Present perfect tense vs. past perfect tense

Present Perfect Tense

We can use the present perfect tense to talk about an accomplishment or a completed task. For example,
I've finished my exams! (I am done with exams.)
They've completed the new mall. (They completely built the mall.)
If you use present perfect tense to talk about a completed action, you must be thinking about the present as well. For example,
O George Washington became the first president.
X George Washington has become the first president.
O Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.
X Alexander Graham Bell has invented the telephone.
We can also use the present perfect tense to talk about an action that is continuing until the present time. For example,
I have worked here for 5 years.
He has lived here since he got his new job.
Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense is used to talk about an earlier past. It is usually used when we talk about two past events. For example,
When I arrived, the party had started. (They party started. Then, I arrived.)
George had wanted to go to the park until it started raining. (He wanted to go to the park. Then, it started raining.)
Be careful! Sometimes the other past event is understood. It might not be clearly stated in the sentence. For example,
A: I had wanted to go to the park (until something happened.)
B: Why aren't you going?
A: I need to do my homework.

We can also use past perfect tense to talk about something that continued for a period of time in the past. For example,
It had rained for 5 days before our wedding, but it was sunny on our wedding day.
She had worked for ABC Corporation for 50 years when she finally decided to retire.
Do you think you understand? Let's take a short quiz.

1) My wife _______ dinner before I got home, so I could eat right away.
A) had prepared
B) prepared
C) has prepared

2) Commodore Mathew C. Perry __________ to Japan.
A) had sailed
B) sailed
C) has sailed

3) I ____________ cleaning the bathroom. I'm tired!
A) had finished
B) finished
C) have just finished

Answers
1) – A) – My wife prepared the supper before I arrived.
2) – B) – Commodore Perry sailed to Japan a long time ago, so we must use simple past.
3) – B) or C) – B) is more casual, but C) is a little more formal sounding.

http://www.englishspark.com/en/blogs/stumpers/471-present-perfect-tense-vs-past-perfect-tense

Echo Questions

How do you use echo questions? Echo questions are very useful and can make you sound like a native speaker. Let's talk about some examples of echo questions and how to make them.
Basic Echo Questions

We can use echo questions to check something that has just been said. To do this we repeat the same question back to the speaker. For example,
A: I'm quitting my job.
B: You're quitting your job? (surprised)
A: The Queen killed the King.
B: The Queen killed the King?
Echo Questions for Repeating Parts of a Sentence

You can also use an echo question if you missed a part of a sentence. This is useful when the speaker is talking to fast or there is too much loud noise in the room. For example,
A: I went to P--- last weekend.
B: You went where?
A: Paris.
A: I met Bill Gates
B: You met who?
A: Bill Gates

You can also use this if you can't believe the information or are surprised.
A: I ate 30 chicken wings.
B: You ate how many chicken wings?
A: 30.
If you want to ask about the action that the speaker did. You must use 'do what'. For example,
A: He painted a picture with a cheeseburgers.
B: He did what with cheeseburgers?
A: Painted a picture.
Be careful to use the correct question word (what, who, when, how, where, how many, etc..). Try to think of how to ask about the information regularly. Take the question word in a regular question and move it to where the missing information is in the original sentence. For example,
A: We are meeting at 6:XX.
B: When are we meeting? (regular question)
B: We are meeting at when? (echo question)
A: at 6:30.
Using Echo Questions to Question a Question

You can also use echo questions to question a question. If you feel like somebody shouldn't be asking a question to you or you are angry they asked a question, you can use this. For example,
A: Why did you take my shirt?
B: Why did I take your shirt? It's not your shirt. It's my shirt.
We usually use these types of echo questions when we are a little angry at the other speaker.

Do you think you understand? Let's take a short quiz.
1) A: The Empire State Building is #### feet tall.
B: _________________
A) The Empire State Building is how long?
B) The Empire State Building is how high?
C) The Empire State Building is how tall?

