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PRESENT PERFECT OR PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS? SOMETIMES EITHER ONE IS O.K.

With some verbs, such as live, know, teach, stay, work, study, and wear, you can often use either present perfect or present perfect continuous with very little difference in meaning. However, the continuous form is often more common. She’s been working here for two years. How long have you been teaching English? We’ve been studying Russian since high school.

or She’s worked here for two years. or How long have you taught English? or We’ve studied Russian since high school.

This is also true with some verbs of sensation, such as feel, hurt, itch, and ache: or I’ve felt a bit under the weather lately. I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather lately. My toe has been hurting since I stepped on that nail. or My toe has hurt since I stepped on that nail. IMPORTANT: With verbs like live, know, teach, stay, work, etc., present perfect without an explicit

time period (since, for, lately, how long, etc.) expresses a completed event, not a continuing one. Present perfect with an explicit time period (since, for, lately, how long, etc.) expresses present continuous meaning. She’s worked here. (A completed event. She doesn’t work here anymore.) vs. She’s worked here since February.

(She still works here. Same: She’s been working here.)

He’s lived in Montreal. (A completed event. He doesn’t live there anymore.) vs. He’s lived

in Montreal for three years. (He still lives there. Same: He’s been living in Montreal.)

REMINDER:

When you can say or ask how many times something has happened, you normally use present perfect, not present perfect continuous: Right: I’ve seen that movie twice. (before, in my whole life) We’ve never eaten there. (never = not ever, not one time) How many times has he forgotten to lock the door?

Wrong:
I’ve been seeing that movie twice.
We’ve never been eating there.
How many times has he been forgetting to lock the door?

Similarly, if you can add yet (or still) to a sentence, you should use present perfect, not present perfect continuous. Yet only refers to a completed action. Right: Wrong: Has he opened it (yet)?
Has he been opening it yet?
Have you been wearing your new dress yet? Have you worn your new dress (yet)? a. Did they accept our offer? b. I don’t know. They still haven’t called us. (=They haven’t called us yet.)


They still haven’t been calling us.

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Read the entire conversation. Circle one answer: a, b, or c. Mark: What video do you want to rent? Bob: Well, how about this one? Mark: E.T.? No, I don’t think so. a. I’ve already seen it twice. b. I’ve already been seeing it twice. c. (Either a or b above is O.K.) Bob: Twice? Well, then we’d better choose something else. What do you feel like watching? John: a. Have you sent in the credit card payment yet? b. Have you been sending in the credit card payment yet? c. (Either a or b above is O.K.) Sue: Why? John: I think I forgot to sign the check. Ann: a. How long have you been living here? b. How long have you lived here? c. (Either a or b is O.K.) Greg: For two years. What about you? Ann: Five years. Before this, I lived in Seattle. Joe: a. How long have you been wearing contacts? b. How long have you worn contacts? c. (Either one is O.K.) Bob: Ever since I was a teenager. Andy: Where’ve you been? John: a. I’ve been sleeping. b. I’ve slept. c. (Either a or b is O.K.) Andy: Aren’t you feeling well? John: I don’t know. I think I might be getting the flu or something. Andy: Well, then why don’t you go back to bed? We can do this later. Linda: a. Have you worn your new outfit yet? b. Have you been wearing your new outfit yet? c. (Either a or b is acceptable.) Julie: No, I’m still trying to find a pair of shoes that will go with* it. * to look good with, to complement Joe: a. How long has she been studying English here? b. How long has she studied English here? c. (Either of the above.) Ann: Her? At least ten years. She’s a fixture around here*. *She has been coming here for a long time, and Ron: a. Have you gotten your paycheck yet? people associate her with the place. b. Have you been getting your paycheck yet? c. Either a or b is all right. Mary: No, why? Ron: There’s a deduction for health insurance. Doesn’t the company usually pay for that? Dale: a. How many times have you missed the bus this week? b. How many times have you been missing the bus this week? c. (Either a or b is correct.) Ray: Twice. I swear, as soon as that bus driver sees me coming, he closes the door and leaves!

Exercise 2.

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Exercise 3.

Which sentence, a or b, goes with each item? Pay attention to the tense of each sentence.

1. In the last five years, they have built a new freeway and (they’ve) widened many streets. a. Now we can get to work much faster. b. When they finish, our commute (=trip to work) will be faster. 2. Over the last two years, they have been putting up (=building) a new convention* center. a. It is already open and doing business. * , congreso/asamblea b. Upon completion (=when it’s completed), the city will be able to host* large conventions.

大会 *主办, ser anfitrión de

3. I’ve read that book. a. My friend Mary wants me to lend it to her when I’m finished with it. b. I loved it, especially the ending. 4. I’ve been teaching a listening class. a. Every day, I record something from the T.V. and use it in class the next day. b. I taught it two semesters ago. 5. Oh, you’ve repainted the room! a. Yes. It’s taking a long time. Say, we could use some help if you’re not busy. b. Yeah. It took us all day! I think the paint should be dry by now. 6. I’ve been watching this program on T.V. called “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” a. I watched it last night. b. Let me call you back. I want to see if the contestant* who is playing answers his question.

参赛者, concursante, contrincante, contendiente

*

7. I’ve been writing a term paper on the French Revolution*. * 革命 a. It’s due* next Friday. * El plazo vence viernes. b. I turned it in (=gave it to the instructor) yesterday.

到期的，该付的,

8. She has been visiting her grandmother. a. She plans to leave tomorrow morning. b. Once last May and once at Christmas. Exercise 3 (Error Correction). Exercise 4 (Verb Tense Test).

Instructor, see handouts in the Teacher’s Appendix. Instructor, see the Teacher’s Appendix.

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