1

LLI Alicia Ornelas Vargas

Mechatronics Engineering
English VI Manual

IMEC 71N

Objetivo de la asignatura:
El alumno confirmar la informacin recibida a travs de la descripcin de procesos y de
los acontecimientos que han estado ocurriendo para integrarse a su entorno profesional

Unidad 1
Objetivo
El alumno verificar informacin, para mantener una conversacin continua con su
interlocutor.
Al trmino de la unidad el alumno ser capaz de describir en forma sencilla a personas,
condiciones de vida o trabajo, actividades diarias, cosas que le gustan, o no le gustan,
utilizando frases y oraciones sencillas. Identificando el uso de question tags.

I. Look at the following, label the pictures

Present Simple and

Continuous

'I surf / I am surfing.'

What's the difference between the Present Simple / Present Continuous and how to
use them.

We use the present simple tense when we want to talk about fixed habits or routines
things that dont change.

We use the present continuous to talk about actions which are happening at the
present moment, but will soon finish.

Compare these two statements:

(present simple) I play tennis.
(present continuous/ progressive) I am playing tennis.
(present simple) I play tennis tells us that playing tennis is something the speaker always
does. It is part of a routine or habit. We can call this a permanent situation.
(present continuous/ progressive) I am playing tennis tells us that the speaker is playing
tennis right now. Soon the game will be over. We call this a temporary situation.
With the present simple we say:
I play tennis
They play tennis
You play tennis
He/she/ it plays tennis.
We play tennis
With the present continuous we say:

You are playing tennis

I am playing tennis

We are playing tennis

He/she/it is playing tennis

Frequency Adverbs we use with the Present Simple

With the present simple we use these frequency adverbs:
(Notice that the adverb comes before the
main verb in the sentence.)

Occasionally:It occasionally rains in

summer.

Always: I always read before I go to

bed.

Seldom:They seldom ask for help.

Often: Her sister often comes shopping

with us.

Rarely: He rarely goes out without his

backpack.
Hardly ever:I hardly ever eat pizza.

Frequently:Michael frequently visits his

family.

Never: Japanese people never wear shoes

inside.

Sometimes:You sometimes go to the

gym, dont you?

Time Expressions we use with the Present Continuous

With the present continuous we use these time expressions:
These days: Pauls living in Cardiff,
(Notice that the time expression can come
these days.
at the start or at the end of the sentence.)
Now: What are you doing, now?
At the moment: Im watching TV, at the
moment.
Nowadays: I think you are smoking too
much, nowadays.

Exercise 1. Complete these sentences below using either the present simple or
present continuous.

(Play) I

(Play) The children

(Work) Haruka

(Work) You cant borrow my lawnmower because it doesnt

(Make) Smells good! What are you

(Make) My husband never

(Live) Pauline is

(Live)Do you still

golf every weekend.

outside at the moment.

today.

me breakfast.

in Hong Kong.

with your parents?

Exercise 2
Present simple or present continuous?
1. Mara ____________ (work) for a TV station.
2. At the moment she ____________ (travel) in the Sahara Desert.
3. Dan ____________ (love) wild animals.
4. He ____________ (not visit) Alaska at the moment.
5. Marta ____________ (not live) in Africa.

6. She ____________ (stay) in Africa at the moment.

7. Dad usually ____________ (cook) dinner.
8. My parents ____________ (go) to Italy every year.
9. My sister ____________ (walk) to school every day.
10. We ____________ (have) lunch now.
11. I never ____________ (stay in) on Saturday evening.
12. I ____________ (go) to the cinema now.
13. My mum ____________ (not work) today.
14. Peter ____________ (not like) rap music.
15. He ____________ (listen) to pop music at the moment.
16. Donna usually ____________ (go) shopping on Saturdays.
17. Lets go out. It ____________ (not rain) now.
18. Hurry up! Everybody ____________ (wait) for you!
19. The sun ____________ (rise) in the east.
20. Water ____________ (boil) at 100 degrees.
21. The water ____________ (boil). Can you turn it off?
22. I must go now. It ____________ (get) late.
23. I usually ____________ (go) to work by car.
24. It ____________ (not rain) very much in the summer.
25. The moon ____________ (go) round the earth.
Exercise 3 http://www.language-worksheets.com/present-continuous-simpleelementary.html

Exercise 4 https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/grammargames/present-simple-and-present-continuous

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Exercise 5 http://www.eslgamesworld.com/members/games/grammar/present
%20tenses/present%20tenses%20snakes%20and%20ladders.html
Exercise 6 https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpreprepro/exercises?ex03

Present Perfect

Positive

Negative

Question

I / you / we / they

I have spoken.

