The Present Perfect versus the Present Perfect Continuous

REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs

USE 3 Past Activity with a present result

IMPORTANT

Remember that the Present Perfect Continuous has the meaning of "lately" or "recently." If you use the Present Perfect Continuous in a question such as "Have you been feeling alright?", it can suggest that the person looks sick or unhealthy. A question such as "Have you been smoking?" can suggest that you smell the smoke on the person. Using this tense in a question suggests you can see, smell, hear or feel the results of the action. It is possible to insult someone by using this tense incorrectly.

The Present Perfect Continuous is used to denote a past activity which has cause a present result. The past activity may be finished or not, the context usually makes it clear.

· I have been working all day. (I am tired now)

· Have you been crying? (Your eyes are wet)

· You are out of breath. Have you been running?

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Instead of using Present Perfect Continuous with these verbs, you must use Present Perfect.

Examples:

• Sam has been having his car for two years. Not Correct
• Sam has had his car for two years. Correct

Present Perfect	Present Perfect Continuous
expresses a complete action     e.g. I have painted the kitchen and now I am doing the bathroom	expresses an activity over a period and things that happened during the activity e.g. I have got paint in my hair because I have been decorating my room
to say how much we have done or how many times we have done something   e.g. I have read ten chapters.	to say how long something has been happening     e.g. I have been reading all day.

Time expressions used with the Present Perfect Continuous:

for, since, how long, lately, recently, etc.

Дата добавления: 2014-10-31