Look at these examples to see how the present perfect simple and continuous are used.
We've painted the bathroom.
She's been training for a half-marathon.
I've had three coffees already today!
They've been waiting for hours.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
We use both the present perfect simple (have or has + past participle) and the present perfect continuous (have or has + been + -ing form) to talk about past actions or states which are still connected to the present.
Focusing on result or activity
The present perfect simple usually focuses on the result of the activity in some way, and the present perfect continuous usually focuses on the activity itself in some way.
| Present perfect simple | Present perfect continuous |
| Focuses on the result | Focuses on the activity |
| You've cleaned the bathroom! It looks lovely! | I've been gardening. It's so nice out there. |
| Says 'how many' | Says 'how long' |
| She's read ten books this summer. | She's been reading that book all day. |
| Describes a completed action | Describes an activity which may continue |
| I've written you an email. | I've been writing emails. |
| When we can see evidence of recent activity | |
| The grass looks wet. Has it been raining? I know, I'm really red. I've been running! |
Ongoing states and actions
We often use for, since and how long with the present perfect simple to talk about ongoing states.
How long have you known each other?
We've known each other since we were at school.
We often use for, since and how long with the present perfect continuous to talk about ongoing single or repeated actions.
How long have they been playing tennis?
They've been playing tennis for an hour.
They've been playing tennis every Sunday for years.
Sometimes the present perfect continuous can emphasise that a situation is temporary.
I usually go to the gym on the High Street, but it's closed for repairs at the moment so I've been going to the one in the shopping centre.
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
Hello my teacher Jonathan! As I learnt, present perfect simple and present perfect continuous used to talk about the result and the continuation of the action. So, what is the difference between present perfect simple and present perfect continuous when talking about the result and the continuation of the action. For example:
I have listened to music for one hour. (Still listening)
I have been listening to music for one hour. (Still listening)
Another example:
I have cleaned the room. (Finished, it’s clean now)
I have been cleaning the room. (Finished, it’s clean now)
I have learned that using (for and since) with present perfect and present perfect continuous indicates that the action still continues in present. So, several questions in my mind:
0: Is (for and since) used to indicate the continuation of the action? Or it’s ok to use them to indicate a finished action? And there are other expressions to help understand the meaning of the sequence?
1: can I use the two tenses to talk about the result and the continuation of the action?
2: how can I recognize if the action finished or still continues in present?
3: can I use the tenses to indicate intermittent actions.
For example: I have read this book for one week.
I have been reading this book for one week.
I am confused about these tenses. I will be grateful for you.
Hello AboodKh9,
The difference here is small and is really about the speaker's perception. The simple form focuses on the achievement (one whole hour!) while the continuous focuses more on the activity (here's how I spent the time). This tends to mean that the continuous suggests the activity is likely to continue, while the simple suggests that it may be complete.
Here, there is a difference. The simple form tells us that the cleaning is done and the room is tidy. The continuous suggests that the cleaning is not complete. Here's a similar example:
I've read Moby Dick. [I've finished it]
I've been reading Moby Dick. [I'm in the middle of it]
The present perfect with for or since is used for actions continuing up to the present. It doesn't necessary mean that the action will continue on into the future. Indeed, it is often used to sum up a period of time. For example, imagine a person moving house and taking one last look at their old home:
I've lived here for 20 years. I can't believe I'm finally moving out!
I'm sorry this question is too vague for me to answer without an example.
The context should make this clear. Remember verb forms require verbs and verbs, like all lexis, have their own meanings.
The continuous is more common here and usually we would add an adverbial phrase to make the meaning clear:
I've been reading this book off and on for a week.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you my teacher Peter for your response. But let me explain my point well:
I saw an educational video. When the teacher was speaking to his students, he said (We have spoken for 30 minutes) and a student asked him isn’t this is completed action? The teacher replied: “no, it still continues” the student asked again “so, what is the difference between present perfect simple and present perfect continuous” the teacher replied “here when we use the words (since and for with present perfect simple) we mean that the action still continues in present and not finished. And then the teacher said “but with action verbs it’s better to use present perfect continuous.”
and in the example I mentioned:
( I have cleaned the room. (Finished, it’s clean now)
I have been cleaning the room. (Finished, it’s clean now)
I told you it’s finished in the two sentences. So, why you said “cleaning is not complete” in present perfect continuous ?