I have not spoken.

Have I spoken?

he / she / it

He has spoken.

He has not spoken.

Has he spoken?

For irregular verbs, use the participle form (see list of irregular verbs, 3rd column). For
regular verbs, just add ed.

Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ed

Exceptions in spelling when adding ed

Example

after a final e only add d

love loved

final consonant after a short, stressed vowel

admit admitted

or l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled

travel travelled

final y after a consonant becomes i

hurry hurried

Use of Present Perfect

puts emphasis on the result

Example: She has written five letters.

action that is still going on

Example: School has not started yet.

action that stopped recently

Example: She has cooked dinner.

finished action that has an influence on the present

Example: I have lost my key.

action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of
speaking
Example: I have never been to Australia.
Signal Words of Present Perfect

already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now

Exercise 1 Put the verbs into the correct form (present perfect simple).
1.

I (not / work)

2.

We (buy)

3.

We (not / plan)

4.

Where (be / you)

today.
a new lamp.
our holiday yet.
?

5.

He (write)

6.

She (not / see)

7.

(be / you)

8.

School (not / start)

9.

(speak / he)

10.

No, he (have / not)

five letters.
him for a long time.
at school?
yet.
to his boss?
the time yet.

Exercise on Loch Ness

Loch Ness is a lake between the Scottish towns of Inverness and Fort Augustus. The
word loch is Scottish for lake. Loch Ness is about 37 km long and extremely deep, the
deepest part is 226 m.

Loch Ness is famous for its friendly monster, Nessie. Most people think that this is only a
legend, but every year tourists from all over the world come to Loch Ness and hope that
they will see the monster.
Grammar Exercise on the Text

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Present Perfect Simple

We use the present perfect to express what has (not) happened so far. (Note that no time in
the past must be given otherwise you have to use simple past.)
Write the verbs in present perfect simple.
1.

Tourists from all over the world (be)

2.

Most of them (see / not)

3.

Only very few people say that the Loch Ness Monster (appear)

of them.
4.
Even scientists (come)
5.

to Loch Ness.
Nessie, however.
in front

to Loch Ness to find the monster.

And the boss of the Guinness brewery (promise)

to pay 500,000

Pounds to the person who catches Nessie.

https://www.ego4u.com/en/read-on/countries/uk/tour/loch-ness

More exercises
Exercise 3 https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/grammargames/present-perfect-experiences
Exercise 4 http://www.eslgamesplus.com/verb-tenses-interactive-grammargame-for-esl-jeopardy-quiz-game/ ( teams exercise)

The Simple Past Tense, often just called the Past Tense, is easy to use in English.
If you already know how to use the Present Tense, then the Past Tense will be easy.
In general, the Past Tense is used to talk about something that started and finished at a
definite time in the past.
How to form the Past Tense in English
The main rule is that for every verb in English, there is only one form of it in the past
tense.
(The exception is the Past tense of To Be, which has two forms: was and were)

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This is totally different from other languages such as Spanish, French, Italian etc. where
you change the verb ending for every subject.
For example: The past tense of the verb want is wanted.
Wanted is used as the past tense for all subjects/pronouns.

I wanted

You wanted

He wanted

She wanted

It wanted

We wanted

They wanted

So you just have to learn one word to be able to use it in the past tense. In this case we just
needed to learn the one word wanted which can be used for all subjects (or people).

Past Tense Regular Verbs

To change a regular verb into its past tense form, we normally add ED to the end of the
verb.

play played

cook cooked

rain rained

wait waited

There are some exceptions with a slight change in spelling which you can see here:
Spelling of words ending in ED.

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Examples of sentences using regular verbs in the past

tense

Last night I played my guitar loudly and the neighbors complained.

She kissed me on the cheek.

It rained yesterday.

Angela watched TV all night.

John wanted to go to the museum.

Note: There are three different ways of pronouncing the ed at the end of a verb in the past
tense.
We recommend reading our guide about the pronunciation of ED at the end of words.

