PastSimple vs Present Perfect Simple vs Present Perfect Continous

Present Perfect Continuous

FORM

[has/have + been + present participle]

Examples:

Complete List of Present Perfect Continuous Forms

USE 1 Duration from the Past Until Now

We use the Present Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect Continuous.

Examples:

USE 2 Recently, Lately

You can also use the Present Perfect Continuous WITHOUT a duration such as "for two weeks." Without the duration, the tense has a more general meaning of "lately." We often use the words "lately" or "recently" to emphasize this meaning.

Examples:

IMPORTANT

Remember that the Present Perfect Continuous has the meaning of "lately" or "recently." If you use the Present Perfect Continuous in a question such as "Have you been feeling alright?", it can suggest that the person looks sick or unhealthy. A question such as "Have you been smoking?" can suggest that you smell the smoke on the person. Using this tense in a question suggests you can see, smell, hear or feel the results of the action. It is possible to insult someone by using this tense incorrectly.

REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs/ Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Present Perfect Continuous with these verbs, you must use Present Perfect.

Examples:

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

Examples:

NOTE: Present Perfect Continuous is less commonly used in its passive form.



Types of Verbs

Before you begin the verb tense lessons, it is extremely important to understand that NOT all English verbs are the same. English verbs are divided into three groups: Normal Verbs, Non-Continuous Verbs, and Mixed Verbs.

Group I Normal Verbs

Most verbs are "Normal Verbs." These verbs are usually physical actions which you can see somebody doing. These verbs can be used in all tenses.

Normal Verbs

to run, to walk, to eat, to fly, to go, to say, to touch, etc.

Examples:

Group II Non-Continuous Verbs

The second group, called "Non-Continuous Verbs," is smaller. These verbs are usually things you cannot see somebody doing. These verbs are rarely used in continuous tenses. They include:

Abstract Verbs

to be, to want, to cost, to seem, to need, to care, to contain, to owe, to exist...

Possession Verbs

to possess, to own, to belong...

Emotion Verbs

to like, to love, to hate, to dislike, to fear, to envy, to mind...

Examples:

Group III Mixed Verbs

The third group, called "Mixed Verbs," is the smallest group. These verbs have more than one meaning. In a way, each meaning is a unique verb. Some meanings behave like "Non-Continuous Verbs," while other meanings behave like "Normal Verbs."

Mixed Verbs

to appear, to feel, to have, to hear, to look, to see, to weigh...

List of Mixed Verbs with Examples and Definitions:

to appear:

to have:

to hear:

to look:

to miss:

to see:

to smell:

to taste:



to think:

to weigh:

Some Verbs Can Be Especially Confusing:

to be:

NOTICE: Only rarely is "to be" used in a continuous form. This is most commonly done when a person is temporarily behaving badly or stereotypically. It can also be used when someone's behavior is noticeably different.

to feel:

NOTICE: The second meaning of "feel" is very flexible and there is no real difference in meaning between "I don't feel well today" and "I am not feeling well today."






Present Perfect

FORM

[has/have + past participle]

Examples:

Complete List of Present Perfect Forms

USE 1 Unspecified Time Before Now

We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.

Examples:

How Do You Actually Use the Present Perfect?

The concept of "unspecified time" can be very confusing to English learners. It is best to associate Present Perfect with the following topics:

TOPIC 1 Experience

You can use the Present Perfect to describe your experience. It is like saying, "I have the experience of..." You can also use this tense to say that you have never had a certain experience. The Present Perfect is NOT used to describe a specific event.

Examples:

TOPIC 2 Change Over Time

We often use the Present Perfect to talk about change that has happened over a period of time.

Examples:

TOPIC 3 Accomplishments

We often use the Present Perfect to list the accomplishments of individuals and humanity. You cannot mention a specific time.

Examples:

TOPIC 4 An Uncompleted Action You Are Expecting

We often use the Present Perfect to say that an action which we expected has not happened. Using the Present Perfect suggests that we are still waiting for the action to happen.

Examples:



TOPIC 5 Multiple Actions at Different Times

We also use the Present Perfect to talk about several different actions which have occurred in the past at different times. Present Perfect suggests the process is not complete and more actions are possible.

