The Present Perfect vs The Present Perfect Continuous | ALL differences (+ Free PDF & Quiz)

Summary

In this English lesson, Lucy explains the differences between the present perfect and present perfect continuous tenses. She covers their formation, usage, and nuances, using examples to highlight when they mean the same or different things. Lucy also offers a free PDF with a quiz to help solidify understanding, available through her mailing list. She encourages viewers to connect with her on social media and visit her website for additional resources, including a pronunciation tool. The lesson aims to clear up common confusion and improve grammar skills.

Takeaways

• 📘 The lesson focuses on the differences between the present perfect and present perfect continuous tenses in English.
• 🔍 The present perfect is formed with 'have/has' plus the past participle, while the present perfect continuous includes 'have/has been' plus the verb in -ing form.
• 🚫 The present perfect continuous should not be used with stative verbs, which express permanent states or conditions.
• ⏳ Both tenses can describe actions that started in the past and continue to the present, often used with 'since' and 'for'.
• 🏡 For actions like 'live', 'study', and 'work', the two tenses can sometimes be used interchangeably without a change in meaning.
• 🕰 The present perfect continuous can emphasize the duration of an action more than the present perfect.
• 🔢 The present perfect is used to talk about quantities (how much or how many), which is not possible with the present perfect continuous.
• 🎯 The present perfect continuous can focus on the action itself, while the present perfect focuses on the completion of the action.
• 🎬 The use of 'yet' and 'already' is associated with the present perfect to indicate the status of an action, but their placement is crucial for correct grammar.
• 🛠 The difference between the tenses can also highlight different results in the present, with the present perfect indicating a result from completion and the present perfect continuous from the action itself.
• 🛑 The present perfect continuous is used to describe temporary or unusual situations, indicating a change from the norm.

Q & A

What are the two tenses discussed in the English with Lucy video?

The two tenses discussed are the present perfect and the present perfect continuous.

What is the basic structure of the present perfect tense?

The basic structure of the present perfect tense is 'have/has' plus the past participle of the verb.

How do you form the negative of the present perfect tense?

The negative is formed by adding 'not' after 'have/has' and before the past participle, e.g., 'I have not worked'.

What is the structure for forming a question in the present perfect tense?

A question in the present perfect tense is formed by placing 'have/has' before the subject and then the past participle of the verb, e.g., 'Have I worked?'.

What is the basic structure of the present perfect continuous tense?

The basic structure of the present perfect continuous tense is 'has/have been' plus the verb in -ing form.

Why can't the present perfect continuous tense be used with stative verbs?

The present perfect continuous tense cannot be used with stative verbs because stative verbs express a state or condition rather than a physical action, which the continuous tense implies.

Can you provide an example of a stative verb and explain why it cannot be used with the present perfect continuous tense?

An example of a stative verb is 'to know'. You can say 'I've known her for years', but you cannot say 'I've been knowing her for years' because 'knowing' is a state, not an action that can be ongoing.

What is the difference between using 'for' and 'since' with the present perfect tense?

Both 'for' and 'since' are used with the present perfect tense to indicate the duration or point in time from which an action started. 'For' is used with a duration of time, e.g., 'I have lived in England for three years', while 'since' is used with a specific point in time, e.g., 'I have been studying English since 2003'.

Why can't the present perfect continuous tense be used to express 'how much' or 'how many'?

The present perfect continuous tense is used to emphasize the ongoing nature of an action, not the quantity. Therefore, it is not grammatically correct to use it to express 'how much' or 'how many', which requires the simple present perfect tense.

How does the present perfect continuous tense emphasize the duration of an action?

The present perfect continuous tense emphasizes the duration by focusing on the length of time an action has been happening, as in 'She's been working for hours', which implies a significant amount of time has passed.

What is the difference between 'I've been watching the TV series' and 'I've watched the TV series'?

The phrase 'I've been watching the TV series' implies that the action of watching is ongoing and not yet finished, while 'I've watched the TV series' indicates that the action of watching has been completed.

How do 'yet' and 'already' differ in their usage with the present perfect tense?

'Already' is used to express that something has happened sooner than expected or before a certain point in time, and it can be placed at the end of the sentence or between 'have/has' and the past participle. 'Yet' is used in negative sentences and questions to indicate that something has not happened up to the present moment, and it is usually placed at the end of the sentence.

Why can't the present perfect continuous tense be used to talk about permanent situations or usual activities?

The present perfect continuous tense is used to describe actions that are temporary or not part of a normal routine. It is not appropriate for describing permanent situations or usual activities because these do not have the temporary or ongoing aspect that the continuous tense conveys.

