English Learning

The British Isles – Scotland and Present Perfect

October 25, 2025

🏴 THE BRITISH ISLES – SCOTLAND

📖 Text

Edinburgh is the old capital of Scotland and one of the most wonderful cities in Europe.
It is built on seven hills, and its streets are steep.
The Edinburgh Castle, over a thousand years old, stands in the Old Town.
A monument to Walter Scott (1771–1832), the author of historical novels, is in Princess Street.

Glasgow /ˈɡlæsɡəʊ/ is the second largest city.
It lies on the River Clyde and is known for shipbuilding and textile factories.
The Zoo, the Botanical Gardens, and museums attract many visitors.

Aberdeen /ˌæbəˈdiːn/ is the cleanest city in Britain and a centre of the fishing industry.
Dundee exports cakes all over the world.
Greenock /ˈɡriːnək/ is the birthplace of James Watt, the famous scientist.
In Alloway /ˈæləweɪ/, the poet Robert Burns lived and worked.

💬 Saying

What is done cannot be undone.
Kas padaryta, to nebepakeisi.

🧠 GRAMMAR – PRESENT PERFECT

🧩 Rule

Formula:
have / has + past participle (V3)
Example: I have swum across the river.

Used to describe:

  • actions that happened recently,
  • or have connection with the present.

✅ Affirmative

English Lithuanian
I have swum aš nuplaukiau
He has swum jis nuplaukė

❌ Negative

English Lithuanian
I have not swum aš nenuplaukiau
He has not swum jis nenuplaukė

❓ Interrogative

English Lithuanian
Have you swum? Ar tu nuplaukei?
Has she swum? Ar ji nuplaukė?

💬 Short Answers

Question Positive Negative
Have you swum? Yes, I have. No, I haven’t.
Has he swum? Yes, he has. No, he hasn’t.

✅ Notes:

  • swim – swam – swum → correct irregular forms.
  • In Lithuanian, Present Perfect often translates as a past action.
  • Used with just, already, ever, never, yet, since, for.

Exercises

Exercise 1Text Comprehension

Answer the questions.

  1. How many hills is Edinburgh built on?
  2. What is Walter Scott famous for?
  3. Which city lies on the River Clyde?
  4. What is Aberdeen known for?
  5. Who lived in Alloway?

Exercise 2True or False

Write T (True) or F (False).

  1. Edinburgh is the new capital of Scotland.
  2. Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland.
  3. Aberdeen is known for its fishing industry.
  4. Dundee imports cakes from other countries.
  5. Robert Burns lived in Alloway.

Exercise 3Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using the correct word.

  1. Edinburgh is famous for its ____ hills.
  2. Walter Scott was a great ____.
  3. Glasgow lies on the River ____.
  4. James Watt was a great ____.
  5. Aberdeen is the ____ city in Britain.

Exercise 4Present Perfect – Fill in the Verb

Use the correct form of the verb in Present Perfect.

  1. I ____ (visit) Edinburgh twice.
  2. She ____ (not see) the castle yet.
  3. They ____ (build) new bridges.
  4. He ____ (write) three poems.
  5. We ____ (study) the text already.

Exercise 5Make Sentences

Write five sentences in the Present Perfect tense using these verbs:

  • visit
  • see
  • read
  • swim
  • learn

Exercise 6Questions and Short Answers

Make questions and give short answers.

Example: (you / see / the film?)
→ Have you seen the film? – Yes, I have.

  1. (you / be / to Scotland?)
  2. (he / finish / the lesson?)
  3. (they / visit / London?)
  4. (she / write / a poem?)
  5. (we / swim / in the river?)

Exercise 7Choose the Correct Answer

Choose the correct option.

  1. She ____ never been to Glasgow.

    • (a) have
    • (b) has
    • (c) is

  2. They ____ just arrived home.

    • (a) have
    • (b) has
    • (c) are

Exercise 8Match Columns

Match the person with what they are known for.

Person Known for
Walter Scott Historical novels
James Watt Science and inventions
Robert Burns Poetry
Edinburgh Castle and hills
Glasgow Shipbuilding

Exercise 9Correct the Mistakes

Find and correct the mistakes.

  1. He have swum in the lake.
  2. I has written a book.
  3. They not have visited Edinburgh.
  4. We have saw the castle.
  5. She haven’t finish her work yet.

Exercise 10Creative Writing

Write a short paragraph (5–6 sentences) using the Present Perfect tense about your travels or experiences.
Example: I have visited Scotland. I have seen the old castle and learned about Robert Burns.

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