Examples:

Time Expressions with Present Perfect

When we use the Present Perfect it means that something has happened at some point in our lives before now. Remember, the exact time the action happened is not important.

Sometimes, we want to limit the time we are looking in for an experience. We can do this with expressions such as: in the last week, in the last year, this week, this month, so far, up to now, etc.

Examples:

NOTICE

"Last year" and "in the last year" are very different in meaning. "Last year" means the year before now, and it is considered a specific time which requires Simple Past. "In the last year" means from 365 days ago until now. It is not considered a specific time, so it requires Present Perfect.

Examples:

USE 2 Duration From the Past Until Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)

With Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Present Perfect to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect.

Examples:

Although the above use of Present Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words "live," "work," "teach," and "study" are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT Non-Continuous Verbs.

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

Examples:



Present Perfect Tense: Simple Past vs Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous


Simple Past

1. The simple past is used to talk about completed actions in the past

2. The simple past is often used with expressions that refer to points of time in the past
 
 

at

4 o'clock/2.12/the end of year/Christmas

on

Tuesday/19th March/the 21st/New Year's Day

in

January/1999/the 1990s/summer

no prepositions

yesterday/yesterday morning/last Monday/next April/a few days ago/ the day before yesterday/when I was young

 Present perfect simple

3. Present perfect is used to talk about a present situation which is a result of something that happened at an unspecified time in the past.
Therefore we do not use specific time expression such as
yesterday, last week, etc.

I have given your article about networking to professor.
(I gave him your article and he has it now.)

4. The present perfect is often used with the word just to talk about actions that have taken place very recently. The exact time is not mentioned.

You cannot meet Mrs Jones. She has just left.

Notice. The difference between have been and have gone

I am afraid Mrs. Jones as not here at the moment. She has gone to the meeting in Brussels.
(She is still at the meeting.)
Anita has been to the travel agent. She has her tickets for USA.
(She went to the travel agent and has returned.)

5. The present prefect is often used with the words ever and never to talk about general life experience.

Have you ever worked abroad.
(i.e., In all your life up to now?)
I have never been to China.
(i.e., Not in all your life up to now.)

The present perfect with ever is often followed by the simple past. We use the simple past to give more information about completed action, when referring to a specific time or context.

Have you ever been in Malaysia?
Yes, I have. I was in Kuala Lumpur at INET'97 when I worked in KPI.

6. The present perfect is often used with already and yet.

Already is used in positive sentences. It often indicates that something has taken place slightly earlier that expected.

She has already printed this page.
(
Note. NOT: She has  printed already...)

Yet is used in negatives and questions. It shows that we expect an action will take place if it has not happened up to now.

Have you talked to Peter yet?
(
Note. NOT: Have you talked yet to Peter?)
I have not talked to him yet.
(
Note. NOT: I have not talked yet to him.)

7. The present perfect is often used with prepositions or prepositional phrases indicating periods of time that have not finished yet.
Common examples are:
today, this morning, this month, this year, so far, to date, over the last few weeks, up to now, etc.

This week we have received a lot of enquiries about our new web site.
(The week has not finished yet, and there may be more enquiries.)

If we are speaking about a situation after one of these time periods, we use the simple past because we are referring to a period of time that has finished.

Have you seen John this morning?
(It is now 10.30 in the morning; and the morning has not finished.)
Did you see John this morning.
(It is now 3.00 in the afternoon; the morning has finished.)

8. Stative verbs + for and since

The present perfect simple is often used with for and since and stative verbs to talk about things that began in the past and have continued up to now.

I have known about the plans to spin off this service from the company. (And I know now.)

9. We use for to talk about the duration of a period of time and since to talk about when a period started
 

for

ten minutes/six days/two months/three years/ a long time/ages/etc.

since

9.30/Monday/the 14th/last week/August/1998/I graduated from university/etc.

I have been with my department for three years.
I have been in Internet technologies since 1992.

10. How long ...?, for and since

To ask questions about periods of time, we can use How long ...? + the present perfect

How long have you been in Amsterdam? I have been here since September / for six months.

Note. COMMON MISTAKE: We do not use the present simple tense with for and since to talk about something which began in the past and has gone on up to the present.