I know that present perfect continuous used for both (something finished and something still continues in present)
The difference is a matter of focus or what?
and how I know if the action is finished or still continues in both tenses? By context?
Hello again AboodKh9,
The present perfect has three main uses and the meaning and use of the continuous aspect varies across these.
1. to describe experience in our lives
I've been to China.
I've read Joyce's Ulysses.
When talking about experience we do not use the continuous aspect.
2. to describe actions continuing to the present
I've lived here for twenty years.
She's been working here since 2012.
When talking about actions continuing to the present both simple and continuous are possible with no difference in meaning. The continuous aspect tends to suggest that the action will continue into the future.
3. to describe a past action, often recent, with a present result
This is the most complex use and the most dependent on context.
I've read Joyce's Ulysses.
I've been reading Joyce's Ulysses.
When talking about past actions with a present result both simple and continuous are possible, but there is often a difference in meaning. The simple form describes a completed action (above, Ulysses is finished in the first sentence) and the continuous describes an incomplete action (Ulysses is not yet finished in the second sentence).
Note that in the examples above the present result concerns the object of the verb (Joyce's Ulysses). Sometimes the present result can concern the subject of the verb (the speaker) and in this case whether or not the action is complete is irrelevant. For example:
You look tired.
Yes, I've been cleaning the bedroom.
Here, the result is about the speaker (looking tired) not about the room. We do not know - and in terms of the sentence we do not care - if the cleaning is finished or not. However, note that some additional context is required here in the form of the initial question. Without this anyone hearing the second sentence would assume that the cleaning is not complete.
Aspects (perfect and continuous) are very much tied to the context in which they are used. With decontextualised sentences it becomes very hard to identify their meaning or purpose, so it is always better to look at this area of the language with concrete examples and a clear context rather than just a sentence in isolation.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you so much my teacher Peter for you clarification these points. So, the examples I mentioned (we have spoken for 30 mintes) as the teacher in the video I watched said, is right? which indicates that the action still continues to present and not finished.
Thank you for your patience
Hello again AboodKh9,
As I said, it will depend upon the context. If you say 'we have spoken for 30 minutes' then the conversation may have ended or may be going to continue into the future. Context is key for these sentences.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
The LearnEnglish team,
In the 3rd example of the Grammar Test 1, why is the sentence correct with "been eating" not with "eaten"?
And now, I want to know the dinferences between past continous and present perfect continous.
Can't we say?:
Waiting for your response. Thank you.
Hello ShetuYogme,
'Eaten' here would suggest the other person finished their meal, but we can see that something was left. Therefore the continuous form (has been eating) is better as it can describe an action in progress which was not completed.
Can't we say?:
The past continuous describes a completed time period. You would use it if you were describing a past situation which is finished, such as telling a story about last week or when you were on holiday.
The present perfect (simple and continous) is often used to describe a situation with a present result - a present result of a past action. Here there is such a result (the grass is still wet, your face is red), so the present perfect is the best option.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello again,
Thank you very much for this insightful response.I have another question about this topic. I hope you can help me understand my doubts in a very easy way.
Consider this scenario: It is it is 3:00 p.m. now. I started listening to the music on the radio at 2:30 p.m. I listened to the songs on the radio until 2:59 p.m. Should I say I have been listening to the songs on the radio or I was listening to the songs on the radio?
Thank you once again.
Hello ShetuYogme,
The present perfect is very often used for actions which finished in the very recent past as we can still feel the effects of them - in this case, for example, you could still hear the songs in your head and still feel the emotions they evoked. Thus I have been listening is the most likely form here.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team