What is the purpose of the free PDF and quiz offered by Lucy?

The free PDF and quiz are offered to help learners further understand the material covered in the lesson, providing a structured way to review and check their understanding of the present perfect and present perfect continuous tenses.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous

In this introductory paragraph, Lucy from English with Lucy starts a grammar lesson focusing on the present perfect and the present perfect continuous tenses. She highlights the confusion many students face with these tenses and provides examples to illustrate their usage. Lucy also mentions the availability of a free PDF and quiz to aid understanding, which can be accessed by signing up to her mailing list. The paragraph sets the stage for a detailed exploration of these tenses, their formation, and their differences.

05:02

🔍 Differences Between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous

This paragraph delves deeper into the nuances between the present perfect and the present perfect continuous tenses. Lucy explains that while they can sometimes be used interchangeably, there are distinct situations where they convey different meanings. She outlines four key differences: 1) The present perfect continuous can emphasize the duration of an action, 2) The present perfect is used for quantifying actions, which is not possible with the continuous, 3) The present perfect continuous focuses on the action itself, while the present perfect emphasizes the completion of the action, and 4) The present perfect can be used with 'yet' and 'already', indicating a completed action or a completed state. Lucy provides examples for each point to clarify the differences.

10:04

📚 Conclusion and Additional Resources

In the concluding paragraph, Lucy wraps up the lesson on the present perfect and present perfect continuous tenses. She reminds viewers about the quiz and PDF available for download, encouraging them to sign up for her mailing list to receive these resources. Additionally, she promotes her vlogging channel and website, offering further opportunities for language learning through daily life vlogs and a pronunciation tool. Lucy also invites viewers to connect with her on social media and ends the lesson on a light-hearted note, reflecting on the challenges of teaching grammar and the feedback she receives.

Keywords

💡Present Perfect

The Present Perfect is a verb tense used to describe actions that have occurred at an unspecified time before now or actions that started in the past and continue to the present. In the video, Lucy explains that it is formed with 'have/has' plus the past participle of the verb, and it is used to express the duration of an action, as in 'I have lived in England for three years.'

💡Present Perfect Continuous

The Present Perfect Continuous is used to describe ongoing actions that started in the past and are still happening. It emphasizes the duration of an action. In the script, Lucy illustrates its formation as 'has/have been' plus the verb in -ing, and notes its use in sentences like 'I have been living in England for three years,' which may convey a different nuance compared to the simple Present Perfect.

💡Stative Verbs

Stative verbs express states or conditions rather than actions. They are not typically used in the continuous tenses because they do not describe processes or ongoing actions. Lucy points out that you cannot use the Present Perfect Continuous with stative verbs like 'to know' or 'to love,' as in 'I've known her for years,' but not 'I've been knowing her for years.'

💡PDF

A PDF, or Portable Document Format, is a file format used to present documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. In the context of the video, Lucy mentions a free PDF that accompanies the lesson, providing additional material and a quiz for learners to check their understanding of the tenses discussed.

💡Mailing List

A mailing list is a collection of names and addresses used for sending material to multiple recipients. Lucy encourages viewers to sign up for her mailing list to receive the PDF and quiz, as well as weekly lesson materials, directly to their inbox.

💡Since and For

In English grammar, 'since' and 'for' are prepositions used with the Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous to indicate the starting point of an action or situation. Lucy explains that 'since' is used with a specific point in time, as in 'I have been studying English since 2017,' while 'for' is used with a duration of time, like 'I have lived in England for three years.'

💡Amount and Number

The terms 'amount' and 'number' refer to the quantity of something, but they are used differently in the context of the Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous. Lucy clarifies that the Present Perfect is used with 'how much' or 'how many,' as in 'She has eaten three pieces of toast this morning,' while the Present Perfect Continuous cannot be used in this way.

💡Action and Completion

The script distinguishes between focusing on the action itself versus the completion of the action. Lucy provides examples to show that the Present Perfect Continuous often emphasizes the ongoing action, like 'I have been watching the TV series,' indicating it is not yet finished, whereas the Present Perfect, 'I have watched the TV series,' indicates the action is complete.

💡Yet and Already

In English, 'yet' and 'already' are adverbs that express different aspects of time in relation to actions. Lucy explains that 'already' is used in affirmative sentences to show that something has happened sooner than expected, as in 'I have already seen the film,' while 'yet' is used in negative sentences to ask if something has happened, as in 'Have you seen the film yet?'

