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 Alyaa.Adel98,
Normally, the speaker goes to the High Street gym, but since it is closed they need to go elsewhere. Going to the gym in the shopping centre is a temporary situation; once the High Street gym is open again the speaker will stop going to the shopping centre gym and go back to their old routine.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Alyaa.Adel98,
The simple form is possible here grammatically but it is not really consistent with the focus of the sentence.
You would use the simple form if the repair is complete and you are interested in showing the result of your work. However, clearly in the sentence as it is written you are more concerned with your hands being dirty, so the continuous form is better.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Ahmed Imam
I'm afraid that sentence is not correct. What I would recommend is 'She started to cook at age seven' or 'She's been cooking since she was seven'.
All the best
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello YSATO201602,
All of your examples are grammatically correct but, as you say, the second one in each pair is the more natural of the two as the context makes it clear that it is the duration of the waiting that is important and should be emphasised. However, the simple forms are possible and do not sound wrong. Beyond that, it's really a question of the broader context and the author's style and intention.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Vishinde,
Both present perfect simple and continuous are possible, and neither tells us that the person will continue to live in London - they may, or they may move elsewhere.
The difference between the two forms is not one of fact but of emphasis and focus.
When we use the present perfect simple we are thinking about a result or an achievement; we take the 10 years as a whole and say 'look at what I've done!'
When we use the present perfect continuous we are thinking about the process or the activity. We are considering how much work we did or what we needed to do in order to reach the current point.
In some contexts, such as yours, the difference is minimal and the two forms are interchangeable. In other contexts there is a bigger difference. For example:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team