Negative sentences in the Past Tense

We use didn't (did not) to make a negative sentence in the past tense.
This is for regular AND irregular verbs in English.
(Exception is To Be and Modal Verbs such as Can)
Compare the following:
Present: They don't live in Canada.
Past: They didn't live in Canada.
The main verb (live in the example above) is in its base form (of the infinitive). The
auxiliary DIDN'T shows that the sentence is negative AND in the past tense.
NOTICE: The only difference between a negative sentence in the present tense and a
negative sentence in the past tense is the change in the auxiliary verb.
Both don't and doesn't in the present tense become didn't in the past tense.
Compare the negative sentences in the examples below:
Present: You don't need a mechanic.
Past: You didn't need a mechanic.
Present: You don't walk to work.
Past: You didn't walk to work.

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Present: He doesn't speak Japanese.

Past: He didn't speak Japanese.

Examples of negative sentences in the Past Tense

I didn't want to go to the dentist.

She didn't have time.

You didn't close the door.

He didn't come to my party.

They didn't study so they didn't pass the test.

We didn't sleep well last night.

Questions in the Past Tense

We use did to make a question in the past tense.
This is for regular AND irregular verbs in English.
(Exception is To Be and Modal Verbs such as Can)
Compare the following:
Present: Do they live in France?
Past: Did they live in France?
The main verb (live in the example above) is in its base form (of the infinitive). The
auxiliary DID shows that the question is in the past tense.
NOTICE: The only difference between a question in the present tense and a question in the
past tense is the change in the auxiliary verb.
Both Do and Does in present tense questions become Didn't in past tense questions.
Compare the questions in the examples below:
Present: Do you need a doctor?
Past: Did you need a doctor?
Present: Do you ride your bike to work?
Past: Did you ride your bike to work?

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Present: Does he live in Italy?

Past: Did he live in Italy?

We can also use a question word (Who, What, Why etc.) before DID to ask for more
information.

Did you study? Yes, I did.

When did you study? I studied last night.

Where did you study? I studied at the library.

Read more about short answers in the past tense.

Examples of Questions in the Past Tense

Did you go to work yesterday?

Did they arrive on time?

Did she like the surprise?

Where did she go?

What did you do yesterday?

What did you say? - I didn't say anything.

Why did we have to come?

Irregular Verbs in the Past Tense

Irregular verbs are ONLY irregular in affirmative/positive sentences.
(An exception to this is with the verb TO BE in the Past Tense).
For example: The past tense of GO is WENT.
It does not end in ED so it is considered irregular.

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The word went is used for all subjects I, you, we, they, he, she, it.

I went to the beach

He went to the park.

She went to the zoo.

They went to the library.

BUT, as we mentioned before, it is only in its irregular form (went) in sentences that are
affirmative/positive

Present vs Past Tense Summary

Chart
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/es/word-games/fill-the-gap/the-greedy-hippo

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Future tense
Simple Future
Simple Future has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going to." Although the
two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two very different
meanings. These different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with time and
practice, the differences will become clear. Both "will" and "be going to" refer to a specific
time in the future.

FORM Will
[will + verb]
Examples:

You will help him later.

Will you help him later?

You will not help him later.

FORM Be Going To

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[am/is/are + going to + verb]

Examples:

You are going to meet Jane tonight.

Are you going to meet Jane tonight?

You are not going to meet Jane tonight.

USE 1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary Action

"Will" often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A voluntary action is one
the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often, we use "will" to respond to someone else's
complaint or request for help. We also use "will" when we request that someone help us or
volunteer to do something for us. Similarly, we use "will not" or "won't" when we refuse to
voluntarily do something.
Examples:

I will send you the information when I get it.

I will translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.

Will you help me move this heavy table?

Will you make dinner?

I will not do your homework for you.

I won't do all the housework myself!

A: I'm really hungry.

B: I'll make some sandwiches.

A: I'm so tired. I'm about to fall asleep.

B: I'll get you some coffee.

A: The phone is ringing.

B: I'll get it.

USE 2 "Will" to Express a Promise

"Will" is usually used in promises.
Examples:

I will call you when I arrive.

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If I am elected President of the United States, I will make sure everyone has access
to inexpensive health insurance.

I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.

Don't worry, I'll be careful.

I won't tell anyone your secret.

USE 3 "Be going to" to Express a Plan

"Be going to" expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a person intends
to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the plan is realistic or not.
Examples:

He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.

She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii.

A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?

B: We are going to meet at 6 PM.

I'm going to be an actor when I grow up.

Michelle is going to begin medical school next year.

They are going to drive all the way to Alaska.

Who are you going to invite to the party?

A: Who is going to make John's birthday cake?

