PPP to explain the differences between present perfect simple and continuous

1. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
VS
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

2. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
• SHOWS THAT SOMETHING IS FINISHED.
Marge HAS just GONE shopping.

3. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
• FOCUSES ON THE RESULTS OF THE ACTION.
Barney HAS DRUNK ten glasses of beer so far.

4. We often use the PRESENT PERFECT
SIMPLE to talk about:
• HOW MUCH someone has done.
Lisa HAS READ A LOT about History.
• HOW MANY TIMES someone has done something.
Scratchy HAS HIT Itchy TWICE.
HOW MANY THINGS someone has done.
Grampa HAS LOST THREE DENTURES.

5. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
TYPICAL TIME EXPRESSIONS:
• for
• since
• already
• yet
• just
• ever
• never
• always
• so far
• lately / recently

6. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
WE ARE INTERESTED IN THE ACTIVITY IN ITSELF.
IT DOESN’T MATTER IF THIS ONE HAS FINISHED OR
NOT.
• Bart’s clothes are covered with paint.
He HAS BEEN PAINTING on the wall.

7. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
FOCUSES IN THE CONTINUATION OF AN ACTION.
• They HAVE BEEN RUNNING all over the
school (They’re still running)

8. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
EMPHASIZES THE TIME THAT AN ACTION TAKES.
They HAVE BEEN LAUGHING at Moe all morning.

9. We often use the PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS to talk about:
• HOW LONG something has been happening.
Moe HAS BEEN CLEANING FOR TWO HOURS.

10. When we use
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
WITHOUT a duration such as "FOR TWO
WEEKS," “ALL MORNING," “SINCE 3 PM,“etc,
this tense has a more general meaning of
"lately." We often use the words "lately" or
"recently" to emphasize this meaning.

11. Some examples:
• RECENTLY, Homer HAS BEEN TRYING to steal
some Marge’s cookies.
• What HAVE you BEEN DOING? (LATELY)

12. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
TYPICAL TIME EXPRESSIONS:
• for
• since
• how long…?
• lately / recently
• all morning / day /
week, etc.