Present perfect simple and continuous

Hello AboodKh9,

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)

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.

Another example:

I have cleaned the room. (Finished, it’s clean now)

I have been cleaning the room. (Finished, it’s clean now)

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]

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?

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!

1: can I use the two tenses to talk about the result and the continuation of the action?

I'm sorry this question is too vague for me to answer without an example.

2: how can I recognize if the action finished or still continues in present?

The context should make this clear. Remember verb forms require verbs and verbs, like all lexis, have their own meanings.

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.

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

Hello ShetuYogme,

In the 3rd example of the Grammar Test 1, why is the sentence correct with "been eating" not with "eaten"?

Has someone ___ my special bread? There's only a little bit left.

'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.

And now, I want to know the dinferences between past continous and present perfect continous.

The grass looks wet. Has it been raining?
I know, I'm really red. I've been running!

Can't we say?:

The grass looks wet. Was it raining?
I know, I'm really red. I was running!

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