PRESENT PERFECT

PROGRESSSIVE/CONTINOUS TENSE
By Yeni Heryani
Social Function
A. This tense is used to indicate the duration of an
activity that began in the past and continues to
the present.

Note: when the tense has this

meaning, it is used with the words
such as: for, since, all this morning,
all day, all week
Example
Right now I am sitting at my desk.
1. I have been sitting here since 7 o’clock
2. I have been sitting here for two hours.
3. You have been studiying for five straight
hours. Why don’t you take a break ?
4. It has been raining all day. It is still raining
right now.
B. Social function (Remember) !
Verb with stative meanings are not used in the
progressive.
The present perfect, NOT the present perfect
continous is used with stative verbs to
describe the duration of state (rather than an
activity) that began in the past and continues
to be present.
Example
5. I have known Alex since he was a child.
correct
5. I have been knowing Alex since he was a child.
incorrect
C. Social function
When the tense is used without any specific
mention of time , it expresses a general
activity in progress recently, lately.
(recently )
Examples
6. I have been thinking about changing my
major.
7. All of the students have been studying hard.
Final Exams start next week.
8. My back hurts, so I have been sleeping on the
floor lately. The bed is too soft.
Remember !
“With certain verbs (most notable live, work, teach)
there is a little or no diffrence in meaning between
the two tenses when Since or for is used.
Example :
1. I have lived here since 1995.
I have been living here since 1995
2. He has worked at the same store for ten years.
He has been working at the same store for ten
years.