Present Perfect Tense Simple vs Present Perfect Tense Continuous

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Form: Form:
(+) S+ have/has+ past participle (vb-ed; 3rd (+) S+ have/has+been+vb-ing
form of irregular verbs)
Eg. I have read 100 pages of this book. Eg. He has been reading for 3 hours.

(?) have/has+ S+ past participle (?) have/has+ S+ been+vb-ing

(-) S+ have/has+not+ past participle (-) S+ have/has+not+been+vb-ing

Time markers: Time markers:

since, for, just, already, yet, lately, recently, for, since, lately, all morning/week,
so far, ever, never recently, How long…?

Uses:
1) for a recent action which happened
at an unstated time in the past
eg. I have bought a new car.
!!! BUT
I bought a new car last week.
2) an action that started in the past
and is still continuing in the present
eg. Sarah has been a teacher since 2004.
Uses:
1) to emphasise the duration of an
action which started in the past and
continues in the present.
Eg. They have been driving for 2 hours.
How long have you been waiting here
for?

3) for recently finished actions with

visible results in the present
eg. I’ve forgotten my pencil at home. (the
result- I cannot write, I have to borrow one)

4) personal experiences or changes

eg. I have put on weight.

She has never been to India before.

!!! Have gone- Have been

She has gone to the USA. ( She’s still there)
She has been to the USA twice this year. ( She has visited the USA, but she has returned)