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. John and Mike are friends:
John says, “My father wants me to work for him this summer. I’ve never had a real job. Really looking forward to it.”
Mike replies, “Do you really believe it’ll be real? I think the attitude of his employees towards you will be very different from the attitude they would have towards a person who were not their boss’s kid. Nobody would scold you or reprimand you, even if you had made some serious mistakes.”
Can I use “were” in the penultimate sentence? It feels like it needs some sort of unreality: …they would have towards a person if they were not the boss’s kid. And in the last sentence I’d like to use the past perfect, but I don’t want it to indicate an unreal action in the past; it has to be a backshifted present perfect: Nobody will scold or reprimand you, even if you have made (completed action) some serious mistakes.
Thank you.
Hello Abu_Abu,
Yes, those forms are possible. I think 'made' is rather more likely in the second part, however, as the speaker is really talking in general terms rather than about any specific mistake: Nobody will (>would) scold you, even if you make (>made) some serious mistakes.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thanks. Even "were" is possible? I thought it was a relative clause, and regular rules should apply.
Hello again Abu_Abu,
Yes, 'were' is possible here. It is a hypothetical construction with the same meaning as '...the attitude they would have towards a person if that person were not their boss’s kid'.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you.
Hello. James and Arik live and Canada. Arik is from Moldova. Before moving to Canada, Arik spent 8 years in Israel.
James - Yesterday I went to a farmers’ market near my multistory building. Everything was so expensive, I had to haggle a little bit to knock down the price. Have you ever haggled?
Arik - No, never. I go to supermarkets.
James - You spent 8 years in Israel and never haggled? I don’t believe you.
Can the past perfect be used in the last sentence? Or is the simple past okay?
"You’d spent 8 years in Israel and never haggled?"
Can I use the present perfect if there is no time frame or time markers?
"You've lived in Israel and never haggled?"
Thank you for your time and effort.
Hello J_Morales,
No, you can't use the past perfect here because reference point of the dialogue is set in present time (I go to supermarkets). If the dialogue happened in the past (I was talking to Arik and he said...) then the past perfect could be used.
Yes, that's fine because, as you say, there is no time reference; it simply refers to 'some time in your life'.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello!
I recently came across a task in a student’s book, that I’ve lost sleep over 😅
You’ve worn/ You’ve been wearing this coat for years!
The keys say that both options are correct, but according to the rules, option 2 seems better. Please tell me which one is right?
Thank you 🙏🏻
Hello alina.korystkina,
I agree with your book: both forms are possible. I think the continuous form is more likely, however. To my ear the simple form would be most likely if the person were stopping wearing the coat for some reason. For example, if the coat got ripped and had to be replaced then another person might say 'Oh no! What a shame! You've worn that coat for years!' However, the difference is really just a question of nuance rather than a clear grammatical distinction.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Please.
Is there some difference using ALREADY in the presente perfect simple and presente perfect continuous?