The present perfect simple suggests completion while the continuous suggests

something is unfinished.

Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Progressive

irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of irregular form of 'have' + been + verb + ing
verbs

Example: Example:
I / you / we / they have spoken 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

Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous

We use the present perfect tense to talk about things where there is a connection
between the past and the present.

Hes written 16 books.

He started writing books at some time in the past. So far, he has written 16 books. He
may write more books.

As well as the present perfect simple, we can use the present perfect
continuous tense to talk about events with a connection to the present.

1 Look at these 2 sentences:

Ive been decorating the house this summer. The focus is on the action
decorating and the action is unfinished.
 Ive painted the living room blue. The focus is on the finished result. The activity
is finished but we can see the result now.

We use the present perfect continuous when the focus is on an activity that is
unfinished.

2 Look at these two sentences.

Ive read that book you lent me. I finished it yesterday.

Ive been reading that book you lent me. Ive got another 50 pages to read.

The present perfect simple (Ive read) gives the idea of completion while
the present perfect continuous (Ive been reading) suggests that something is
unfinished.

3 Look at these two sentences.

Shes been writing emails for 3 hours.

Shes written 10 messages.

The present perfect continuous (has been writing) talks about how long something
has been happening. The present perfect simple (has written) talks about how
much/how many have been completed.

4 Look at these two sentences.

Ive worked here for thirty years.

I usually work in London but Ive been working in Birmingham for the last 3
weeks.

We can use the present perfect simple to talk about how long when we view
something as permanent. But the present perfect continuous is often used to show
that something is temporary.

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

 Duration (how long)
Result (what / how much / how often)
I have been writing for an hour.
I have written 5 letters. / I have been to London twice.

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.

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

unwanted side effect

desired result
 I have washed the Why are you so wet? - I have been washing the car. (side effect: I became
car. (Result: The car is clean wet when I was washing the car. It does not matter whether the car is clean
now.) 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 I haven't been playing that game for an hour, only for 10
years. (Meaning: It's years ago that I last minutes. (Meaning: It's not even an hour ago that I started to
played that game.) 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 James has been living here for a year. (Meaning: This situation
years. (Meaning: He is a permanent is only temporary. Maybe he is an exchange student and only
resident of this town.) here for one or two years.)
 Form of Present Perfect Progressive

Positive Negative Question

I / you / we / they I have been speaking. I have not been speaking. Have I been speaking?

he / she / it He has been speaking. He has not been speaking. Has he been speaking?

Use of Present Perfect Progressive

puts emphasis on the duration or course of an action (not the result)
Example: She has been writing for two hours.

action that recently stopped or is still going on

Example: I have been living here since 2001.

finished action that influenced the present

Example: I have been working all afternoon.

Signal Words of Present Perfect Progressive

all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?, the whole week