B: Sue is going to make John's birthday cake.

USE 4 "Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a Prediction

Both "will" and "be going to" can express the idea of a general prediction about the future.
Predictions are guesses about what might happen in the future. In "prediction" sentences,
the subject usually has little control over the future and therefore USES 1-3 do not apply. In
the following examples, there is no difference in meaning.
Examples:

The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.

The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.

John Smith will be the next President.

John Smith is going to be the next President.

The movie "Zenith" will win several Academy Awards.

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The movie "Zenith" is going to win several Academy Awards.

IMPORTANT
In the Simple Future, it is not always clear which USE the speaker has in mind. Often, there
is more than one way to interpret a sentence's meaning.

No Future in Time Clauses

Like all future forms, the Simple Future cannot be used in clauses beginning with time
expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc.
Instead of Simple Future, Simple Present is used.
Examples:

When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Not Correct

When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never,
ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:

You will never help him.

Will you ever help him?

You are never going to meet Jane.

Are you ever going to meet Jane?

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/simplefuture.html

Will / Be Going To
Exercise 1. Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate
tenses.

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1. A: Why are you holding a piece of paper?

B: I (write)

a letter to my friends back home in Texas.

2. A: I'm about to fall asleep. I need to wake up!

B: I (get)

you a cup of coffee. That will wake you up.

3. A: I can't hear the television!

B: I (turn)

it up so you can hear it.

4. We are so excited about our trip next month to France. We (visit)

Paris,

Nice and Grenoble.

5. Sarah (come)

to the party. Oliver (be)

there as well.

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6. Ted: It is so hot in here!

Sarah: I (turn)

7. I think he (be)

the air-conditioning on.

the next President of the United States.

8. After I graduate, I (attend)

medical school and become a doctor. I have

wanted to be a doctor all my life.

9. A: Excuse me, I need to talk to someone about our hotel room. I am afraid it is simply
too small for four people.

B: That man at the service counter (help)

10. As soon as the weather clears up, we (walk)

swimming.

you.

down to the beach and go

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Exercise 2 http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs18.htm

Exercise 3http://www.eslgamesplus.com/future-forms-review-spin/

Question Tags
We use tags in spoken English but not in formal written English.
They are not really questions but are a way of asking the other person to make a comment
and so keep the conversation open.
Making a tag is very mechanical. To make a tag, use the first auxiliary. If there is no
auxiliary, use do, does or did. With a positive sentence, make a negative tag and with a
negative sentence, make a positive tag.

It's beautiful, isn't it?

He has been, hasn't he?

You can, can't you?

It must be, mustn't it?

You know him, dont you?

He finished it, didn't he?

He will come, won't he?

It isn't very good, is it?

It hasn't rained, has it?

It can't be, can it?

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Jenny doesn't know James, does she?

They didn't leave, did they?

He wont do it, will he?

Notice these:

There isn't an ATM here, is there?

Let's have a cup of coffee, shall we?

To reply, use the same auxiliary:

It's beautiful, isn't it? ~ Yes, it is. I think it's fabulous.

It isn't very good, is it? ~ No, it isn't. In fact, it's terrible.

Although, the rules are very simple and mechanical, in order to use them easily in
conversation, they have to be automatic. So you need to hear and practice them very often.
Exercises

Tag Questions - Present Simple Write the tag question.

?.
2) They arent on their way already,
3) Were late again,

?.

?.

4) Im not the person with the tickets,

5) Julie isnt an accountant,

?.
?.

6) The weather is really bad today,

7) Hes very handsome,

?.
?.

8) They arent in Mumbai at the moment,

9) You arent from Brazil,
10) Johns a very good student,

?.

?.
?.

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11) I like chocolate very much,

?.

12) She doesnt work in a hotel,

?.

13) They need some new clothes,

14) We live in a tiny flat,

?.
?.

15) She studies very hard every night,

?.

16) David and Julie dont take Chinese classes,

17) I often come home late,
18) You dont like spicy food,

?.
?.

19) She doesnt cook very often,

20) We dont watch much TV,

?.

?.
?

http://www.englishquestions.co.uk/www.perfect-english-grammar.com
http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/questionstags/exercise1.html
http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/questionstags/exercise2.html
http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/questionstags/exercise3.html

Resultado del aprendizaje

Unidad I

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Sin preparacin previa y a partir de informacin proporcionada por el profesor de manera

verbal:

Describir, a una persona, lo que hace, cosas que le gustan y no le gustan, y reafirma
informacin empleando tag questions.

