Present perfect

Present perfect simpleand continuous

Present perfect simple: have / has + past participle

We use the present perfect simple:

1 Have you ever broken a bone?- to talk about past experiences when you don't say when something happened. 2 We've just phoned for an ambulance, but it hasn't arrived yet. / I've already told you three times. - with just, yet, and already. 3 It's the best book I've ever read. - with superlatives and the first, second, last time, etc. 4 My computer's crashed! Look, it's started snowing. - for finished actions (when no time is specified) which have present rules. 5 I've known Miriam since I was a child. / My sister has had flu for ten days now. - with non-action verbs (= verbs not usually used in the continuous form, e.g. be, have, know, like, etc) to say that something 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... - Don't use the present simple or continuous in this situation 6 How many Agatha Christie novels have you read? / They've seen each other twice this week. - when we say or ask how much / many we have done or how often we have done sthing up to now.

Present perfect simple and continuous

Present perfect continuous: have / has + been + verb + -ing

1 How long have you been feeling ill? / He's been chatting online all evening.- with action verbs, to say that an action started in the past and is still happening now. - This use is common with time expressions like How long...?, for or since, all day / evening, etc. - Don't use the present simple or continuous in this situation. 2 I haven't been sleeping well. It's been raining all day. - for repeated actions, especially with a time expression, e.g. all day, recently. 3 I've been shopping all morning. I'm exhausted. A Take your shoes off. They're filthy. B Yes, I know. I've been working in the garden. - for continuous actions which have just finished (but which have present results).

Present perfect simple and continuous

Present perfect continuous: have / has + been + verb + -ing

1 I've been learning French for the last three years. / He's liked classical music since he was a teenager.- To talk about an unfinished action we normally use the present perfect continuous with action verbs and the present perfect simple with non-action verbs. 2 She's been having piano lessons since he was a child. / They've had that car for at least ten years. - Some verbs can be action or non-action depending on their meaning, e.g. have piano lessons = action, have a car = non-action. 3 We've lived in this town since 1980. We've been living in a rented flat for the last two months. - With the verbs live or work you can often use the present perfect simple or continuous. However, we normally use the p. p. c. for shorter, more temporary actions. 4 I've painted the kitchen. I've been painting the kitchen. - The p.p.s. emphasizes the completion of an action (=the kitchen has been painted). The p.p.c. emphasizes the duration of an action, which may or may not be finished.

Underline the correct form of the verb. Tick if both are possible.

Have you ever tried / been trying caviar?

• She's worked / been working here since July.
• Your mother has phoned / been phoning three times this morning.
• The kids are exhausted because they've run / been running around all day.
• Tim and Lucy haven't seen / been seeing our new house.
• I've never met / been meeting her boyfriend. Have you?
• It's rained / been raining all morning.
• My sister has lived / been living alone since her divorce.
• I've been reading / read all morning.

Complete the sentence with the best form of the verb in brackets, present perfect simple or continuous.

ANSWER KEY