PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE OR CONTINUOUS

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To talk about past experiences when you don't say when something happened.

With just, yet and already With superlatives and the first, the second, last time, etc.

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When we say or ask how much / many we have done or how often we have done something up to now.

For finished actions (when no time is specified) which have present results. With non-action verbs to say that something started in the past and is still true now.

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE - eNGLISH fILE b2.2

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With action verbs to say that something started in the past and is still happening now.

For continuous actions which have just finished (but which have present results).

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So... present perfect simple or continuous?

For repeated actions, especially with a time expression, e.g., all day, recently.

present perfect continuous

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With the verbs live or work, you can often use the present perfect simple or continuous. However, we normally use the present perfect continuous for more temporary actions.

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.

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The present perfect simple emphasizes the completion of an action. The present perfect continuous emphasizes the duration of an action.

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Some verbs can be action or non-action, depending on their meaning.

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE OR CONTINUOUS?

Examples:- I've just phoned an ambulance, but it hasn't arrived yet. - I've already phoned you three times. - It's the best book I've ever read.

Examples: - How long have you been waiting to see the doctor? - He's been messaging his girlfriend all evening.

Examples: - Have you ever broken a bone? - I've never seen him before.

Examples: - My computer's crashed. - Look! It's started snowing. - I've known Ane since I was a child. - My sister has been ill for ten days now.

Examples: - I haven't been sleeping well recently. - It's been raining all day.

Examples: - We've lived in this town since 1980. - We've been living in a rented flat for the last two months.

Examples: - How many Agatha Christie novels have you read? - They've seen each other twice this week.

Examples: - She's been having piano lessons since she was a child. Have piano lessons = action. - They've had that car for at least ten years. Have a car = non-action.

Examples: - I've been shopping all morning. I'm exhausted! - My shoes are filthy. I've been working in the garden.

Examples: - I've painted the kitchen. (The kitchen has been painted) - I've been painting the kitchen. (The painting of the kitchen may not be finished yet)

Action verbs: run, listen, study, cook, etc. Non-action verbs: be, need, know, like, etc. Examples: - I've been feeling terrible for days. - She's liked classical music since she was a teenager.