Realizar una composicin, con informacin adicional escrita, describiendo las

actividades de un da cualquiera en la vida de esa persona.

Unit 2

Objetivo : El alumno intercambiar informacin sobre acciones,

hechos y procesos donde el nfasis est en lo que sucede o sucedi y
no quien lo realiza para relacionarse con su entorno laboral. De igual
manera, describir hechos iniciados en el pasado, que han estado
ocurriendo y que an continan en el presente, o concluyeron
recientemente, enfatizando la duracin de los mismos para
intercambiar informacin relativa a su entorno profesional

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Resultado del aprendizaje

El alumno expondr los pasos para la realizacin del proceso.

El alumno desarrollar una presentacin donde relate el proceso
contrastando como se llevaba a cabo en el pasado y cmo se realiza en
la actualidad.
Presentar un caso en donde proporcionar informacin sobre una tarea
o proyecto especfico

Use of Passive
Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known,
however, who or what is performing the action.
Example: My bike was stolen.
In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know,
however, who did it.
Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example
shows:
Example: A mistake was made.
In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g.
You have made a mistake.).

Form of Passive
Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)
Example: A letter was written.
When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:

the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence

the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)

the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is
dropped)

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Examples of Passive
Tense

Subject
Active: Rita
Simple Present
Passive: A letter
Active: Rita
Simple Past
Passive: A letter
Active: Rita
Present Perfect
Passive: A letter
Active: Rita
Future I
Passive: A letter
Active: Rita
Hilfsverben
Passive: A letter

Verb
writes
is written
wrote
was written
has written
has been written
will write
will be written
can write
can be written

Object
a letter.
by Rita.
a letter.
by Rita.
a letter.
by Rita.
a letter.
by Rita.
a letter.
by Rita.

Examples of Passive
Tense

Subject
Active: Rita
Present
Passive
Progressive
A letter
:
Active: Rita
Past Progressive Passive
A letter
:
Active: Rita
Past Perfect
Passive
A letter
:
Active: Rita
Future II
Passive
A letter
:
Active: Rita
Conditional I
Passive
A letter
:
Active: Rita
Conditional II Passive
A letter
:

Verb
is writing

Object
a letter.

is being written

by Rita.

was writing

a letter.

was being written

by Rita.

had written

a letter.

had been written

by Rita.

will have written

a letter.

will have been written

by Rita.

would write

a letter.

would be written

by Rita.

would have written

a letter.

would have been written

by Rita.

Passive Sentences with Two Objects

Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive voice means that one of the two
objects becomes the subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to transform
into a subject depends on what you want to put the focus on.

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Active:
Passive:
Passive:
.

Subject
Rita
A letter
I

Verb
wrote
was written
was written

Object 1
a letter
to me
a letter

Object 2
to me.
by Rita.
by Rita.

As you can see in the examples, adding by Rita does not sound very elegant. Thats why it
is usually dropped.

Personal and Impersonal Passive

Personal Passive simply means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject
of the passive sentence. So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a
personal passive.
Example: They build houses. Houses are built.
Verbs without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a personal passive
sentence (as there is no object that can become the subject of the passive sentence). If you
want to use an intransitive verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal construction
therefore this passive is called Impersonal Passive.
Example: he says it is said
Impersonal Passive is not as common in English as in some other languages (e.g. German,
Latin). In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of perception (e. g. say,
think, know).
Example: They say that women live longer than men. It is said that women live longer
than men.
Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive is more common.
Example: They say that women live longer than men. Women are said to live longer than
men.
The subject of the subordinate clause (women) goes to the beginning of the sentence; the
verb of perception is put into passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added using an
infinitive construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs and that are dropped).
Sometimes the term Personal Passive is used in English lessons if the indirect object of an
active sentence is to become the subject of the passive sentence.

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Passive Voice exercises

1. Write passive sentences in Simple Present.
1. the documents / print

2. the window / open

3. the shoes / buy

4. the car / wash

5. the litter / throw away

6. the letter / send

7. the book / read / not

8. the songs / sing / not

9. the food / eat / not

10. the shop / close / not ______________________________

https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/passive/exercises

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2. Write passive sentences in Simple Past.