2) A: Where are you going?
B: ______________ I'm going home. It's 5:00, the day is over.
A) I'm going where?
B) Where I am going?
C) Where am I going?

3) A: Your house is on fire!
B: _________________
A) My house is on fire?
B) Your house is on fire?
C) Our house is on fire?

Answers
1) – C) – Speaker B didn't hear the height of the Empire State Building. To ask about the height of a building, we use 'how tall'.
2) – C) – Speaker B is questioning a question because they can't believe speaker A doesn't know it is time to go home.
3) – A) – Speaker B can't believe what Speaker A said, so he repeats it back as a question.



Mr.Maru: We're going to New York City Sparky!
Sparky: We're going to what?
Mr.Maru: New York City. It's going to be great!
Sparky: I don't like big cities.
Mr.Maru: But, we are going to see the Empire State Building. It was built in 411 days!
Sparky: It was built in how long?
Mr.Maru: 411 days! That was really fast.
Sparky: I just hope they have bacon there.
(note: Sparky is using wrong English.)


http://www.englishspark.com/en/blogs/stumpers/478-echo-questions

Tag Questions - You know how to use Tag Questions, don't you?

Tag questions
are small questions at the end of statements. They can be used to express an opinion, check information, or even make a request. For example,
It's a beautiful day today, isn't it?
You aren't going to the party this weekend, are you?
How to Form Tag Questions

You form tag questions by placing a negative question at the end of a positive statement. Placing a negative question at the end of positive statement means you are pretty sure (80%) or a little sure (50%) of the positive statement. You can also place a positive question at the end of a negative statement. Again, this means you are pretty sure (80%) or a little sure (50%) of the negative statement. Let's look at some examples:
This book was written by Ernest Hemingway, wasn't it? (A positive sentence with a negative question. You are 50%~80% sure the book was written by Ernest Hemingway.)
This book wasn't written by Ernest Hemingway, was it? (A negative sentence with a positive question. You are 50%~80% sure the book was NOT written by Ernest Heminway.)
How to Say Tag Questions

The difference of how sure you are (50%~80%) can be shown by your intonation. If you are pretty sure, the intonation goes down. If you are a little sure, the intonation goes up. For example,
You are from America, (down) aren't you? (up) – (You are a little sure.)
You are from America, (up) aren't you? (down) – (You are pretty sure.)
Tag Questions with Auxiliary Verbs

If you use an auxiliary verb (can, do, be, would, should, etc...), the tag question must use the auxiliary verb too. For example,
You can speak English, can't you?
You wouldn't hurt a girl, would you?
All other verbs, you must use do.
You hate spiders, don't you?
Do you think you understand? Let's check with a short quiz.

1) You don't like to go fishing, _______
A) do you?
B) don't you?
C) can you?
2) Jenny wouldn't steal from the company, _________
A) does she?
B) wouldn't she?
C) would she?
3) You are a fan of the Tigers, ______
A) don't you?
B) aren't you?
C) are you?
Answers

1) – A) We must use a positive tag question with a negative statement.
2) – C) If you use an auxiliary verb (would), you must use it in the tag question.
3) – B) If you use 'be', you must use it in the tag question.


Maru: That movie wasn't very good, was it?
Sparky: Yeah, but Thomas Hanks can act, doesn't he?
Mr.Maru: Um, yes, he can act well.
Sparky: You didn't bring any snacks, didn't you?
Mr.Maru: No, I didn't. You aren't hungry again, are you?
Sparky: No, I am.
Mr.Maru: Um, are you hungry or not hungry?
Sparky: Hungry! Let's go to Happy Burger.
Mr.Maru: All right, all right. I wish you couldn't talk.
How do you use tag questions? A reader wrote me yesterday and asked “How do I use tag questions?”, so today we are going to go over tag questions and their many uses. Let's start!
What are Tag Questions?


more info at http://www.englishspark.com/en/blogs/stumpers/476-tag-questions

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