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Hello guys! 

This is a blog for you to practice grammar exercises covered through the units. The first topic starts at the bottom of the page which was the first entrance. Hope you find this blog useful :)

Present Perfect Simple Vs. Present Perfect Continuous

What's the difference? 
Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous

We use both of these tenses for finished and unfinished actions.

The present perfect simple can be used (often with 'since' and 'for') to talk about unfinished actions that started in the past and are still true in the present. It's often used with stative verbs:

• I've known John for three years.

The present perfect continuous can also be used (often with 'since' and 'for') to talk about unfinished actions that started in the past and are still true in the present. (Of course, we don't use the present perfect continuous with stative verbs):

• She's been living here for three years.

Sometimes there's really no difference in meaning between the two tenses. This is especially the case with verbs such as 'live', 'work' and 'study':

• They've lived in London since 2004.
• They've been living in London since 2004.

• I've studied French for ten years.
• I've been studying French for ten years.

• He's worked at the company since 2009.
• He's been working at our company since 2009.

Sometimes, there is a difference in meaning:

1: The present perfect continuous can be used to emphasise the length of time that has passed. The present perfect simple is generally neutral:

• They've been waiting for hours! (This emphasises the length of time).
• They've waited for hours. (This doesn't emphasise the length of time).

2: On the other hand, the present perfect simple is often used when we're talking about how much or how many. This isn't possible with the present perfect continuous:

• She's drunk three cups of coffee this morning.
• She's drunk at least a litre of coffee today.
• (NOT: she's been drinking three cups of coffee this morning).

3: The present perfect continuous often focuses on the action itself, while the present perfect simple focuses on the fact that the action is completed:

• I've been reading the book you recommended. (I'm enjoying it, but I'm not finished).
• I've read the book you recommended. (I've finished it, so we can talk about it).

We use 'yet' and 'already' with the present perfect simple:

• Have you read the book yet?
• She's finished her work already.

This difference is often used to talk about different kinds of results in the present. The present perfect simple is used when the action is finished, and the result comes from the action being finished:

• I've eaten dinner, so let's go out.
• She's done all her homework, so she can relax this evening.
• I've made a cake. Would you like some?

The present perfect continuous is used when the result comes from the action itself. It doesn't matter if the whole action is finished or not. The result is often something we can see, hear, smell, or feel:

• I've been eating dinner, so there are plates all over the table.
• She's been doing her homework, so she's tired.
• I've been making a cake, that's why the kitchen is such a mess.

4: Finally, the present perfect continuous can be used to emphasise that something is temporary:

• She's been running a lot recently. (She doesn't usually do this).
• Usually I study at home, but I've been studying in the library for the last week.

EXTRA PRACTISE...

http://www.aulafacil.com/Ingejerc/Lecciones/Ejerc21.htm
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs8.htm
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs9.htm
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-perfect-present-perfect-continuous-1.html
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-perfect-present-perfect-continuous-2.html
http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/presentperfectsimpleorcontinuous/menu.php
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=5117
http://esl.about.com/library/quiz/blperfectorperfectcont1.htm

Present Perfect Simple Vs. Past Simple

PRACTISE...

http://www.aulafacil.com/Ingejerc/Lecciones/Ejerc20.htm
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs5.htm
http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/228.html
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-preper/exercises?ex04
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/past-simple-present-perfect-1.html
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/past-simple-present-perfect-2.html
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/ppvpast1.htm
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-preper/exercises

Listening Exercises

LISTENING EXERCISES! :) 

HELLO GUYS! Here you are some links that will help you improve your listening skills. I hope you give them a good use :) On the first link you just have to click on the video you want to watch and then you can listen to it and answer the questions or read the script. On the upper part there are some subdivisions regarding level. So just click on intermediate and then if you think it's too easy just click on  High intermediate. I hope you like them. Try the other links too :)

http://www.eslvideo.com/esl_video_quiz_beginning_start.php
http://www.esl-lab.com
http://www.saberingles.com.ar/listening/index1.html
http://esl.about.com/od/listening/Beginning_Level_English_Listening_Comprehension_Exercises.htm
http://www.rong-chang.com/listen.htm
http://www.englishmedialab.com/listening.html
https://www.englishlistening.com/index.php/listen-to-passages#close  

Past Simple Vs. Past Continuous

PAST SIMPLE Vs. PAST CONTINUOUS 

1.  The most common use of the past continuous tense is to talk about something that was happening around a particular time in the past.

• What were you doing at 8 o’clock last night? I was watching television.

I started watching television before 8 o’clock and I continued watching it after 8 o’clock.

• In 1994 he was working in a small town in Poland.
• At 6 o’clock on Saturday morning we were travelling to the airport.

2. We often use the past continuous and the past simple tense together. When this happens, the past continuousdescribes a longer, ‘background’ action or situation and the past simple describes the action or events.

• When I woke up this morning it was raining and my father was singing in the kitchen.
• I was walking home, whistling happily, when I saw two masked men run out of the bank.

Often, the ‘action’ described by the past simple tense interrupts the ‘situation’ described by the past continuous tense.

• I broke my leg when I was skiing.
• I was playing a computer game when the doorbell rang.

Notice that the past continuous describes ‘situations’ that go on for some time – ‘skiing’ and ‘playing’ but the past simple describes ‘actions’ that happen quickly – ‘broke’ and ‘rang’.

Notice too the important difference between these two sentences.

• When they arrived, Jeff was cooking dinner. Jeff started cooking before they arrived.
• When they arrived, Jeff cooked dinner. Jeff started cooking dinner after they arrived.

NOTICE :)

Certain Verbs

The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Past (not in the progressive form).

• state: be, cost, fit, mean, suit
  Example: We were on holiday.
• possession: belong, have
  Example: Sam had a cat.
• senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch
  Example: He felt the cold.
• feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish
  Example: Jane loved pizza.
• brain work: believe, know, think, understand
  Example: I did not understand him.
• introductory clauses for direct speech: answer, ask, reply, say
  Example: “I am watching TV,“ he said.

EXTRA PRACTICE !!

Hello guys :) Here you have some links you can click on to practice these two topics. Hope they are useful for you!

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/past-simple-past-continuous-exercise-1.html
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs3.htm
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs4.htm
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/simple_past_progressive2.htm
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=734
http://www.aulafacil.com/Ingejerc/Lecciones/Ejerc19.htm