8. PRESENT PERFECT
SIMPLE
6. HOW LONG / FOR/ SINCE (NON-
ACTION VERBS:be, have, know, like, etc)
I’ve known Maria for 10 years
They’ve had that car since 2007
10. PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
FORM: HAVE / HAS + BEEN + VERB + ING
USES:
1. “HOW LONG / FOR / SINCE”:
ACTION STARTED IN PAST & CONTINUES NOW
(generally with action verbs)
How long have you been feeling like this?
She’s been travelling by bus for 5 years
11. PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
2. REPEATED ACTIONS, ESPECIALLY WITH
TIME EXPRESSIONS LIKE ALL DAY,
RECENTLY, ETC
I have been arguing with my husband lately.
The phone has been ringing all day.
12. PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
3. CONTINUOUS ACTIONS THAT HAVE JUST
FINISHED (WITH RESULT IN THE PRESENT)
He’s been running all day. He’s dead!
A: Look at your hands! They’re so filthy!
B: I know. I’ve been painting the living room
13. Sometimes there is very little difference in
meaning
between present perfect simple and continuous
and
sometimes there IS a difference in meaning
I have read that book about cruise
ships. (and I have finished it!)
I have read that book about cruise
ships. (and I have finished it!)
I have worked at the airport for four years = I
have been working at the airport for four years
I have read that book about cruise ships ( I HAVE finished it!)
I have been reading that book about
cruise ships.
(But I have
NOT finished
it!)
BUT
14. SIMPLE OR CONTINUOUS?
With “How long?, For & Since” we can use
both. However, we prefer the continuous
for shorter, temporary actions.
We’ve lived in London since 1980
We’ve been living in London since 1980
We’ve been staying in a hotel for the last
month
15.
16. STATIVE VERBS:
Stative verbs are NOT normally used in continuous tenses b
not describe actions!
Some verbs (such as be, have, imagine, look, see, smell, taste, think) are
stative verbs with one meaning and non-stative verbs with another meaning.
Do you have you plane ticket with you? (state: possession
Are you having lunch at the moment? (action: eating)
17. SIMPLE OR CONTINUOUS?
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE:
Emphasis on the RESULT of the action
I’ve painted my living room
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS:
Emphasis on the DURATION of the
action
I’ve been painting my living room