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What is the difference between present perfect and present perfect continuous?

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Question added by Samar Saleh , Community Manager , Bayt.com
Date Posted: 2014/01/16
ashraf taha
by ashraf taha , مدرس - teacher , مراكز تعليمية - Educational centers

1 - without reference to time :

 

* The present perfect describes the complete event .

 

I have read that book ( the book finished)

 

She has run three miles ( supplement describes three miles )

 

** Present perfect continuous describes the activity did not end .

 

I have been reading that book ( the book did not end )

 

She has been running ( running describes Activity )

 

2 - with reference to time :

 

We can use the present perfect and the present perfect continuous in order to half activity began in the past

And continuing to the present, and may continue into the future.

 

They have studied English for three years

 

They have been studying English for three years

 

Both sentences *** true .. But the present perfect continuous puts greater emphasis on the continuation of

Activity .

 

3 - we can use the present perfect and the present perfect continuous with lately and recently.

 

I have been working really hard lately

 

( Business Activity important)

 

I have done a lot of work lately

 

( End of many of the important work )

 

4 - present perfect with for and since describes a period of activity began in the past and continuing to the present

 

And may continue into the future .

 

She has been away from home for six months

 

( Are distant from her now )

 

He has lived here since he was a child

 

( He lives here now )

 

5 - present perfect continuous refers to the activity began in the past and continuing to the present and may continue

 

To the future.

 

They have been studying English for three years

 

Jhon has been looking for a job since he finished university

safeer andarath
by safeer andarath , IT Specialist , Ferrari World, Yas WaterWorld & Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi

When my friend says me '' I have been waiting for the bus'' .So I will understand that he is waiting for the bus for long time and still wating . 

My friend says '' I am waiting for the bus'' . This time, I will have questions to ask him like '' how long have you been wating here? 

HAVE+V3

when my friend says ''I have finished the work'' .Here I can understand that he finished the work just time before. But if he says ''I finished the work'' , here I will have question like when did you finish?

So this is the main difference between present perfect and present perfect continuose tense.

 

Two different events

 Present Perfect - result of an action - I have written a report

Present Perfect Continuous - going action - I have been writing the report and still have not finished

Abanoub Magdy
by Abanoub Magdy , transfer , pegas touristik

may be there is no differece between present perfect and present perfect continuous but The present perfect continuous focuses more on the continuity of the act, so we use present perfect continuous with the acts that take a long time like ( travel , live , work ....) ex: i've been working for3 days                                                                             and we use present perfect with the acts which take a short time , like ( start , stop ...) ex: the news has started on TV.

mohamed ahmed
by mohamed ahmed , Freelance transltor , Consultant office for translation

We use both of these tenses for finished and unfinished actions.The present perfect simple can be used (often with 'since' and 'for') to talk about unfinished actions that started in the past and are still true in the present. It's often used with stative verbs:

 
  • I've known John for three years.

The present perfect continuous can also be used (often with 'since' and 'for') to talk about unfinished actions that started in the past and are still true in the present. (Of course, we don't use the present perfect continuous with stative verbs):

  • She's been living here for three years.

Sometimes there's really no difference in meaning between the two tenses. This is especially the case with verbs such as 'live', 'work' and 'study':

  • They've lived in London since2004.
  • They've been living in London since2004.
  • I've studied French for ten years.
  • I've been studying French for ten years.
  • He's worked at the company since2009.
  • He's been working at our company since2009.

Sometimes, there is a difference in meaning:1: The present perfect continuous can be used to emphasise the length of time that has passed. The present perfect simple is generally neutral:

  • They've been waiting for hours! (This emphasises the length of time).
  • They've waited for hours. (This doesn't emphasise the length of time).

2: On the other hand, the present perfect simple is often used when we're talking about how much or how many. This isn't possible with the present perfect continuous:

  • She's drunk three cups of coffee this morning.
  • She's drunk at least a litre of coffee today.
  • (NOT: she's been drinking three cups of coffee this morning).

3: The present perfect continuous often focuses on the action itself, while the present perfect simple focuses on the fact that the action is completed:

  • I've been reading the book you recommended. (I'm enjoying it, but I'm not finished).
  • I've read the book you recommended. (I've finished it, so we can talk about it).

We use 'yet' and 'already' with the present perfect simple:

  • Have you read the book yet?
  • She's finished her work already.

This difference is often used to talk about different kinds of results in the present. The present perfect simple is used when the action is finished, and the result comes from the action being finished:

  • I've eaten dinner, so let's go out.
  • She's done all her homework, so she can relax this evening.
  • I've made a cake. Would you like some?

The present perfect continuous is used when the result comes from the action itself. It doesn't matter if the whole action is finished or not. The result is often something we can see, hear, smell, or feel:

  • I've been eating dinner, so there are plates all over the table.
  • She's been doing her homework, so she's tired.
  • I've been making a cake, that's why the kitchen is such a mess.

4: Finally, the present perfect continuous can be used to emphasise that something is temporary:

  • She's been running a lot recently. (She doesn't usually do this).
  • Usually I study at home, but I've been studying in the library for the last week.

Menerva Melad
by Menerva Melad , Account Executive, Key Accounts , Graphic Home Company

We use the present perfect tense to talk about things where there is a connection between the past and the present.

As well as the present perfect simple, we can use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about events with a connection to the present.

 

.We use the present perfect tense to talk about things where there is a connection between the past and the present.

As well as the present perfect simple, we can use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about events with a connection to the present.

 

  • I’ve been decorating the house this summer. The focus is on the action – decorating – and the action is unfinished.
  • I’ve painted the living room blue. The focus is on the finished result. The activity is finished but we can see the result now.

Shoukat Ali Malik
by Shoukat Ali Malik , Specialties Moderator for Bayt.com community program, , Bayt.com (Middle East # 01 Job website)

Dear Samar Saleh,in present perfect the action of work has ended and present perfect continoue tense the action of work still continoue.....well that you are doing the practice of english grammer.

aicha Laouar
by aicha Laouar , teacher , ben mahjoub

not my job

علي حسيب صديق الحيالي
by علي حسيب صديق الحيالي , معلم , مدرسة الماس الاهلية

there`s a reference to the time that the action took

Mohammad Rizwanul Haque
by Mohammad Rizwanul Haque , Administration Manager , Oren Hydrocarbons ME FZCo.

 

The difference between present perfect and present perfect continuous is that we use present perfect to define the action completed before now, without mentioning any duration of time. But in present perfect continuous we show the action that started in the past and has continued until now and duration is mentioned, for example,  for ten minutes, or since Saturday etc.

 

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