present perfect simple en present perfect continuous

• Engels
• MBO
• Studiejaar 4

Present perfect simple and continuous

Present Perfect: Has/Have + Past Participle

e.g. He has passed his driving test

Present Perfect Continuous: Has/Have + Been + Present Participle

e.g. She has been reading a book

Choosing Either

In some cases we can choose either of the tenses. This is usually the case when we are referring to biographical type facts about someone's life, often with the words for and since or some other time frame.

He's eaten red meat his whole life

He's been eating red meat his whole life

He's worked for the company since he was a teenager

He's been working for the company since he was a teenager

I've lived here for three years

I've been living here for three years

They've studied English since high school

They've been studying English since high school

Short Term or Long Term Action

These facts in the examples above tend to be long-term. However, we tend to use the present perfect continuous to emphasise the fact that an event or activity has been happening over a period of time that is relatively short-term. 

The present perfect simple usually focuses on the result of the activity in some way

the present perfect continuous usually focuses on the activity itself in some way. 

with focus on result:

You've cleaned the bathroom! It looks lovely!

with focus on activity:

I've been gardening. It's so nice out there.

present perfect simple says

how many

eg She's read ten books this summer.

present perfect continuous says

how long

She's been reading that book all day.

present perfect simple

Describes a completed action

e.g. I've written you an email. 

present perfect continous

Describes an activity which may continue.

e.g. I've been writing emails.

time to practice

1) ...............................
(they/arrive) already?

Lucy ...........................
(run) 2000 metres today.

The baby's face is really dirty. What ....................
(he/eat)?

It ..........................
(not/rain) for three hours! Only about one hour.

The kitchen is a complete mess! What ......................
(the children/do)?

It .................................................
(not/rain) all summer, so the garden is dead.