1. the test / writ

2. the table / set

3. the cat / feed

4. the lights / switch on

5. the house / build

6. dinner / serve

7. this computer / sell / not

8. the car / stop / not

9. the tables / clean / not

10. the children / pick up / not

. https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/passive/exercises?02
3. Write passive sentences with future

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1. the exhibition / visit

2. the windows / clean
3. the message / read
4. the thief / arrest
5. the photo / take
6. these songs / sing
7. the sign / see / not
8. a dictionary / use / not
9. credit cards / accept / not
10. the ring / find / not__________________________________________
UML Diagrams

UML is a modelling language mainly used for specification, visualization,

development and documenting of software systems. But business professionals have
adapted it as a powerful business process modeling technique.
With 14 different UML diagram types it offers a flexible and powerful way to
visualize almost any business process. They are typically used for modelling the
detailed logic of a business process. In many ways UML diagrams are the objectoriented equivalent of flow charts.
As mentioned above one of its main advantages is its flexibility. But with 14
different diagram types some might find it difficult to understand the diagrams. Add
to that the same process can be modeled using different UML diagrams. So
probably not the most popular choice among analysts.

32

Its flexibility makes UML a popular business process modeling technique

http://creately.com/blog/diagrams/business-process-modeling-techniques/

*UML= Unified Modelling Language ( lenguaje unificado de modelaje)

a) A product is ordered by the customer.
b) Stock is checked by the sales department.
c) The item is sent to the shipping area.
d) The item is sent to the warehouse.
e) The item is received at the warehouse.
f) The item is delivered to the customer through the delivery boy.
g) The item is received in the customers house.

33

Present Perfect Continuous

FORM
[has/have + been + present participle]
Examples:

You have been waiting here for two hours.

Have you been waiting here for two hours?

You have not been waiting here for two hours.

Complete List of Present Perfect Continuous Forms

Positive
I have been sleeping.
You have been sleeping.
We have been sleeping.
They have been sleeping.
He has been sleeping.
She has been sleeping.
It has been sleeping.

Negative
I have not been sleeping.
You have not been sleeping.
We have not been sleeping.
They have not been sleeping.
He has not been sleeping.
She has not been sleeping.
It has not been sleeping.

Question
Have I been sleeping?
Have you been sleeping?
Have we been sleeping?
Have they been sleeping?
Has he been sleeping?
Has she been sleeping?
Has it been sleeping?

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentperfectcontinuousforms.html

USE 1 Duration from the Past Until Now

We use the Present Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and has
continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all
durations which can be used with the Present Perfect Continuous.
Examples:

34

They have been talking for the last hour.

She has been working at that company for three years.

What have you been doing for the last 30 minutes?

James has been teaching at the university since June.

We have been waiting here for over two hours!

Why has Nancy not been taking her medicine for the last three days?

USE 2 Recently, Lately

You can also use the Present Perfect Continuous WITHOUT a duration such as "for two
weeks." Without the duration, the tense has a more general meaning of "lately." We often
use the words "lately" or "recently" to emphasize this meaning.
Examples:

Recently, I have been feeling really tired.

She has been watching too much television lately.

Have you been exercising lately?

Mary has been feeling a little depressed.

Lisa has not been practicing her English.

What have you been doing?

IMPORTANT
Remember that the Present Perfect Continuous has the meaning of "lately" or "recently." If
you use the Present Perfect Continuous in a question such as "Have you been feeling
alright?", it can suggest that the person looks sick or unhealthy. A question such as "Have
you been smoking?" can suggest that you smell the smoke on the person. Using this tense
in a question suggests you can see, smell, hear or feel the results of the action. It is possible
to insult someone by using this tense incorrectly.

35

REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs/ Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous
tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in
continuous tenses. Instead of using Present Perfect Continuous with these verbs, you must
use Present Perfect.
Examples:

Sam has been having his car for two years. Not Correct

Sam has had his car for two years. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never,
ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:

You have only been waiting here for one hour.

Have you only been waiting here for one hour?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

Recently, John has been doing the work. Active

Recently, the work has been being done by John. Passive

NOTE: Present Perfect Continuous is less commonly used in its passive form.
Exercise
Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses
1. Judy: How long (be)
in Canada?
Claude: I (study)
2. I (have)
new one.

here for more than three years.

the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about buying a

36

3. I (love)

chocolate since I was a child. You might even call me a

"chocoholic."
4. Matt and Sarah (have)
(go)

some difficulties in their relationship lately, so they

to a marriage counselor. I hope they work everything out.

