Hi guys, I'm Arnel, and today we're going to look at the difference between two tenses. What's the difference between the present perfect and the present perfect continuous? in today's lesson Im going to break this question down into little baby steps.
So let's begin. Both the present perfect and the present perfect continuous focus on an action that started or happened in the past and there's a present connection. The movers have taken our stuff to the new house.
The movers have been taking our stuff to the new house. You can see the present perfect we have 'have + past participle'. The past participle is verb number three.
For example - eat ate eaten 'eaten' is my past participle. In this case 'taken'. Present perfect continuous, we have 'have been + 'verb ing'.
Of course, if we have HE, SHEor IT, you need to use 'has'. 'Has' + past participle. 'Has been' + verb ing.
So, what's the difference between the movers have taken our stuff to the new house and The movers have been taking our stuff to the new house? Present perfect - this action is finished. The movers are done.
Our old house is empty. Present perfect continuous - this action is ongoing. The movers are still taking our stuff to the new house.
I've tried to fix this. I've been trying to fix this. You can see I'm using 'I've'.
When you're speaking, try to contract as often as possible. 'I've' meaning of course I HAVE. Both of these are an action that started or happened in the past, and they're connected to the present.
Now I have a broken coffee machine sitting in my kitchen. Present perfect - I'm done trying. I've tried so many times.
I'm done, I'm not trying anymore. Present perfect continuous - I'm going to keep trying. Yes I've tried a few times in the past, but I'm going to continue trying.
This is ongoing. Big Ben's Burgers aren't doing well financially. They've closed their restaurants.
They've been closing their restaurants Both of these happened or started in the past, and there's a present connection. But, present perfect - all the stores are gone. If you want to go to Big Ben's Burgers, you can't.
They're gone, they're all closed. Present perfect continuous - they are still closing them. For example, in the past there were 20, 20 Big Ben's Burgers.
But, every month, a new one closes. Maybe in a year you can't go to one anymore. This is ongoing.
Oh my goodness, I think I've said 'ongoing' with the present perfect continuous a few times now. - ongoing ongoing. this is ongoing - Right, when we use the present perfect continuous, the action itself doesn't need to be ongoing, but there's going to be ongoing evidence.
What do I mean by that? For example, Sorry I'm sweating, I've been running. In this example, I'm done running, but there's present evidence.
I'm really sweaty. The evidence of this past action is continuing. Let's keep going.
I've been allergic to cats my whole life. i've been being allergic to cats my whole life. This one doesn't work.
Let's let's try again. I've known about Bridget's pregnancy for a while now. I've been knowing about Bridget's pregnancy for a while now.
That one also, that one also doesn't work. Let's do one more example. This portrait this portrait has belonged to my family for generations.
This portrait has been belonging to my family for generations. Huh, why can't I say these sentences in the present perfect continuous? All of these actions started or happened in the past, there's a present connection, and these actions are going to be ongoing.
I'm going to continue to be allergic to cats. I'm going to continue to know about Bridget's pregnancy. This portrait is going to continue to belong to my family.
Be, Know and Belong are what we call stative verbs. Stative verbs describe states or situations that generally don't change. Stative verbs describe our emotions, our feelings and things to do with our mind and our thoughts.
For example - love, hate, remember, believe, be, know, belong - these are all stative verbs. Stative verbs aren't normally used in a continuous way. That's why it's natural to say I've been knowing, or I've been being, This portrait has been belonging.
If your verb is stative, use the present perfect simple. My niece has graduated from uni. Karen and Rasheed have gotten married.
She's broken her foot. The verbs 'graduate', 'get', 'break' are not stative verbs, so why do I only have the present perfect here? Why can't I use the present perfect continuous?
Are things like graduating, getting married, breaking something, things that can be ongoing? Not really, right? When you graduate, it's really one day.
Then it's finished. It's not ongoing. When you get married, I mean, it's one day as well, maybe even 20 minutes.
Breaking a bone, this is a very fast action. It would really be impossible to hear someone say - I've been breaking my foot. On Monday, I broke the toes.
On Tuesday the top of my foot. I've been breaking my foot. You can say 'My foot has been hurting', because pain, pain can be ongoing, but not breaking a bone.
That cannot be ongoing. So we've looked at two reasons why we shouldn't use the present perfect continuous. One - with stative verbs.
and Two - if an action can't really be ongoing. So when would we, when would we use the present perfect continuous instead of the present perfect simple? Let's take a look.
When we want to express a temporary or new situation. My roommate has been acting really odd lately. So 'lately' means 'recently', but I can remove 'lately' and for the listener it is still clear that this is something new.
My roommate has been acting really odd. This started in the past, it has continued to the present. Maybe she'll continue to act this way.
Hopefully she'll snap out of it. 'Snap out of it' means to stop behaving in a negative way quickly, like a snap. Here, I'm letting the listener know this is something new, and it's bothering me.
When it comes to the verbs 'live' and 'work', we often use these tenses interchangeably. Classic question - What's the difference between I've lived in Texas since 2015. / I've been living in Texas since 2015.
When it comes to where we live, these two tenses have the same meaning. There really isn't a difference. The same goes for the verb 'work'.
I've worked with Tony for over 12 years. I've been working with Tony for over 12 years. Really there is no difference.
Now I'm still working with Tony, and this is going to continue into the future. Has anyone here ever lived in the US? I've, I've lived in the US.
In this example here, remember, we often use the present perfect to speak about a past life experience. A finished past life experience. In this case, the speaker may not be in the US now.
So depending on the situation, the context, you'll know whether a person is still in that place or not. Guys, you have been doing a really good job. I know there's a lot of information so that's why it's time to do a little test, just to really review and understand the difference between these two tenses.
The judges ____ their decision and the winner is Hanna Greendorf. Which tense is correct? 'Have made'.
The judges have made their decision. It's a finished past action. Making a decision cannot be ongoing in this case, and there's a connection to the present,.
. . and the winner is Hanna Greendorf.
So, you can see, there are three reasons why we choose the present perfect over the continuous form. My best friend and her boyfriend are visiting me. To be honest, they ____ me nuts.
Nuts means 'crazy'. They have been driving, they have been driving me nuts. They came to my house a week ago, they are still here, and they're going to be here another week.
They have been driving me nuts. I can't wait for them to leave. Would you like a tea or coffee?
No thanks, I _____ one. I've just had. I've just had one.
Finished past action - I'm done my coffee. Connection to the present - Now I'm not thirsty, thank you. I just have one last example.
One last little mini question for you. Your daughter ______ math to reading lately. That's interesting.
Normally she prefers reading to math. 'Has preferred. ' Your daughter has preferred math to reading this week.
'Prefer' is a stative verb. Your daughter has been preferring math, is really unnatural. Yes this action, this preference is probably going to continue, but because we have that stative verb - keep it present perfect simple.
Okay, I hope today's lesson was helpful. Actually, let me know in the comments below if there are any other tenses you find confusing. Don't forget to subscribe to my channel and turn on those notifications so you never miss a video.
I can't wait to see you soon. Byeeeee!