💡Results

The concept of 'results' in the video refers to the outcomes or consequences of actions described by the Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous. Lucy uses examples to show how the Present Perfect indicates a result due to the completion of an action, as in 'I've done all of my chores, so I can come out tonight,' while the Present Perfect Continuous indicates a result from the action itself, like 'I've been doing my chores, so I'm exhausted.'

💡Temporary Situations

Temporary situations are those that are not permanent or usual. Lucy discusses how the Present Perfect Continuous can be used to describe such situations, as in 'I've been sleeping badly,' which implies that the speaker does not normally sleep poorly, but has been experiencing this recently.

Highlights

Introduction to the lesson on the present perfect and present perfect continuous tenses.

Explanation of the confusion between 'I have lived in England for three years' and 'I have been living in England for three years'.

Availability of a free PDF and quiz for further understanding of the lesson.

Formation of the present perfect tense with have/has plus the past participle.

Formation of the present perfect continuous tense with has/have been plus verb ING.

Limitation on using present perfect continuous with stative verbs.

Use of present perfect and present perfect continuous for unfinished actions with 'since' and 'for'.

Indistinguishable meanings of the two tenses with certain verbs like study, live, and work.

Difference in meaning between the tenses, especially with the emphasis on time duration.

Incompatibility of present perfect continuous with expressions of quantity or number.

Focus of present perfect continuous on the action itself, versus present perfect on the action's completion.

Use of 'yet' and 'already' with the present perfect tense.

Different results in the present indicated by the two tenses, with examples provided.

Application of present perfect continuous to describe temporary or unusual situations.

Invitation to download the lesson's PDF and quiz for free to aid understanding.

Mention of a vlogging channel for improving listening and vocabulary skills with English subtitles.

Promotion of a pronunciation tool on the instructor's website.

Light-hearted moment reflecting the instructor's experience with online feedback and self-doubt.

Transcripts

Hello everyone, and welcome back

to English with Lucy.

Today, I have got a grammar lesson for you.

We are going to be looking

at two very similar and confusing tenses.

I know that a lot

of my students struggle with these.

Take a look at these two sentences.

I have lived in England for three years.

I have been living in England for three years.

Do they mean the same thing?

Today we are looking at the present perfect,

and the present perfect continuous.

In some situations, they mean the same thing,

and in other situations,

they mean different things.

There's a lot to cover in this lesson,

but I want to let you know

that to further help your understanding

and your learning journey,

I have created a free PDF

that goes with this lesson.

It's got everything we're going to cover,

and it's got a quiz

so you can check your understanding.

If you would like to receive

this PDF and quiz for free,

all you've got to do is click

on the link in the description box.

You enter your name and your email address.

You sign up to my mailing list,

and I send the PDF and quiz

directly to your inbox.

And then, because you're signed up

to my mailing list, every week,

you will receive my lesson PDF and quiz,

as soon as it becomes available.

We use the present perfect

and the present perfect continuous

for both finished and unfinished actions.

Let's take a quick look

at how we form them,

before we start comparing them.

So the present perfect is,

have has plus the past participle.

I have worked.

The negative, have and has plus not

plus the past participle, I have not worked.

And as a question, have or has,

plus the subject, plus the past participle.

Have I worked? (laughing)

Now let's take a look

at how we form the present perfect continuous.

The positive is, has or has,

plus been, plus verb ING.

I have been working.

The negative, we just put in a not.

Has or have not been verb ING.

I have not been working.

And as a question, we have has or have,

plus subject, plus been, plus verb ING.

Have I been working?

It's important to note

that we cannot use

the present perfect continuous

with stative verbs.

Stative verbs don't refer to a physical action.

They express something that is permanent.

They express a state or a condition.

To like, to love, to believe,

to know, to understand.

You can say, I've known her for years.

You cannot say, I've been knowing her for years.

You can say, I've been here for a while.

You cannot say, I've been being here for a while.

Just so that's clear.

We can use the present perfect

and the present perfect continuous

to talk about actions,

unfinished actions that started in the past,

and are still true now.

We often use them with since and for.

I have lived in England for three years.

I have been studying English since 2003.

I've been studying English since 2017.

Now, sometimes, especially with the verbs study,

live, and work,

there is no real difference in meaning

between the two.

I've lived in England for three years,

I've been living in England for three years,

they mean the same thing.

I've studied English since 2017,

I've been studying English since 2017.

Again, they mean the same thing.

She has worked here for six months.

She has been working here for six months.

Once again, they mean the same thing.

So I hope that clears up some of your doubts.

Unfortunately, sometimes there is a difference

in meaning between these two tenses,

the present perfect,

and the present perfect continuous.

I'm going to discuss four situations

where there is a difference in meaning.

Number one, the present perfect continuous

can be used to emphasise

the amount or length of time that has passed.