5. John (work)

for the government since he graduated from Harvard

University. Until recently, he (enjoy)

his work, but now he is talking about

retiring.
6. Lately, I (think)

about changing my career because I (become)

dissatisfied with the conditions at my company.

7. I (see)

Judy for more than five years and during that time I (see)
many changes in her personality.

Correct answers
1.have you been in Canada? /.have been studying
2. have had
3. have loved
4. have been having / have been going
5. has been working / has enjoyed
6. have been thinking / have become dissatisfied
7. have been seeing/ have seen.

What Are the 10 Greatest Inventions of Our Time?

Before you consider, here are a few opinions from Scientific American readers in 1913 on
what makes a great invention
By Daniel C. Schlenoff on November 1, 2013

37

Scientific American, November 1, 1913

A competition sponsored in 1913 by Scientific American asked for essays on the 10 greatest
inventions. The rules: our time meant the previous quarter century, 1888 to 1913; the
invention had to be patentable and was considered to date from its commercial
introduction.
Perception is at the heart of this question. Inventions are most salient when we can see the
historical changes they cause. In 2013 we might not appreciate the work of Nikola Tesla or
Thomas Edison on a daily basis, as we are accustomed to electricity in all its forms, but we
are very impressed by the societal changes caused by the Internet and the World Wide Web
(both of which run on alternating-current electricity, by the way). A century from now they
might be curious as to what all the fuss was about. The answers from 1913 thus provide a
snapshot of the perceptions of the time.
The airplane: The Wright Flyer for military purposes, being demonstrated at Fort Myer, Va., in 1908.

Image: Scientific American - November 1, 1913

Following are excerpts from the first- and second-prize essays, along with a statistical tally
of all the entries that were sent in.

38

The first-prize essay was written by William I. Wyman, who worked in the U.S. Patent
Office in Washington, D.C., and was thus well informed on the progress of inventions. His
list was:
1. The electric furnace (1889) It was the only means for commercially producing
Carborundum (the hardest of all manufactured substances). The electric furnace also
converted aluminum from a merely precious to very useful metal (by reducing its price
98 percent), and was radically transforming the steel industry.
2. The steam turbine, invented by Charles Parsons in 1884 and commercially introduced
over the next 10 years. A huge improvement in powering ships, the more far-reaching use
of this invention was to drive generators that produced electricity.
3. The gasoline-powered automobile. Many inventors worked toward the goal of a selfpropelled vehicle in the 19th century. Wyman gave the honor specifically to Gottleib
Daimler for his 1889 engine, arguing: a century's insistent but unsuccessful endeavor to
provide a practical self-propelled car proves that the success of any type that once answered
requirements would be immediate. Such success did come with the advent of the Daimler
motor, and not before.
4. The moving picture. Entertainment always will be important to people. The moving
picture has transformed the amusements of the multitude. The technical pioneer he cited
was Thomas Edison.
5. The airplane. For the Realization of an age-long dream he gave the laurels of success
to the Wright brothers, but apart from its military use reserved judgment on the utility of the
invention: It presents the least commercial utility of all the inventions considered.
6. Wireless Telegraphy. Systems for transmitting information between people have been
around for centuries, perhaps millennia. Telegraph signals got a speed boost in the U.S.
from Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail. Wireless telegraphy as invented by Guglielmo
Marconi, later evolving into radio, set information free from wires.
7. The cyanide process. Sounds toxic, yes? It appears on this list for only one reason: It is
used to extract gold from ore. Gold is the life blood of trade, and in 1913 it was
considered to be the foundation for international commerce and national currencies.
8. The Nikola Tesla induction motor. This epoch-making invention is mainly responsible
for the present large and increasing use of electricity in the industries. Before people had
electricity in their homes, the alternating currentproducing motor constructed by Tesla
supplied 90 percent of the electricity used by manufacturing.
9. The Linotype machine. The Linotype machine enabled publisherslargely newspapers
to compose text and print it much faster and cheaper. It was an advance as large as the
invention of the printing press itself was over the painstaking handwritten scrolls before it.

39

Pretty soon we wont be using paper for writing and reading, so the history of printing will
be forgotten anyway.
10. The electric welding process of Elihu Thomson. In the era of mass production, the
electric welding process enabled faster production and construction of better, more intricate
machines for that manufacturing process.
The electric welder invented by Elihu Thomson enabled the cheaper production of intricate welded machinery.