WRONG: I am here since January.
RIGHT:
I have been here since January.

11. Negatives

We can use the present perfect negative to talk about the amount of time that has passed between now and last time something happened.

We haven't received any messages from him for several months / since the last working group meeting.

12. Completed actions over a period of time

If we talk about a completed action (particularly if we give details about how much, how many, etc.), we can use the present perfect and since (but not for). We can also use other phrases of duration such as to date, recently, over the past two years, etc. The action itself is finished, but the period of time extends up to the present.

The Commission has launched three new programs since December.

Present perfect simple vs Present perfect continuous

13. Unfinished activities

Present perfect continuous is used with for, since, and How long ...? and other expressions of duration (e.g., all month), to talk about activities that started happening in the past and are still happening now. The activity may have been going on continuously or repeated several times.

They have been coordinating network development for 5 years.
(They started coordinating 5 years ago . They are still coordinating network developement.)

However, we normally use the present perfect simple with the stative verbs, or about a situation we consider permanent.

I have lived in Kiev all my life (NOT: I have been living ...)

14. Finished and unfinished activities

We use the present perfect simple if we are talking about a completed action, particularly if we give details of how much or how many. we use the present perfect continuous when something is still going on.

I've written a report for Peter. (It is finished.)
I've been writing a report about international characters usage. (I am still writing it.)

15. Negatives: Present perfect simple vs Present perfect continuous

In the negative, the focus on the present perfect simple is on the amount of time that has passed since something happened. The focus of the present perfect continuous is on the verb itself.

I haven't met him for six months. (The last time was six months ago.)
I haven't been feeling well recently. (This has been continuing for days.)

16. Recently finished activities

We use present perfect continuous to talk about an activity that was in progress, but has just finished. Normally there is some evidence.

The ground is very wet. It has been raining.






Summary of Usage:
Simple Past vs Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous



The Simple Past

We normally use the simple past to talk about actions that took place at a time that is separated from the present.
It is used with expressions like
yesterday, on Monday, last week, in 1998, etc.

Last month Vodafon launched a takeover bid for Airtouch.
He did his PhD at Delft Technical University.

We can use the simple past and for to talk about something that happened during a period that has now finished.

He lived in Amsterdam for five years; then he came back to England.

The Present Perfect Simple

The present perfect is used to talk about the present result of past actions and recent events, and often used with words like ever, never, just, already, yet, and phrases of unfinished time such as so far.

A2000 has cut installation price for Internet over TV cable network by 30%.
Have you ever tried Swiss wine.

The Present Perfect Simple + for and since

The present perfect can be used with for and since and stative verbs, or to refer to actions that are seen as long term or permanent. 
We use
for to talk about the duration of the period of time and since to talk about the starting point of an action or state.

I have been with my department for three years.
I have been in Internet technologies since 1992.

It is also used in the negatives with for and since to talk about the last time something took place

I haven't met him for six month.
I haven't been feeling well recently. 

It is used with since to talk about completed action.

The Commission has launched three new programs since December.

The Present Perfect Continuous

The present perfect continuous can be used with for and since to talk about activities that have gone on repeatedly or continuously for a period of time, and are still going on.

The Commission has been coordinating network development for 5 years.


 

 



Wyszukiwarka

Podobne podstrony:
Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous ćwiczenia key
Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous ćwiczenia klucz
Simple Present, the Present Continuous, the Simple Past, the Past Continuous or the Present Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous, Present Perfect Continuous - budowa
Present Perfect Continuous Użycie
TwójAngielski 10.Present Perfect Continuous
04 PRESENT PERFECT CONTINOUS
Lekcja 9 Czas Present Perfect Continuous, lekcje
2 Fill in Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS, Dokumenty zawodowe, Czasy gramatyczne
20 Present Perfect continuous
Present Perfect Continous
Czas Present Perfect Continuous tworzy się za pomocą czasownika posiłkowego have
Lekcja 12 Czas Present Perfect Continuous, lekcje
Present Perfect Continuous, Przwatne, Studia, Nowy folder
Present Perfect i Present Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Continuous Budowa
Present Perfect (Continuous) speaking exercises

więcej podobnych podstron