The Present Perfect Simple/Continuous

The Present Perfect Simple & Continuous

The Present Perfect Continuous

Used when an action that started in the past is still happening now. Eg :

• The dog has been barking all day.
• She has been working since 9 am.

Used when an action that started in the past has just finished (or not) and has visible consequences in the present.

• That baby's face is so dirty. He has been eating.

The Present Perfect Continuous

The interest is on the ACTION, and HOW LONG it has been going on. Eg : She has been writing emails all morning. The duration is very important. That's why HOW LONG, SINCE and FOR will be very common with this tense.

Present Perfect Simple or Continuous?

P.P. Simple : used for a completed action. What is interesting is the RESULT of the activity. Eg: She has painted the room. PP Continuous : The activity keeps going on until you speak or even after that and what matters is the activity itself and the duration. Eg : She has been painting the room for 2 hours.

Action and State Verbs

State Verbs

Action Verbs

• Used in the simple form.

• They describe states, emotions, senses, opinions that don't change

• Love, hate, believe, know, be, ... + P.P. Simple

Eg : I have understood my situation since the beginning.

• Usually express actions

• + P.P. Continuous

Eg : I have been training for the championship since the beginning of the season.

Let's do some exercises !