Image: Scientific American - November 1, 1913

The second-prize essay, by George M. Dowe, also of Washington, D.C., who may have
been a patent attorney, was more philosophical. He divided his inventions into those aiding
three broad sectors: production, transportation and communication.
1. Electrical fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. As natural fertilizer sources were depleted
during the 19th century, artificial fertilizers enabled the further expansion of agriculture.
2. Preservation of sugar-producing plants. George W. McMullen of Chicago is credited with
the discovery of a method for drying sugar cane and sugar beets for transport. Sugar
production became more efficient and its supply increased by leaps and bounds, like a kid
on a sugar buzz. Maybe this is one invention we could have done without. But I digress.
3. High-speed steel alloys. By adding tungsten to steel, tools so made were able to cut at
such a speed that they became almost red hot without losing either their temper or their
cutting edge The increase in the efficiency of cutting machines was nothing short of
revolutionary.
4. Tungsten-filament lamp. Another success of chemistry. After tungsten replaced carbon in
its filament, the lightbulb was considered perfected. As of 2013 they are being phased out
worldwide in favor of compact fluorescent bulbs, which are four times as efficient.

40

5. The airplane. Not yet in wide use as transportation in 1913, but To [Samuel] Langley
and to the Wright brothers must be awarded the chief honors in the attainment of
mechanical flight. In 2013 the annoying aspects of commercial airline flying make
transportation by horse and buggy seem a viable alternative.
6. The steam turbine. As with Mr. Wyman, the turbine deserved credit not only in the
utilization of steam as a prime mover but in its use in the generation of electricity.
7. Internal combustion engine. As a means of transportation, Dowe gives the greatest credit
to Daimler, Ford and Duryea. Gottleib Daimler is a well-known pioneer in motor
vehicles. Henry Ford began production of the Model T in 1908 and it was quite popular by
1913. Charles Duryea made one of the earliest commercially successful petrol-driven
vehicles, starting in 1896.
8. The pneumatic tire. Cars for personal transportation were an improvement on railways.
What the track has done for the locomotive, the pneumatic tire has done for the vehicle not
confined to tracks. Credit is given to John Dunlop and William C. Bartlet, who each had a
milestone on the road (pun intended) to successful automobile and bicycle tires.
9. Wireless communication. Marconi was given the credit for making wireless
commercially practical. Dowe also makes a comment that could apply equally to the rise
of the World Wide Web, stating that wireless was devised to meet the needs of commerce
primarily, but incidentally they have contributed to social intercourse.
10. Composing machines. The giant rotary press was quite capable of churning out masses
of printed material. The bottleneck in the chain of production was composing the printing
plates. The Linotype and the Monotype dispensed with that bottleneck.
The essays sent in were compiled to come up with a master list of inventions that were
considered to be the top 10. Wireless telegraphy was on almost everyones list. The
aeroplane came in second, although it was considered important because of its potential,
not because there were so many airplanes in the sky. Here are the rest of the results:
Wireless telegraphy
Aeroplane
X-Ray machine
Automobile
Motion pictures
Reinforced concrete
Phonograph
Incandescent electric lamp
Steam turbine
Electric car
Calculating machine
Internal combustion engine

97 percent
75
74
66
63
37
37
35
34
34
33
33

41

Radium
Submarine boats
Picture telegraphy
Electric furnace
Diesel engine
Color photography
Dictograph
Composing machine
Transmitting and transforming AC current
Pneumatic tire (car and bicycle)
Dirigible (airships)
Photoengraving
Tungsten lightbulb
Electric welding
High-speed steel
Kodak portable camera
Fixation of nitrogen
Welsbach gas burner
Producer gas [a type of fuel]
Monorail
Flexible photo films
Liquid air

27
24
24
21
18
17
16
15
15
15
13
13
11
10
10
10
9
9
8
8
7
7

There were also mentions for Luther Burbank's agricultural work (23); Louis Pasteur and
vaccination work (20); acetylene gas from carbide (17); mercury-vapor lamp (7);
preservation of sugar-producing plants (7); combined motion picture and talking machine
(10); Edison's storage battery (6); automatic player piano (4); Pulmotor (a respirator
machine) (4); telephone (4).

42
The motion picture: The hard-working Thomas Edison helped make this entertainment form technically viable.

Image: Scientific American - November 1, 1913

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/inventions-what-are-the-10-greatest-of-our-time/

Exercises
Read the article and choose one of the inventions that are mentioned, prepare a 3 minutes
oral presentation using the grammatical components were seen in this second unit.