INTERMEDIATE Test 15

Use in with years, months and seasons: in 1974, in May. Since and for are used with the present perfect to show how long something has lasted, not with a single past event like being born.

With the present perfect, use for + a period of time (two years, a week) and since + a starting point (2020, Monday). Two years is a period, so we need for.

For + a period of time tells us how long something lasted: I waited for hours. Hours is a length of time, not a starting point, so since is wrong.

Ago comes after a period of time and is used with the past simple to say when something happened: three years ago. Not since, because since needs a starting point and goes before it.

With the present perfect, use since + a starting point in time. 1990 is the point when he started living abroad, so since 1990. Not for, because for needs a period such as thirty years.

We don't use a preposition before last, next or this in time expressions: last year, next week, this morning. So we say They got acquainted last year. Not in last year, even though we say in 2023.

Ever means 'at any time in your life'. We use it in present perfect questions: Have you ever been to China? Ago goes after a period of time with the past simple (two years ago), so it can't go here.

Already means something happened sooner than expected. It goes between have and the past participle: I've already done it. The speaker has phoned him, so there is no need to worry.

Yet is used in negative sentences and questions, usually at the end: I haven't finished yet. It means 'up to now'. Already is used in positive sentences.

The sentence is already negative (I've not), so we need ever: I've not ever been = I've never been. Never would make a double negative, which is wrong in standard English.

Just with the present perfect means 'a very short time ago': I've just washed my hair. The hair is still wet, so the speaker can't go out. Yet is not used in positive sentences like this.

In present perfect questions, yet goes at the end and asks whether something has happened up to now: Have you met him yet? Just and ever go before the past participle, not at the end. Never is not used in a question like this.

This is the present perfect passive: have/has been + past participle. The past participle of give is given, so I've been given a pay rise. Gave is the past simple, not the participle.

The children didn't do the action; someone did it to them. So we need the passive: have been + past participle, have been kidnapped. Was kidnapped is wrong because children is plural.

Someone did the action, so we need the active present perfect: someone has damaged their car. We use has because someone is singular. The passive (has been damaged) is wrong here because the sentence already has a subject that does the action.

The plane didn't delay itself; something delayed it. So we need the present perfect passive: has been delayed. We use has because her plane is singular, and the present perfect shows the result now (she'll be late). Not have been delayed, because plane is singular.

His company promoted him, so we need the passive: has been promoted. Has promoted would mean he promoted someone else, and the sentence has no object for that.

The people did the action themselves, so we need the active present perfect: have applied. Apply for has no object here, so it can't be passive. Have been applied is wrong.

The people didn't do the action; the crash killed them. So we use the present perfect passive: have been killed. This is common in news reports. Was killed is wrong because four people is plural.

The police did the action to the robber, so the sentence is active: have arrested. Police is a plural noun in English, so we use have, not has.

The floods did the action, and serious damage is the object, so we need the active form: have caused. We use have because floods is plural. The passive have been caused is wrong because the sentence has an object.

The application doesn't accept anything; someone accepts it. So we need the present perfect passive: hasn't been accepted. We use has because my job application is singular.

The workers chose the representative, and a new representative is the object, so we need the active form: have elected. We use have because the workers is plural.

A career is a job or profession you do for a long time, where you can move up to better positions: She has a successful career in banking. An applicant is a person who applies for a job.

A CV (curriculum vitae) is a document listing your personal details, education and work experience. You send it when you apply for a job. An application is the request for the job itself, not the list of your details.