Present Perfect Simple and Continuous
Present Perfect Simple and Continuous
Have you ever tried caviar?
She's worked here since July.
She's been working here since July.
Your mother has phoned three times this morning.
The kids are exhausted because they've been running around all day.
Tim and Lucy haven't seen our new house yet.
I've never met her boyfriend. Have you?
It's been snowing all morning.
Bill has just gone. He won't be back till this morning.
My sister has lived alone since her divorce.
My sister has been living alone since her divorced.
I've been reading all morning. I've now read 100 pages.
I've bought a new car. Do you like it?
We've known Jack and Ann for years.
You look really hot. Have you been working out at the gym?
Emily hasn't done her homework yet, so I'm afraid she can't go out.
They don't live in London - they've moved.
I hope they're getting on OK. They've been arguing a lot recently.
We've been walking for hours. Is this the right way?
Why is my laptop switched on? Have you been using it?
Oh no! I've cut my finger on this knife.
1
to talk about past experiences when you don't say when something happened, often with ever or never.
Have you ever broken a bone?
I've never seen him before.
2
with just, yet and already.
I've just phoned for an ambulance, but it hasn't arrived yet.
I've already told you tree times.
3
with superlatives and the first, second, last time, etc.
It's the best book I've ever read.
4
for finished actins (when no time is specified) which have present results.
My computer's crashed!
Look, it's started snowing.
5
with non-action verbs (= verbs not usually used in the continuous form, e.g. be, need, know, like, etc) to say that sometthing started in the past and is still true now.
This use is common with time expressions like How long...?, for or since, all day / evening, etc.
Don't use the present simple in this situation.
NOT I know Miriam since I was a child.
I've known Miriam since I was a child.
My sister has been ill for ten days now.
6
when we say or ask how much / many we have done or how often we have done something up to now.
How many Agatha Christie novels have you read?
They've seen each other twice this week.
1
with actin verbs (e.g. run, listen, study, cook) to say that an action started in the past and is still happening now (unfinished actions).
This use is common with time expressions like How long...?, for or since, all day / evening, etc.
Don't use the present continuous in this situation.
NOT I'm living here for the last three years.
How long have you been waiting to see the doctor?
He's been messaging his girlfriend all evening.
2
for repeated actions, especially with a time expressions, e.g. all day, recently.
I haven't been sleeping well recently.
It's been raining all day.
3
for continuous actions which have just finished (but which have present results).
I've been shopping all morning. I'm exhausted.
My shoes are filthy. I've been working in the garden.
1
To talk about an unfinished action, we normally use the present perfect continuous with actions verbs (e.g. run, listen, study, cook) and the present perfect simple with non-action verbs (e.g. be, need, know, like, etc.).
I've been feeling terrible for days.
He's liked classical musical since he was a teenager.
2
Some verbs can be actions or non-action, depending on their meaning, e.g. have piano lessons = action, have a car = non-action.
She's been having piano lessons since she was a child.
They've had that car for at least ten years.
3
With the verbs live or work, you can often use the present perfec simple or continuous for more temporary actions.
We've lived in this town since 1980.
We've been living in a rented flat for the last two months.
4
The present perfect simple emphasizes the completion of an action (the kitchen has been painted).
The present perfect continuous emphaiszes the duration of an action (the painting of the kitchen may not be finished yet).
I've painted the kitchen.
I've been painting the kitchen.