Continuous and the Present Perfect

 

1 The Present Perfect Continuous describes the action as а continuous, extended activity, whereas the Present Perfect looks more at the idea of completionandpresent result.

The continuous form does not tell us whether the action is finished or not. Although the person speaking may not be performing the action at the time of speaking, they may be going to continue doing it after speaking - the activity is not 'complete'.

Sorry аbоut the mess -I've bееn painting the hоusе. (focus оn continuous activity)

I 've painted two rooms since lunchtime. (focus оn result).

I think she has slept епоиgh. -Гll wake her ир. (focus оn result)

The simple form refers to a more or less 'direct' result, while with the continuous form the result is usually 'indirect', or a 'side-effect'.

I've washed the car. (It's very clean now.)I've been washing the car. (That's why I'm wet.) The continuous form is often used to answer 'Why...?' questions - in the above example, it might have been in response to the question 'Why are you wet?'.

When 'just' is used the result referred to is often indirect, and this form can be used if you want to make it clear that the action is complete while at the same time explaining an indirect result of the action:

I've just washed the car, which is why I'm wet.

 

2 We often prefer the Present Perfect Continuous to talk about more temporary actions аnd situations; when we talk about longer-lasting or permanent situations we often prefer the Ргеsеnt Perfect:

Тhat man has bееn standing оп the corner the whole day.

For 900 years the castle has stood оп the hill above the village

A common situation where the continuous form is used is to imply that the situation is about to change:

Permanent situation: People have eaten less meat over the last 20 years

Temporary situation: People have been eating less meat recently because of the crisis.

I've been living here for ten years. I think it's time I moved on.

Note that the normal restrictions apply to verbs that don't take continuous forms:

I've had this car since 1987. It's time I changed it.

 

3 If we mention a number of times the activity or event was repeated, or the number of things that have been done we use the Present Perfect rather than the Present Perfect Continuous:

Compare:

I've been writing letters since breakfast.

I've written six letters since breakfast.

 

4 When we want to emphasize that a situation has changed over a period of time up to now and may continue to change, we prefer the present perfect continuous to the present perfect:

The pollution problem has been getting worse over the last decade.

But if we talk about some specific change over а period of time, which ends now, to focus оn the result of the change, we use the Present Perfect: Prices have decreased bу 7%.

 

5 With some verbs naturally suggesting the idea of continuity (durative verbs) like expect, hope, learn, lie, live, look, rain, sleep, sit, snow, stand, stay, study, teach, travel, play wait, want, work etc. both the Present Perfect Соntinuous and the Present Perfect саn bе used with а slight difference in meaning:

How long have you learnt English?

How long have you been learning English

I've worked here for five years.I've been working here for five years.

The first form here can be considered the 'neutral', or normal, form. The sentence simply says how long this (your having the job, learning English) has been the case.

The second sentence, in the continuous form, would be used in slightly different situations. For example:

Jane : You put those papers in the green filing cabinet.Alan: You don't have to tell me that. - I've been working here for five years, you know!

 

6 The Present Perfect is used with the stative verbs and in negative sentences instead of the present perfect continuous with since and for to say how long something has been happening:

I 've loved her since she was а child.