Comparison of Presnet Perfect Simple and Continuous

1. PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
FORM

2. PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
I have
He has
I haven´t
He hasn´t been taking
Have I
Has he

3. EXAMPLES
• I have been waiting for hours.
• Susan hasn´t been doing her homework.
• Have they been playing computer games?
• Yes, they have. /No, they haven´t.

4. Uses

5. PRESENT PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT
SIMPLE CONTINUOUS
• The action is finished. • The action may not
be finished.
• I have read this book. • I have been reading
this book.

6. Is the action finished?
• I have been painting my house all day.
• I have painted my house.
• Susan has cleaned her shoes.
• Susan has been cleaning her shoes.

7. PRESENT PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT
SIMPLE CONTINUOUS
• We are more • We are more
interested in the interested in the
result. action itself.
• I have repaired the • I have been repairing
car. (result=the car the car.
works now)

8. Are we interested in the action or
the result?
• Have you done your homework?
• Have you been doing your homework?
• They have cooked dinner.
• He has been cooking dinner.

9. PRESENT PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT
SIMPLE CONTINUOUS
• We are interested in • We are more
how much we have interested in how long
achieved. we have been doing
something.
• I have read 20 pages. • I have been reading
for 2 hours.

10. How much or How long?
• We__________ (fish) for 3 hours.
• So far, we ___________(catch) 4 fish.
• Ann ___________(walk) for 1 hour.
• She ___________(walk) 5 Km.

11. How much or How long?
• We have been fishing for 3 hours.
• So far, we have caught 4 fish.
• Ann has been walking for 1 hour.
• She has walked 5 Km.

12. PRESENT PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT
SIMPLE CONTINUOUS
• Expressions:
• Expressions:
-Ever/never/once/nearly/
lately/ before….
-Already/yet/still. -How long…?
-Just. -For / Since
-So far.
-How many..?/How much..?
/How often…?
-How long…?
-For /Since

13. How long…?
For…../ Since….
Both tenses are possible
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
-Normally for longer/permanent
actions. -Normally for shorter actions.
How long have you lived in London? I have been studying English for 3
I have lived in London for 10 years. days.
(but present perfect continuous is I have been waiting for you for
also possible) hours.
How long have you been living in
London?
I have been living in London for 10
years.

14. Remember!
• Some verbs are not used in a progressive
form:
-know, understand, think, believe, belong,
want, have,…
I have known Peter for 5 years.
I have had this watch for 3 years.

15. Answer the following questions
• If we want to emphasise the duration of an
action, we use ...
• If we want to tell, how often something has
happened so far, we use ...
• If we want to emphasise the result of an
action, we use ...
• If we want to emphasise that an action is
completed, we use ...
• If we want to emphasise how we have
spent our time, we use ...