Instructions
Transcript
We use the present perfect simple (have/has + past participle) or present perfect continuous (have/has + been + -ing) to talk about a state or an activity that has a link to the present.
Oh, the present perfect! It’s quite tricky!
Well, no, it’s quite logical, but it does have different uses. We often use present perfect for talking about something which happened in the past which is important now.
My Chinese teacher has given me some homework. (= I have the homework to do now.)
I’ve forgotten. (= I can’t remember now.)
She’s broken her leg. (= Her leg is still broken now.)
We also use present perfect with just for talking about a recent action.
Oliver’s just made a cake.
So that’s important now because I could have some cake?
Yes, that could be the reason. But with just for recent actions we usually use present perfect, anyway.
OK, but why can’t I say ‘Ollie’s been making a cake’?
You could, but then the focus would be more on the action rather than the result. Maybe you are explaining why the kitchen is in a mess. We use the present perfect simple more when there is a result in the present (like the cake) and the present perfect continuous more when the action is important.
Umm, OK. So you would say ‘She’s been travelling a lot recently.’
Exactly. Because we’re more interested in the action than the result.
Is the present perfect only used for recent events?
No, not at all. We also use it for life experiences which happened at any time in the past. The person’s life, which continues in the present, is the link to the present.
She’s won an award.
Sophie has been to Berlin before.
So, she could have been to Berlin last month or ten years ago?
Exactly, we don’t know when and it isn’t important. If you wanted to say when, you would have to use the past simple: ‘Sophie went to Berlin ten years ago.’
We also use the present perfect for actions or states that are unfinished.
Your mum’s been writing her blog for years now, hasn’t she?
She is still writing the blog now, so the action isn’t complete.
Could I say ‘She’s written her blog for years’?
No. We usually use the present perfect continuous for talking about the length of time something goes on for, with phrases like for years, for a long time, etc.
What about using still, already and yet?
We use already to talk about something which has been done, and usually this is surprising to the speaker.
Wow, that was quick! You’ve finished your homework already.
Yet is mainly used in questions and negatives to talk about something which hasn’t happened, but which you thought would happen in the past and you expect to happen in the future.
I haven’t had time yet.
Have you seen her new blog yet?
We use still to talk about something which is going on longer than you expect.
They’ve been doing things with that computer for ages, but they still haven’t fixed it.
OK, I feel like I’ve been understanding more about the present perfect today.
Oh, sorry, you can’t say ‘I’ve been understanding’. Do you remember when we looked at the present continuous? There are certain verbs, called state verbs, which we don’t usually use in the continuous form – verbs for talking about emotions, thinking, existing, appearing, possession and the senses.
Oh, yes. You gave me a list of them.
That’s right, they’re in the Grammar Snack on the present continuous.
Right, I’ll look at them again. Well, we’ve been talking for ages …
For a few minutes!
Yes, but I’ve learned a lot.
Excellent – you used present perfect continuous with a length of time and present perfect simple with a result!
Worksheets and downloads
Discussion
What have you been doing today?
Comments
Now it is morning so I didn't do much things, but I've already had a breakfast, read the book tnd I've also learned new English grammar
It`s only morning now, so I hadn`t done a lot of things yet. But I`ve already hadd a breakfast, gone to bathroom, watched TV and started studying English
Dear students.
Today i've cooked the cake. It's beautiful.
I've walked with my lion and black panther.
We played airsoft with them.
Goodbye)
Today I played pc and walked the dog
Hi! I'm wondering whether the present perfect is always used for finished actions. If I say
'I have studied English since 2017' does it mean I don't study it anymore? thank you in advance!
Hi Kati,
We usually use the present perfect simple for finished actions and the present perfect continuous for unfinished actions that can continue. The present perfect simple usually focuses on the result and the present perfect continuous usually focuses on the action. For example:
I've made a cake. = It's finished, here is the cake.
I've been making a cake. = The cake may or may not be finished.
But with some verbs, like live, work and study, when we use them with for and since there is no real difference. For example:
I've studied French. = at some point in the past, but now I probably don't
I've been studying French. = recently, probably I'm still studying
I've studied French for ten years. OR I've been studying French for ten years. = I'm still studying now.
Hope that helps!
Rachael
LearnEnglish Teens team
The activity is very creative and helps us to facilitate the structure of the sentences. I think it is very good, it is not that complicated to perform and it is very useful to obtain new knowledge.
5°A, TLOG
The way to learn is easier and more fun with the activities of the platform, the explanation of the topics is very complete.
5A T-LOG
Cinthia Martínez TLOG-AM
Exercises help a lot to practice vocabulary. In addition to being understandable.
The activities are very interesting since they give you support to understand better, I had a lot of fun in addition to continuing to learn, 5A T-LOG
I had a lot of fun with the juices they were my fun, and they were entertainig 5A TLOG
It was quite an interesting topic, the games were fun, very interactive, I had a lot of fun 5 "A" T-LOG
Today I have learned better the structure of the present perfect: simple and continuous.
The grammar that I practiced with the exercises was easy for me.
5A-TPGA
The activities are very good, very interesting and very fun. 5ºA T-LOG
The activities aren't complicated and you learn a lot
I've made homework this afternoon
Estefania 5A PGA
I found the present perfect games super fun since I understood them very well and they were easy.
5A-TLOG
It was a super easy activity for me, I liked the development of this and how I am learning the subject little by little. Without more to say, great section of Present Perfect Simple
The activity was simple and easy to understand
The subject became clearer and more complete with the exercise I did
Well it's 11:25 now so i did not do many thing yet just since 10 am I've been doing english exercice. of course I ate my breakfast. but later AT 12am precisely I'm going to read a book and later in the day do some sport with some freinds and wach movies .
work was easy, I learned many things with the activities I liked knowing about Present perfect
5A- TPGA
Please help. I read in my text book that we use the continuous when we emphasise the duration, but my book also uses ‘I had wanted to read the book for a while’ as an example of past perfect simple. Why is while used?
Hi JamesMR,
That's a good question!
Have a look at this grammar explanation of the past perfect:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/past-perfect
It says 'We do not normally use the past perfect continuous with stative verbs. We use the past perfect simple instead'
Example: Up until that moment, I'd never believed (NOT been believing) in astrology.
Your grammar book is using the verb 'want' as a stative verb. You can read more about stative verbs here:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-intermediate/stative-verbs
I hope that helps!
Best wishes
Jo (LearnEnglish Teens team)
With this lesson I have learned even more about the present perfect simple and continuous and I can now make sentences even more fluent.
Today I have been doing a walk around my house, for exercise. Then I came back home and now i´m doing my English.
Today I walkd with my 2 brothers, then I played some games in my computer, and now I am doing english.
Today I haven't done many things, I've just read a little bit, did some exercises with my brothers, and wached some Fottball games in the television, and for the past few minutes I've been doing some english.
Today I have been studying English and Front-end.
Today, I have been watching videos, doing my homework and eating breakfast and lunch.
Dear Jonathan! Can you help me please? I don’t understand present perfect. I don’t know when I need use Simple and when continuous. I read the rules under video, but I can’t understand why “We have known|'ve known (know) (but “have been knowing”) each other for years.“ ?
Hi zagrybast,
Jonathon isn't here today, so I'm going to answer your question...
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