Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous?

Exercise 1 – Result or duration

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous)

1. I (play) ______________________football for five years.

2. My team (win / only) ______________________two matches so far.
3. The others (be / always) ________________________better.
4. Are we not there yet? We (walk) _______________________for hours.
5. But we (cover / only) ______________________an area of five miles so far.
6. I (finish/just) __________________________my homework.
7. I (work) __________________________on this essay since two o'clock.
8. Jane (go out) _______________________with Bob for seven years.
9. Martin (date) _______________________three girls this week.
10. How long (wait / you) _______________________for us?
11. A: (you / play / ever) _______________________tennis?
12. B: I (play / only) _______________________tennis once or twice. And you?
13. A: I (learn) _______________________tennis for two years.
14. B: (you / take) _______________________part in any competitions yet?
15. A: I (participate) _______________________in four contests this year.
16. B: (you / win) _______________________any prizes so far?
17. A: No, I (win / not) _______________anything yet. I'm not that good yet. (you / enter /
ever) _______________________a contest?
18. B: I (swim) _______________________for seven years and I (receive / already)
_______________________some trophies.

Exercise 2 – Certain verbs

Use the verbs in Present Perfect Continuous, if possible. If it is not possible, use the Present
Perfect Simple.

1. We (know) ________________________them for 15 years.

2. They (watch) ______________________TV for 3 hours.
3. He (have) ________________________this car for 20 years.
4. We (work) _______________________for 7 hours without a break.
5. How long (you / learn) ___________________________English?
6. Mr Smith (be) ________________________in hospital for 5 days.
7. Steven (hear) _________________________a mouse squeak all night.
8. (you / see) ____________________________Brona?
9. She (prepare) ________________________dinner for two hours.
10. Don't worry, they (touch / not) ______________________your gameboy.
 Exercise 3 – Completion or Duration

Which form is correct (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous)?

1. We want to tell how we have spent our time:

a) We have played football.
b) We have been playing football.

2. The action is completed now:

a) Charlie has sent the letter.
b) Charlie has been sending the letter.

3. I want to tell how I have spent my time:

a) I have watched TV.
b) I have been watching TV.

4. I want to emphasise that the door is open now:

a) Elizabeth has opened the door.
b) Elizabeth has been opening the door.

5. I want to emphasise that the house is ready now:

a) My friends have built a house.
b) My friends have been building a house.

Now choose what is emphasised…..

6. I have cooked dinner.

a) emphasising that dinner is ready now
b) emphasising how I have spent my time

7. She has been reading a book.

a) emphasising that she has read the book completely
b) emphasising how she has spent her time

8. He has closed all the windows.

a) emphasising that all windows are closed now
b) emphasising how he has spent his time

9. I have tidied up my room.

a) emphasising that the room is tidy now
b) emphasising how I have spent my time

10. We have been swimming.

 a) emphasising, that we are not swimming anymore now
b) emphasising how we have spent our time

Exercise 4 - Result of Side Effect

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous).

1. Why are you out of breath? - I (run) _______________.

2. The toaster is okay again. Dad (repair) _______________it.
3. I am so tired, I (work) _______________all day.
4. Your shirt is clean now. Maggie (wash) _______________it.
5. I'm afraid, I'm getting a cold. I (walk) _______________home in the rain.
6. Your clothes smell awful! (you / smoke) _______________?
7. Peggy is ready for her exam now. I (help) _______________her preparing for it.
8. It is dark in here because we (close) _______________the curtains. We want to watch
a film and that's better in the dark.
9. His voice is gone now because he (shout) _______________all morning.
10. One can see through the windows again. Jane (clean) _______________them.
11. You are absolutely sunburned. You (sit) _______________in the sun too long.
12. We can watch the film now. Michael (connect) _______________the DVD player.
13. The room looks much nicer now. I (hang) _______________up some pictures.
14. Freddy is soaken wet. He (wash) _______________the dog.
15. I am not hungry. I (eat / already) _______________something.
16. Can I go outside? I (do) _______________my homework.
17. My eyes are red because I (cut) _______________onions.

Exercise 5 – Since the last time or since the beginning

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous).

1. I (play / not) _______________the computer for half an hour, only for about 5 minutes.
2. Bob (drive / not) _______________a car for eight years.
3. Carla (go / not) _______________on holiday for three years.
4. We (run / not) _______________for 40 minutes yet - there are still 10 minutes left.
5. They (smoke / not) _______________for 10 days now.
6. I (eat / not) _______________anything since two o'clock.
7. Anna (work / not) _______________here for five years, but for seven years.
8. I (read / not) _______________for a long time - just 10 minutes, not more.
9. You (cycle / not) _______________for two hours. It was only about one hour.
10. Catherine (speak / not) _______________French for 10 years, so her French isn't very
good now.

Exercise 6 – Since the last time or since the beginning

 Put the verbs into the correct tense (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous).

1. Since I bought my car, I (travel / not) _______________by train.

2. He (learn / not) _______________English for two years yet, but he speaks it very well.
3. We (party / not) _______________for a long time, but there's no food left.
4. My sister and her boyfriend (go / not) _______________out together for a long time.
They only met three weeks ago.
5. James (tidy / not) _______________up his room for a long time. It's a complete mess.
6. We (practise / not) _______________for hours - 15 minutes were enough.
7. Louis is absolutely tired as he (sleep / not) _______________well for days.
8. Dana (work / not) _______________for days because she is ill.
9. I (play / not) _______________the piano for ages, so please don't ask me to perform
anything.
10. We (hang / not) _______________about all day, we have helped grandma in the
garden.

Exercise 7 – Mixed Exercises

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous).

1. A: (you / take) _______________the dog for a walk yet?

2. B: I (work) _______________all day. I (come / just) _______________home from work
and I (have / not) _______________the time yet to walk the dog.
3. A: How long (the dog / be) _______________home alone?
4. B: For about 6 hours. You (walk / not) _______________the dog for a long time. Don't
you want to go?
5. A: Well, I (laze / not) _______________about all day either, you know. I have a very
important meeting tomorrow and I still (finish / not) _______________my presentation.
6. B: Okay, I will go then. Where (you / put) _______________collar and leash?
7. A: They are in the kitchen. By the way, (you / eat) _______________anything yet? If
not, could you get us something from the supermarket?
8. A: I (call) _______________ for you for half an hour. Where (be) _______________?
And why are your clothes so dirty?
9. B: I (tidy) _______________ up the shed in the garden.
10. A: (you / find) _______________ a box with old photos there? I (look)
_______________ for it for ages.
11. B: I (discover / not) _______________ it yet, but I (work / not) _______________ for a
long time yet. I (come / just) _______________ in to eat something.
12. A: I (cook / not) _______________ anything yet because I (talk) _______________ to
our neighbour.