Before doing this activity you may need to read the text you will find at the end
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| Present Perfect simple or continuous? Click on the best example. |
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A- I work as a teacher but I've been helping in a charity twice a week B- I work as a teacher but I have helped in a charity twice a week |
| Present Perfect simple or continuous? Click on the best example. |
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A- We've been ordering all the books, but we haven't finished yet B- We have ordered all the books, but we haven't finished yet |
| Present Perfect simple or continuous? Click on the best example. |
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A- Where were you? I've been looking for you all the morning. B- Where were you? I've looked for you all the morning. |
| Present Perfect simple or continuous? Click on the best example. |
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A- Let dad rest, he's been working very hard today B- Let dad rest, he's worked very hard today |
| Present Perfect simple or continuous? Click on the best example. |
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A- Don't enter yet, I have been washing the floor, it needs to dry B- Don't enter yet, I have washed the floor, it needs to dry |
| Present Perfect simple or continuous? Click on the best example. |
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A- We have been ordering all the books, so now you can easily find everything you need B- We have ordered all the books, so now you can easily find everything you need |
| Present Perfect simple or continuous? Click on the best example. |
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A- He's all dirty because he's been helping grandpa in the fields B- He's all dirty because he's helped grandpa in the fields |
| Present Perfect simple or continuous? Click on the best example. |
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A- Look, I have been buying a new bike, do you like it? B- Look, I have bought a new bike, do you like it? |
| Present Perfect simple or continuous? Click on the best example. |
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A- Megan and I have been working in this company for 20 years B- Megan and I have worked in this company for 20 years |
| Present Perfect simple or continuous? Click on the best example. |
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A- While our bedroom is repaired, my brother and I have slept in the guests' room B- While our bedroom is repaired, my brother and I have been sleeping in the guests' room |
In this article we will see the difference between the simple present perfect and the present perfect continuous.
TEMPORARY ACTIONS
We use the continuous form to indicate that the action we are talking about is temporary (or we consider it temporary)
In this example, my permanent situation is living with my parents, and living in London is for me just a temporary situation, when I finish I will come back to my parents, so I say: This month I've been living in Oxford because I'm doing a course
The "temporary" situation may last days or years, the duration is not important, the important thing is that we consider it temporary.
I haven’t been working very well recently (temporary, I think this problem will pass)
Compare:
I’ve worked as a teacher for 4 years (I consider my job permanent)
I’ve been working as a teacher for 4 years, but I’m an artist (I consider my job temporary, I want to change)
HOW TIME IS SPENT
We also use the continuous form to express how we have spent our time, or what is happening during that time (a period of time that must extend up to the present, of course)
How long have you been learning English?
I’ve been watching television since 2 o’clock
Have you been playing golf today?
She’s been working all day
UNFINISHED ACTIONS
We can also use the continuous form to indicate that an action is not finished yet, and the simple form to express that it is finished.
This is connected with the idea of “temporary”. If she hasn’t finished, then the result is temporary because she must continue till she finishes.
1- She has been painting the ceiling // 2- She has painted the ceiling
1- in this case we are interested in the action. It doesn’t matter if something has been finished or not. In the example, the action has not been finished.
2- in this case, the important thing is that something has been finished. We are interested in the result of the action, not in the action itself.
