Present Perfect or Present Perfect Continuous + state verbs

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Present Perfect or Present Perfect Continuous

Goals for this lesson

• You can recognize the difference between the present perfect (P.P.) and the present perfect continuous (P.P.C.)
  
  
• You can correctly apply the P.P. and the P.P.C.

My parents _____ the walls of my bedroom blue.

1. have been painting
2. have painted

I______ the house this summer.

1. have been decorating
2. have decorated

I _____ that book you lent me. I finished it yesterday.

1. am reading
2. have read
3. have read
4. have been reading

I _____ that book you lent me. I have still got another 50 pages to read.

1. read
2. have read
3. have been reading
4. had read

She ______ on her drawing for 3 hours now.

1. worked
2. is working
3. has worked
4. has been working

How does it work?

Present perfect	Present perfect continuous
Finished actions The kids have played for two hours	Unfinished actions The kids have been playing since morning
Permanent actions I have taught English for 12 years now	Temporary actions I have been teaching this class for one hour
Emphasis on the results of the actions He has repaired the car	Emphasis on the duration of the action He has been repairing the car for two hours
Indicates how much/many have been completed It has taken six years to write this book	Indicates how long something has been happening I have been studying English for two months

Sentences that illustrate the difference between the present perfect and present perfect continuous (1):

I’ve been decorating the house this summer (P.P.C).
The focus is on the action taking place – decorating – and the action is unfinished.

I’ve painted the house blue (P.P).
The focus is on the finished result. The activity is finished but we can see the result now.

Sentences that illustrate the difference between the present perfect and present perfect continuous (2):

It has been raining for the past two days (P.P.C)

Here you emphasise a temporary action.

I have worked here for most of my life (P.P.)

This is a permanent action.

I usually work in London but I_____ in Birmingham for the last 3 weeks.

1. have worked
2. have been working

I _____ here before. I temporarily switched jobs ten years ago, but now I am back.

1. have been working
2. have worked

He ______ soccer in the courtyard all afternoon.

1. has played
2. has been playing

He _____tennis since he was a little boy.

1. has played
2. has been playing

The weather forecasts had predicted otherwise, but it ______ for the past two hours.

1. has rained
2. has been raining

Daniel... _______? You look exhausted!

1. have you run
2. have you been running

Have you met today's goals?

• You can recognize the difference between the present perfect (P.P.) and the present perfect continuous (P.P.C.)
  
  
• You can correctly apply the P.P. and the P.P.C.

How confident are you?

Very

Quietly

Not so much

Not at all

What is the definition of a state verb?

1. A verb that expresses a location.
2. A verb that expresses a state or condition.
3. A verb that expresses a feeling.
4. A verb that expresses an action.

Which of the following is an example of a state verb?

1. Believe
2. Sing
3. Run
4. Jump

State verbs are usually not used in the continuous/progressive form. Which of the following is an example of a state verb used in the continuous form?

1. Sorry, there are no examples of state verbs used in the continuous form.
2. She is knowing the answer.
3. They are understanding the concept.
4. I am wanting some ice cream.

Select the incorrect statement about state verbs.

1. State verbs express a state or condition.
2. State verbs are often used with stative adverbs.
3. State verbs are not usually used in the continuous form.
4. State verbs can be used in both continuous and simple forms.

Now it's time to practise by yourselves!

You will find this grammar useful when making:

Unit 1 - exercises 3 and 4

Or, if you would like more practice go to the following website:

learnenglish.britishcouncil.org

Good luck!

Which of these are all state verbs?

1. travel / write / sing
2. know / think / feel
3. hit / live / walk
4. visit / type / practise

Which verb is NOT a state verb?

1. seem
2. love
3. walking
4. own

Dynamic or state verb?
I WORK as a lawyer.

1. dynamic verb
2. state verb

Dynamic or state verb?
I don't BELIEVE you.

1. dynamic verb
2. state verb

You can use dynamic and state verbs correctly.

1. Yes, I can
2. No, I can't