Scribd
Upload
28 views

Present Perfect Simple and Continuous

This document discusses the uses of the present perfect simple and present perfect continuous tenses in English. It provides examples of when to use each tense, including for completed versus ongoing events, durations of time, and verbs like think or hear that are generally not used in the continuous form. Comparative sentences are given to illustrate the differences between the tenses.

Uploaded by

Marija Micunovic
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
28 views

Present Perfect Simple and Continuous

This document discusses the uses of the present perfect simple and present perfect continuous tenses in English. It provides examples of when to use each tense, including for completed versus ongoing events, durations of time, and verbs like think or hear that are generally not used in the continuous form. Comparative sentences are given to illustrate the differences between the tenses.

Uploaded by

Marija Micunovic
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Today we take a look at the uses of 

Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous.


Thanks to Amy Whiting from our Cape Town English School for this lesson. 
 
A - The present perfect simple is used for an action where the time is not known / is not important and experiences.
"I have been to Paris."
B - The present perfect simple is used for an action which started in the past and is still true now, the focus is on the
completed action. The time is incomplete.
"He has made us lunch."
C - The present continuous is used when the action started in the past and is still true now, the focus is on the
activity. It is likely that the action will still continue to happen in the future. It is used to emphasize duration. 
"Paul has been waiting for you for a long time."
D - The present perfect simple is used for a past action with present results. This usually includes the
words just, already and yet.
"Has is started snowing yet?"
E - For is used with a time duration.
"I worked for that company for 10 years."
F - Since is used with a time starting point.
"They have been selling wine in this shop since 1850."
G - Just comes after have/has and before the before the main verb.
"We have just seen David driving his new car."
H - Yet is used in negative and question sentences and comes at the end of the sentence.
"He hasn't arrived at the hotel yet."
I - Already is used when an action happens sooner than expected and comes after have/has and before the main
verb.
"She has already finished reading the report."
Present perfect simple or present perfect continuous?
Completed or continuing events
We use the present perfect simple with action verbs to emphasise the completion of an event in the recent past. We
use the present perfect continuous to talk about ongoing events or activities which started at a time in the past and
are still continuing up until now.
Compare

I’ve  written  the Politics essay. Completed event.

I’ve  been  writing  the Politics essay. Ongoing activity: I’m still writing it.

Compare
Suggests that I’m not thinking about it
I’ve  thought  about buying a laptop.
any more.

I’ve  been thinking  about buying a new laptop for a while but Focuses on the action of thinking over a
I haven’t decided which one to get. period of time up to now.

Sometimes we can use either form and the meaning is the same:
I’ve  lived  here for 20 years.
I’ve  been living  here for 20 years.
Warning:
The present perfect continuous form is not normally used with verbs that refer to actions that are completed at a
single point in time such as start, stop, finish:
Has  the concert  started  already?
Not: Has the concert been starting already?
 
Mental process and sense verbs
Some verbs are not used very often in the continuous form.
We don’t use the continuous form with verbs of mental process (know, like, understand, believe):
They  haven’t known  each other for very long.
Not: They haven’t been knowing each other for very long.
We don’t use the continuous form with verbs of the senses (hear, smell, taste):
Have  you  heard  the news?
Not: Have you been hearing the news?
Spoken English:
In speaking you will sometimes hear these verbs used in the continuous form to refer to events that are ongoing or
temporary:
I’ve  been  hearing  some strange noises coming from outside.
Present Perfect Simple or Continuous?
Compare these sentences:
I've been repairing the TV for hours.
I've repaired the TV! Are you happy?
In the first, the activity is being spoken about and we are not sure if the TV is fixed yet or not. In the second, there is
no doubt that it has been repaired.
I've been writing letters for two hours.
I've written four letters.
The present perfect continuous is often used to talk about how long. The present perfect simple to talk about how
many.

You might also like