The
present perfect and the simple past

11  
That is Mr Minus, who teaches me mathematics, but he (not have) time to
teach me much. I only (be) in his class for a week.

12 
You (hear) his speech on the radio last night? -Yes, I . . . -

What you (think) of it?

13 
I (not know) that you (be) here. You (be) here long?-Yes, I (be) here
two months. —

You (be) to the Cathedral? ~ Yes, I (go)
there last Sunday.

14 
You ever (try) to give up smoking? -

Yes, I (try) last year, but then I (find)
that I was getting fat so I (start) again.

15 
You (see) today's paper? -

No, anything interesting (happen)?

Yes, two convicted murderers (escape) from
the prison down the

road.

16 
Mary (feed) the cat?-

Yes, she (feed) him before lunch. ~ What
she (give) him? -She (give) him some fish.

17  
How long you (know) your new assistant?-I (know) him for two years. —

What he (do) before he (come) here? -I
think he (be) in prison.

18 
I (not see) your aunt recently. -

No. She (not be) out of her house since
she (buy) her colour TV.

19 
The plumber (be) here yet?-

Yes, but he only (stay) for an hour. -

What he (do) in that time? -

He (turn) off the water and (empty) the
tank.

20 
Where you (be)?

I (be) out in a yacht. -

You (enjoy) it? -

Yes, very much. We (take) part in a race.
-

You (win)?~

No, we (come) in last.

21  
How long that horrible monument (be) there?-

It (be) there six months. Lots of people
(write) to the Town Council asking them to take it away but so far nothing (be)
done.

22  
I just (be) to the film War and Peace. You (see) it? -No, I....
Is it like the book? -

I (not read) the book. -

I (read) it when I (be) at school. -

When Tolstoy (write) it? -

He (write) it in 1868. -

He (write) anything else?

23 
Hannibal (bring) elephants across the Alps. -Why he (do) that?-

He (want) to use them in battle.

24 
Where you (be)?-

I (be) to the dentist. ~

He (take) out your bad tooth? -

Yes, he . . . -

It (hurt)?-

Yes, horribly.

25 
She (say) that she'd phone me this morning, but it is now 12.30 and she
(not phone) yet.

26 
I just (receive) a letter saying that we (not pay) this quarter's
electricity bill. I (not give) you the money for that last week? ~ Yes, you . .
. but I'm afraid I (spend) it on something else.

27  
How long you (be) out of work? -

I'm not out of work now. I just (start) a
new job. -

How you (find) the job? -

I (answer) an advertisement in the paper.

28 
You (finish) checking the accounts? -No, not quite. I (do) about half so
far.

29 
I (cut) my hand rather badly. Have you a bandage?-I'll get you one. How
it (happen)? -

I was chopping some wood and the axe
(slip).

30 
How you (get) that scar? -

I (get) it in a car accident a year ago.

31 
You (meet) my brother at the lecture yesterday? -Yes, I.... We (have)
coffee together afterwards.    •

32 
He (lose) his job last month and since then he (be) out of work. -Why he
(lose) his job? -

He
(be) very rude to Mr Pitt.