Storm's Overall Impact
Practice note: Grammar examples and role-play details may be hypothetical. Questions explicitly about the article use the reported facts. This is a historical report, not current travel advice.
Words from the text: experience, give flexibility, spread, issue a waiver, introduce, disrupt, impact, affected, flexibility, figures, eligible, conditions
A We make the Present Perfect with has/have + past participle (3rd form of the verb). Use has with he/she/it, and have with I/you/we/they or plural subjects like 'airlines'.
Boston Logan has experienced hundreds of flight cancelations.
Delta has given affected customers more flexibility.
Several airlines have introduced travel waivers.
Запомните неправильные формы причастий: give – given, spread – spread (форма не меняется!). Их нужно заучивать отдельно.
B We use Present Perfect to talk about a situation now - the result of something that happened before. We don't say exactly when it happened. Compare this with Past Simple (Unit 2), which we use for a finished action at a stated past time, like 'on Saturday'.
| Form / word | Example / meaning |
| Present Perfect - no time, result now | Past Simple - stated past time, finished |
| Boston has experienced hundreds of cancelations. | FlightAware recorded 253 cancelations on September 26. |
| Delta has given customers more flexibility. | Delta canceled 95 flights on Saturday. |
The storm's impact has spread beyond Boston. (we don't say when)
JetBlue has issued a weather waiver for the Northeast. (the waiver is active now)
C In storm reports, Present Perfect often follows a reason, with words like therefore or so far, to show the overall result up to now.
The storm has caused delays; airlines have therefore given passengers more flexibility.
So far, Boston has experienced hundreds of cancelations.
United Airlines has introduced a waiver for eligible passengers.
JetBlue has issued a Northeast weather waiver covering several airports under its conditions.
Exercises
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8.1 Complete the sentences with has or have and the past participle of the verb in brackets.
Example: Airlines ______ (update) their schedules because of the storm. → have updated
- Boston Logan (experience) hundreds of cancelations this weekend.
- Delta (give) affected customers more flexibility.
- The disruption (spread) to airports in New York and Philadelphia.
- JetBlue (issue) a Northeast weather waiver.
- American Airlines (introduce) new waivers for selected airports.
- Cape Air (cancel) all flights in its North Region.
- The storm (cause) big problems for passengers.
- The cancelation figures (change) several times since Saturday.
Answers
For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.
- has experienced
- has given
- has spread
- has issued
- has introduced
- has canceled
- has caused
- have changed
8.2 Find these sentences in the Lesson text. For each one, write what the result is now.
Example: Boston Logan has experienced hundreds of flight cancelations. → Result: the airport has a lot of canceled flights now.
- Airlines have had to change their operations due to strong winds and heavy rain.
- The airline has therefore given affected customers more flexibility to change their travel plans.
- The disruption has spread beyond Boston.
- The wider Northeast has also experienced serious disruption.
- JetBlue has also issued a Northeast weather waiver.
- Delta has specifically warned customers that a large number of cancelations are expected on Sunday.
Answers
For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.
- Result: airline operations are different now because of the storm.
- Result: customers can now change their plans more easily.
- Result: other airports, not just Boston, are affected now.
- Result: the whole Northeast, not just Boston, has problems now.
- Result: passengers on JetBlue routes in the Northeast can change flights now.
- Result: customers now know to expect cancelations on Sunday.
8.3 These facts are written with Present Simple, like in a basic news update. Rewrite each one with Present Perfect to show the storm's result now.
Example: Cape Air cancels flights in its North Region. → Cape Air has canceled flights in its North Region.
- The storm disrupts air travel across the Northeast.
- Airlines give passengers more flexibility.
- The disruption spreads beyond Boston.
- Delta issues a weather waiver for Boston.
- Several airlines introduce travel waivers.
- Boston Logan experiences serious problems.
Answers
For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.
- The storm has disrupted air travel across the Northeast.
- Airlines have given passengers more flexibility.
- The disruption has spread beyond Boston.
- Delta has issued a weather waiver for Boston.
- Several airlines have introduced travel waivers.
- Boston Logan has experienced serious problems.
8.4 Answer the questions about the storm using Present Perfect. Use the Lesson text to help you.
Example: What has happened to flights at Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard? → They have experienced many cancelations too.
- What has happened to flights at Boston Logan this weekend?
- What has Delta given affected customers?
- How far has the disruption spread?
- Which airlines have issued weather waivers?
- What has American Airlines introduced for selected airports?
Answers
For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.
- Boston Logan has experienced hundreds of flight cancelations.
- Delta has given affected customers more flexibility to change their plans.
- The disruption has spread beyond Boston to airports in New York and Philadelphia.
- Delta, JetBlue, American Airlines and United Airlines have issued weather waivers.
- American Airlines has introduced waivers for selected Northeast airports and travel dates.