Welcome to Living English.

In today's episode we're looking at how to talk about possibilities...

... or what is likely to happen.

And we're looking at a new verb tense, the present perfect.

But first it's time for 'Sisters and Brothers'.

In the last episode Anne had lunch with Sarah's family.

Now Anne and Sarah are having a talk.

I'm sorry about my brother.

Not at all.

You have a lovely family.

You all seem so happy.

Anne, what's the matter?

There's something I haven't told you.

What's that?

When I met your brother...

... I was thinking about my brother David.

I haven't seen him for two years.

How come?

He's missing.

[...] I came to Australia to find him.

I'm so sorry.

Have you got any [...]?

Not yet.

I've hired a private investigator.

[...].

Do you think he'll find him?

Perhaps.

I don't know.

It's been a long time since David's last call.

What do you think's happened to him?

Have you any idea?

I really don't know.

I can't help thinking the worst.

I'm sure he's alright.

If something bad had happened, you would have heard.

I guess so.

I suppose you're right.

Let's hope Anne's brother is alright.

We'll find out in future episodes.

Well, let's look at some of the common expressions in that episode.

First Sarah apologises for her brother's behavior.

Remember in the last episode Sarah's brother Steve offered to take Anne out.

You're lucky.

I haven't been to the zoo.

I'd love to go to the zoo.

I'll take you.

Sarah thinks Steve was a bit rude.

So she apologises.

She says she is sorry about his behavior.

I'm sorry about my brother.

Not at all.

You have a lovely family.

Sarah says she is sorry about her brother.

Practice with the clip.

I'm sorry about my brother.

Not at all.

You have a lovely family.

Anne says 'Not at all'.

She means Sarah shouldn't worry.

She is not upset or offended.

Remember in a previous episode we looked at the phrase 'Don't mention it'.

'Not at all' is another way of saying 'Don't mention it'.

Practice with the clip.

I'm sorry about my brother.

You have a lovely family.

Anne tells Sarah she is looking for her brother who is missing.

Listen to this clip.

I've hired a private investigator.

Anne says she has hired a private investigator.

She has hired a detective.

This is an example of present perfect tense.

She hired a detective.

And the detective is still working.

Present perfect is used for actions started in the past that are still true.

Present perfect is made from a verb have...

... and a past participle of another verb.

First let's look at the verb have.

Repeat them with me.

I have.

He has.

She has.

It has.

You have.

We have.

They have.

In our example...

... she has hired a detective.

The past participle of the verb to hire is hired.

So this can be added to the verb have or has...

... to make the present perfect tense like this.

Usually we shorten the have and has like this.

So we would say 'I've hired a detective'.

She's hired a detective.

They've hired a detective.

That sounds like too many detectives.

Let's look at some other ways of using the present perfect.

Anne, what's the matter?

There's something I haven't told you.

Anne says 'There is something I haven't told you'.

This is the negative.

If Anne has told Sarah she would say...

... 'I have told you' or 'I've told you'.

But she has not told Sarah about her brother.

So she says 'I have not told you'...

... or 'I haven't told you'.

Practice with the clip.

Anne, what's the matter?

Anne, what's the matter?

There's something I haven't told you.

There is another example in the story. Listen.

When I met your brother...

... I was thinking about my brother David.

I haven't seen him for two years.

Anne says she hasn't seen her brother for two years.

The last time she saw her brother was two years ago.

And up until today she still hasn't seen him.

That's very sad, isn't it?

Yes, it is. Hello Michelle.

Hello Brenton.

Two years is a long time not to see your brother.

How esle could Anne have said that?

Let's look at three little words...

... for, since, and ago.

They're all used to talk about time in the past.

So if I say 'I haven't seen you for a week' what do I mean?

A week has passed.

And in all that time you haven't seen me.

So this is a week.

And you haven't seen me in all that time.

That's sad.

I could say 'I haven't seen you since last Monday'.

What does that mean?

Well.

You saw me last Monday.

And now you see me again.

And how wonderful it is.

So 'for' is used for a period of time that something goes on.

For a week.

For two hours.

For a year.

'Since' is a specific time in the past.

Since 10 o'clock.

Since yesterday.

Since last year.

What about 'ago'?

You could say you saw me a week ago.

I saw you a week ago.

'Ago' we use to a length of time before the present.

So we could say 'two hours ago'.

If it's twelve o'clock now what time was it two hours ago?

That would be ten o'clock.

And is it Monday today?

What day was it two days ago?

Saturday.

Exactly.

Now today we're going to look at some more very useful words.

First let's see another clip.

And my question is...

... does Anne think the detective will find her brother?

Do you think he'll find him?

Perhaps.

I don't know.

Does Anne think the detective will find her brother?

She doesn't know.

How does she tell us this?

She says 'I don't know'.

Does she think he might?

She thinks it's possible.

She says 'perhaps'.

'Perhaps' is a very useful word.

It means you don't know.

It is possible.

There's a number of words and phrases in English like this.

Let's look at some and see how to use them.

Here's a chart.

If you are sure the answer is no or you disagree with someone...

... than you'll say 'definitely not'...

... or 'I don't think so'.

Try after me.

Definitely not.

I don't think so.

If you are not sure you could say 'maybe', 'possibly', or 'perhaps'.

Try after me.

Maybe.

Possibly.

Perhaps.

If you agree but not strongly you could say 'I suppose so'...

... or 'I think so'...

... or 'I guess so'.

But if you're definitely agree than you would say 'definitely', 'I'm sure'.

Say if you can hear some of these words in the clip.

What do you think's happened to him?

Have you any idea?

I really don't know.

I can't help thinking the worst.

I'm sure he's alright.

If something bad had happened, you would have heard.

I suppose you're right.

Does Sarah think David is alright?

Yes, she's sure he's alright.

Does Anne think so?

She's not so sure.

She says 'I guess so'.

And I suppose you're right.

Speaking of get in Brenton I've got a game for you.

Okay.

I've got three caps here.

They're all upside down.

And under one of them is a sweet.

Like this one.

Do you know which one?

I don't know. I have no idea.

Here it is.

Now watch carefully...

... while I'm mixing them up.

Now where is the sweet?

I think it's under this one.

Are you sure?

I think so. I'm fairly sure.

What do you think at home?

Is the sweet under this cup?

Are you sure?

Or do you think maybe?

Or definitely not?

Ah, no!

[...].

Which cup is the sweet under?

This one, I think.

You guess so?

I guess so. I think.

I'm fairly sure.

No. Last time.

Which cup?

This one.

You're sure?

Definitely.

Let's see.

- Ah! -Yes!

Very cute. You can have that.

Thank you Michelle.

Well, it's definitely time for us to go.

Oh!

Are you sure?

I'm certain.

But I'm sure we'll be back.

And we'll learn how to describe a person.

And we'll learn all about adjectives.

What are they?

Better watch next time and find out.

And find out what happens to Anne's [...].