To answer the question of what is the difference between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous and how you can build statements in these tenses, you just need to carefully study the cases of use of the considered grammatical tenses.
The difference between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Continuous time shows the process and highlights the incompleteness of the action, and Present Perfect Simple focuses on the final result, that is, on the result of the already completed action. However, some subtleties must be taken into account here.
Firstly, sentences where the action has just ended and its result is visible, it is permissible to build both in the present perfect time, and in the finally long-term.
Secondly, for Present Perfect Continuous, the duration, the specified time period for completing the action and the absence of the circumstances of the place are of great importance, and for Present Perfect - the commission of something, the visible result in the present.
Thirdly, Continuous's suggestions indicate that the action took place in the past and will continue for some time to come. However, it should be remembered that, for example, the present for a long time, unlike the present completed-long, has no connection with the past.
Fourth, not all verbs in Present Perfect Continuous will be used. The verbs of feeling and perception cannot be put in a long form, they should be used only in the present perfect tense.
Let us analyze all the subtleties of the use of these times in active voice and give examples.
Features Present Perfect Simple
The verb in Present Perfect Simple is used to express activities that began in the past, but the outcome of this activity is related to the present. In other words, Present Perfect is used in those cases when the action has already been completed, but the result of this action is still important.
There is no analogue of the given time in Russian, therefore, when translating from English, the present completed time changes to the past.
When constructing sentences or sentences in Present Perfect, you need auxiliary and semantic verbs. The role of the assistant verb in Present Perfect is to have. The helper verb can be shortened to simplify written and spoken language. The abbreviated form of the helper verb will look like this: 's for has,' ve for have. In the present tense, there are two forms of to have, the use of which depends on the person and number. So, have is used in sentences with 1 and 2 singular and all plural forms (I, we, you, they), and has is used only for 3 singular persons (he, she, it).
Note that to be in Present Simple in abbreviated form looks identical to the abbreviated verb has in Present Perfect.
In a negative sentence, you can reduce only the negative particle not (n't), while the auxiliary verb will stand in full form.
The role of the semantic verb is 3 form of the verb. In order to use this form in perfect tense, it is necessary to determine to which category the verb used belongs: right / wrong. Regular verbs are formed by adding the ending ed. Irregular verbs can be found in the table of irregular verbs in the English language.
Present Perfect: proposal building schemes, examples
The formula for constructing an affirmative sentence will have the following visual form:
Have / has + V3 / Ved
We use this formula and give examples with comments:
1) I have repaired my clock. “I repaired my watch.”
! I repaired watches in the past and now I can wear them, look at them (the result is in the present).
2) He has washed all dishes. - He washed all the dishes.
! He was doing the dishes in the past, and now (in the present) he has clean dishes.
In the negative sentence, the particle not is used after the helper verb:
Have / has + not + V3 / Ved
1) Ann has not read that book yet. “Anna has not read that book yet.”
2) She hasn't composed that amazing song. - She did not write that amazing song.
In a general interrogative sentence, have / has is put at the beginning:
Have / has + V3 / Ved?
1) Have they told you? “Did they tell you?”
The special question in the present completed tense is constructed according to the following scheme:
Question mark + have / has + V3 / Ved?
1) How have they proved it? “How did they prove it?”
The short answer to the general question will contain Yes / No, the subject (! In the short answer, the subject is always replaced with the pronoun), has / have for a positive answer, hasn't / haven't for a negative answer:
- Has John and Avril read those stories? “Did John and Avril read those stories?”
- Yes, they have./No, they haven't. - Yes, they did. / No, they didn’t.
Present completed tense can also be used with adverbs that indicate completeness / lack of action: by now (now), so far (until), just (just now), up to now (to this day), never (never), yet (before / before), ever (ever), already (already). Adverbs yet and before are always used only at the end of interrogative and negative sentences. In the sentences with the adverb never, the negative particle not is not used, since never itself implies the negation of "never." The adverb ever is used only in interrogative sentences.
Examples of sentences with some perfect adverbs:
1) He's already done his homework. - He has already done his homework.
2) Have they chosen the title's book yet? “Have they already chosen a title for the book?”
3) Dad hasn't come home yet. “Dad hasn't come home yet.”
4) We haven't seen that man before. - We have not seen this man before.
5) She's never eaten anything like this. “She never ate anything like that.”
6) Has he ever driven the car? “Did he ever drive a car?”
We learned how to use sentences in Present Perfect Tense. To get the most complete picture, consider the rules and examples in Present Perfect Continuous.
How is Present Perfect Continuous formed?
The present perfect continuous the moment of utterance; about constantly recurring past events that are likely to be repeated in the future.
The following adverbs are often used with the considered English time: since (s), for (during), all week (all week), lately (the other day), recently (recently).
Let's move on to the examples in Present Perfect Continuous.
Speaking in Present Perfect Continuous
Proposals with an affirmative statement are formed by the following formula: has been / have been + Ving.
1) They have been living there from 2001 until now. - They live here from 2001 to the present.
! Perhaps they will continue to live here.
In a negative sentence, you must add the not particle after have / has before the verb with the –ing ending:
1) We haven't been singing songs all night. “We didn't sing songs all night.”
! We sang songs in the past (sang more than once). Perhaps we will soon begin to sing songs again.
The general question is structured as follows:
1) Has Alice been swimming here for two hours? - Alice has been swimming here for 2 hours?
! She started swimming some time ago, is still swimming and, possibly, will still swim.
In a special question, you need to add the question word before has / have, otherwise the structure of the special question is identical to the structure of the general question:
1) Why have you not been taking your medicine for the last two days? “Why haven't you been taking the medicine for two days now?”
! The exact time is indicated (2 days). In the past, he constantly took medication; in the future, he may also take it.
The short answer to a general question in Present Perfect Continuous is built on the type of short answer in Present Perfect.
Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous in one sentence
Below are examples of using both tenses in one sentence:
1) Tom and Jim have been sitting here for twenty minutes, but the bus still hasn't arrived. “Tom and Jim have been sitting here for 20 minutes, and the bus still hasn't arrived.”
2) He's been drinking 3 bottles of bear, but he has still wanted more. - He drank 3 bottles of beer, but still wants more.
We suggest that you consider the English table below with the differences between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous.
We examined some of the differences between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous. To consolidate the material reviewed, watch the short video below and try to translate the following sentences into English:
1. Have you ever tried oysters? I heard they are very tasty.
2. Have you already done the project?
3. They have not yet completed the test.
4. I have been living in Khabarovsk since 2012.
5. She plays computer games from 5 o’clock.