Present Perfect Simple Vs Present Perfect Progressive r5h68

29/04/14

Present Perfect Simple vs Present Perfect Progressive

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Present Perfect Simple – Present Perfect Progressive ► Exercises

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Form Present Perfect Simple irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of irregular verbs

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Example: I / you / we / they have been speaking

he / she / it has spoken

he / she / it has been speaking

regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed Example: I / you / we / they have worked

he / she / it has worked

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form of 'have' + been + verb + ing

Example: I / you / we / they have spoken

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Present Perfect Progressive

Exceptions Exceptions when adding 'ed' : when the final letter is e, only add d

Exceptions when adding 'ing' : silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -ee)

Example: love - loved

Example: come - coming aber: agree - agreeing

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled

Example: it - itted

final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English)

Example: sit - sitting after a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled in British English (but not in American English).

Example: travel - travelled

after a consonant, final y becomes i (but: not after a vowel)

Example: travel - travelling final ie becomes y.

Example: worry - worried

Example: lie - lying

but: play - played

See also explanations on Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Progressive

Use Both tenses are used to express that an action began in the past and is still going on or has just finished. In many cases, both forms are correct, but there is often a difference in meaning: We use the Present Perfect Simple mainly to express that an action is completed or to emphasise the result. We use the Present Perfect Progressive to emphasise the duration or continuous course of an action.

Result or duration? Do you want to express what has happened so far or how long an action has been going on yet? Present Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Progressive

Result (what / how much / how often)

Duration (how long)

I have written 5 letters. / I have been to London twice.

I have been writing for an hour.

Certain verbs The following verbs are usually only used in Present Perfect Simple (not in the progressive form). state: be, have (for possession only) Example: We have been on holiday for two weeks. www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/prepersim-preperpro

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Present Perfect Simple vs Present Perfect Progressive

senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch Example: He has touched the painting. brain work: believe, know, think, understand Example: I have known him for 3 years.

Emphasis on completion or duration? Do you want to emphasise the completion of an action or its continuous course (how has somebody spent his time)? Present Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Progressive

Emphasis on completion

Emphasis on duration

I have done my homework. (Meaning: My homework is completed now.)

I have been doing my homework. (Meaning: That's how I have spent my time. It does not matter whether the homework is completed now.)

Result or side effect? Do you want to express that a completed action led to a desired result or that the action had an unwanted side effect? Present Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Progressive

desired result

unwanted side effect

I have washed the car. (Result: The car is clean now.)

Why are you so wet? - I have been washing the car. (side effect: I b ecame wet when I was washing the car. It does not matter whether the car is clean now.)

Time + negation: last time or beginning of an action? In negative sentences: Do you want to express how much time has past since the last time the action took place or since the beginning of the action? Present Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Progressive

since the last time

since the beginning

I haven't played that game for years. (Meaning: It's years ago that I last played that game.)

I haven't been playing that game for an hour, only for 10 minutes. (Meaning: It's not even an hour ago that I started to play that game.)

Permanent or temporary? If an action is still going on and we want to express that it is a permanent situation, we would usually use the Present Perfect Simple. For temporary situations, we would prefer the Present Perfect Progressive. This is not a rule, however, only a tendency. Present Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Progressive

permanent

temporary

James has lived in this town for 10 years. (Meaning: He is a permanent resident of this town.)

James has been living here for a year. (Meaning: This situation is only temporary. Mayb e he is an exchange student and only here for one or two years.)

Signal words Present Perfect Simple how often ... times

Present Perfect Progressive how long since for

Exercises on Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Progressive Result or duration: Exercise 1, Exercise 2 Certain verbs:Exercise 3 Completion or duration: Exercise 4, Exercise 5 Result or side effect: Exercise 6, Exercise 7 Since the last time or since the beginning: Exercise 8, Exercise 9 Mixed Exercises: Exercise 10, Exercise 11

Tests on Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Progressive www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/prepersim-preperpro

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Changed: 10th Dec 2010 19:35 URL: http://w w w .ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/prepersim-preperpro

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