has been so interesting.
4. My mother has worked as secretary too for five years.
5. Then she has started a new business since last year.

What are the underlined verbs in the sentences? What do you call
these verbs? In what tense are they? How are they formed?
* Has worked, has been and has started are the underlined verbs in the
sentences.
* They are verbs in the present perfect tense. They are formed through
the helping verbs has and have plus the past participle form of the
verb.
What actions does the present perfect tense express?
The present perfect tense of the verb expresses an action that
happened at an indefinite time in the past.
Singular

Plural

I have danced.
You have danced.
He, She , It has danced.

We have danced.
You have danced.
They have danced.

* It also expresses an action that started in the past and is still

happening in the present. Often, they are followed by words beginning
with since or for.
* For is used with a time expression to show that an action or
condition was done in the past for a period of time.

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1. Miss Batoto has been my teacher for more than a

year.
2. She has taught in Grade Six for a year now.

Since is used to indicate when an action or condition began.

1. The teachers have taught us music since last year.

2. They have been our music teachers since we were
in Grade Five.

Lets Do This
A.

Complete each sentence using the present perfect tense of the

verb. Look at the example.

That actress has performed in

several award-winning plays.

1. Her drama coach

_____________ her a great deal.

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perform

help

2. The cast _____________ discipline

and craft.

learn

3. Before the first show began, the

cast _______________ for weeks.

rehearsed

4. Artists ______________ the

scenery for the show before
opening.

create

5. They _______________ well before

each show.

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prepare

B.

Use for or since to complete each sentence. Write your

sentences on a sheet of paper.

1. Our guest journalist has written stories ______________ she was in

grade school.
2. Mrs. Paz Cruz has published a lot of stories ______________ she
was in high school.
3. She has written novels, too, ______________ five years.
4. I have read one of her novels ______________ three days.
5. Mrs. Cruz has taught journalism ______________ several years.

Look for the correct answers from the Answer Key.

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Lets Do More

Give the correct answer (for or since) by connecting the fish to the
baits. The first one is done for you.

1. Maria has always

wished to meet her
________ she was ten
years old.

2. She has compiled

Mrs. Cruzs short
stories _________ five
years.

since

3. Maria has dreamed

to be a journalist, too,
_________ she was in
grade 4.
for

4. I have worked in the

school paper
________ a month.

4. I have edited some

poems and stories
________ then.

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Finished? Check your work against the Answer key.

Lets Remember This

What does the present perfect tense of the verb

express?
The present perfect tense expresses an action that
happened at an indefinite time in the past. It also
expresses an action that started in the past and is
still happening in the present. Often they are
followed by words beginning with since or for.
For is used with a time expression to show that an
action or condition was done in the past for a
period of time.
Since is used to indicate when an action or
condition began.
Examples:
since e was
1. Andres has studied in this school_________
in kindergarten.
for
2. He has obtained first honors ________
six years
now.

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Lets Test Ourselves

A.

Finish the following sentences with the suggested time

expressions. Use since or for. Write your sentences on a piece
of paper.
Example: The weather has been very hot.
a. whole week
b. a week ago
Answers:
a. The weather has been very hot for the whole week.
b. The weather has been very hot since a week ago.
1. Mr. Depalubos has been teaching in our school.
a. 1984

b. 24 years

a. _____________________________________________________
b. _____________________________________________________
2. He has stayed in our home.
a. he came

b. ten years

a. _____________________________________________________
b. _____________________________________________________
3. Reading has been his favorite pastime.
a. I was in Grade 3

b. five years

a. _____________________________________________________
b. _____________________________________________________
4. He has visited many homes.
a. past ten years

b. he was teaching here

a. ______________________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________

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5. The teachers have liked him very much.

a. the time he was assigned here
b. more than 20 years now
a. _______________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________

Have you finished writing the sentences correctly?

Check your answers against the Answer Key.
Whats your score?
If you get 4-5, Good job! Heres a ribbon for you.
If you get 3 and below, do the next activity.

Lets Enrich
Ourselves
Complete the paragraph using the present perfect tense of the
verb shown in parenthesis. The first one is done for you.

(have waited)
1. Our drama club _______________ for the beginning of the
(plan)
current opera season. 2. The members _____________ weekly
(join)
theatre parties. 3. Some new students _____________
the drama
(elect)
club this year. 4. The club ____________
a new president and new
(suggest)
officers. 5. The new officers _____________ several new
(wonder)
productions. 6. We _____________ about the best choices for this
season.

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Answer Key

Lets Do This
A.
1. has helped
2. has learned
3. has rehearsed
4. have created
5. have prepared
B.
1. since
2. since
3. for
4. for
5. for
Lets Do More
2.
3.
4.
5.

for
since
for
since

Lets Test Ourselves

1. a. Mr. Depalubos has been teaching in our school since 1984.
b. Mr. Depalubos has been teaching in our school for 24 years.
2. a. He has stayed in our home since he came.
b. He has stayed in our home for ten years.
3. a. Reading has been his favorite pastime since I was in Grade 3.
b. Reading has been his favorite pastime for five years.
4. a. He has visited many homes for the past ten years.
b. He has visited many homes since he was teaching here.

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5. a. The teachers have liked him very much since the time he was
assigned here.
b. The teachers have liked him very much for more than 20 years
now.
Lets Enrich Ourselves
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

have planned
have joined
has elected
have suggested
have wondered

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