Page 25 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

Present регтест coniinuous (i nave oeen uuiny;
and present perfect (I have done)

Д Compare the use of the present perfect continuous and the present perfect:

• The guests have been arriving since about • Mark and Helena have arrived - they're in
6 o'clock. the sitting room.
• Since the operation two months ago, Joe • I have learnt a lot about painting from
has been learning to walk again. He can Paul.
already take two or three steps unaided.
• She's been driving for 3 years now. • We have driven all the way here without a
break.
We use both the present perfect continuous and the present perfect to talk about something that
started in the past and which affects the situation that exists now. The difference is that the
present perfect continuous focuses on the activity or event which may or may not be finished. The
present perfect, however, focuses on the effect of the activity or event, or the fact that something
has been achieved.
Sometimes the difference between them is simply one of emphasis (see also Unit 10B):
• I've been following their discussions with great interest, (emphasises the activity; that is, my
following their discussions)
• I've followed their discussions with great interest, (emphasises the result; I may now react to
what was said or decided)
В We can use either the present perfect continuous or the present perfect to talk about activities or
events that are repeated again and again until now:
• Joseph has been kicking a football against the wall all afternoon, (or ...has kicked...)
• The press has been calling for her resignation for several weeks, (or ...has called...)
However, if we mention the number of times the activity or event was repeated, we use the
present perfect rather than the present perfect continuous:
• I've bumped into Susan 3 times this week.
• He has played for the national team in 65 matches so far.
We use the present perfect rather than the present perfect continuous when we talk about long-
lasting or permanent situations, or when we want to emphasise that we are talking about the
whole of a period of time until the present (see also Unit 5D):
• I have always admired Chester's work.
• They are the most delicious oranges I've ever eaten.
When we talk about more temporary situations we can often use either the present perfect
continuous or the present perfect:
• 'Where's Dr Owen's office?' 'Sorry, I don't know. I've only worked / I've only been working
here for a couple of days.'

When we want to emphasise that a situation has changed over a period of time up to now, and
may continue to change, we prefer the present perfect continuous to the present perfect:
• The pollution problem has been getting worse over the last decade.
• Sales have been increasing for some time.
However, if we talk about a specific change over a period of time which ends now, particularly to
focus on the result of this change (see A), we use the present perfect:
• Prices have decreased by 7%. {= in a period up to now)
• The population has grown from 35 million in 1950 to 42 million today.

Present perfect and past simple = Present perfect continuous => 1 Д