Whereas the present perfect is generally neutral.

It might sound complicated,

but take a look at these two sentences.

She's been working for hours.

She has worked for hours.

She's been working shows more emphasis

about the hours that have passed.

It's a very subtle difference, but it's there.

The second situation,

the present perfect is commonly used

to talk about how much

or how many, but this is impossible

with the present perfect continuous.

Let me show you.

She has eaten three pieces of toast this morning.

That sentence is perfectly fine.

Let's try it with the present perfect continuous.

She has been eating three pieces

of toast this morning.

It doesn't work.

You can't use it.

He's drunk seven cups of coffee this morning.

I hope not. (laughing)

Poor guy.

You cannot say, he has been drinking seven cups

of coffee this morning.

It has to be the present perfect

when talking about how much or how many.

Let's take a look at the third situation.

The present perfect continuous often focuses

on the action itself.

Whereas the present perfect

focuses on the completion of the action.

Again, it's much easier to see this written out,

than to listen to an explanation.

So I'll give you some examples.

Take a look at these two sentences.

I've been watching the TV series you recommended.

I've watched the TV series you recommended.

With the first one, I've been watching,

I'm showing that I am still watching it.

I haven't finished the action yet.

Whereas with the second one, I've watched,

I'm telling you that I have finished watching it.

Sometimes it's not quite as obvious.

She's been seeing a therapist.

She's seen a therapist.

With she's been seeing,

it implies that her treatment is ongoing,

she's still seeing that therapist.

She's seen a therapist means she seen one

and now she may have stopped seeing one,

or her treatment has ended.

Another thing to note

is that with the present perfect,

we can use yet and already.

I know lots of you struggle

with for, since, yet, and already.

We've discussed for and since.

Now, yet and already.

I have seen the film already,

or I've already seen the film.

You can put already at the end,

or you can put it between have or has

and the participle.

I have already seen.

A common mistake that I hear

is I have seen already the film.

We would understand you,

but it doesn't quite sound right.

And yet, this goes at the end.

Have you seen the film yet?

No, I haven't seen it yet.

You can put yet between have has

and the participle.

I haven't yet seen it.

But it sounds quite old fashioned.

I haven't yet gone, I haven't yet seen it.

It sounds nice, it sounds very formal

and old fashioned.

Like you'd read in an old book.

In the question form,

it doesn't sound right at all.

Have you yet seen the film?

No, don't use that.

Sometimes we use the difference

between the present perfect

and the present perfect continuous

to talk about different kinds

of results in the present.

Again, it's much easier

to see this in an example,

so I will provide those.

I've done all of my chores

so I can come out tonight.

We use the present perfect

when the result comes

from the action being finished.

I can come out tonight

because I've finished my chores.

It's completed.

I've been doing my chores, so I'm exhausted.

We use the present perfect continuous

when the result comes

from doing the action itself.

I am exhausted

from carrying out all of my chores.

Another example, I've prepared a big dinner,

so you can come over.

I've been preparing a big dinner,

so all of my pans are dirty.

My pans are dirty as a result of the preparation,

but you can come over

because I've finished preparing the dinner.

In the first example,

with the present perfect, you can come over,

because I've finished preparing my dinner.

In the second example,

with the present perfect continuous,

all of my pans are dirty,

because of the preparation of my dinner,

the action of doing it.

Finally, we can use

the present perfect continuous

to talk about situations that aren't permanent.

Things that are not usual.

I've been sleeping badly.

I don't normally sleep badly,

but recently, I've been sleeping badly.

Normally I buy lunch at the canteen,

but I've been bringing lunch from home.

I've been getting up early to work out.

I don't usually do this,

but recently, I have been doing this.

Right, that is the grammar explanation.

Those are the differences

between the present perfect

and the present perfect continuous.

Now it's time to check your understanding.

I have created a quiz.

It's in the PDF I've created

that covers everything in this lesson.

I know it's been a complicated lesson,

so I hope having some notes will help you.

If you'd like to download it for free,

just click on the link

in the description box,

enter your name and email address.

You sign up to my mailing list,

and I send it directly to your inbox.

And then after that, every week,

as soon as my lessons and PDFs are available,

I'll send them straight to you.

Just a reminder,

if you want to improve your listening skills

and your vocabulary skills,

I have a vlogging channel,

where I document my daily life

here on an English farm.

Every single vlog

is fully subtitled for your understanding,

so you can pick up lots of new vocabulary words,

maybe watch it without subtitles,

see how much you understand,

and then review again with subtitles.

Use them however you wish.

Don't forget to connect with me on social media.

I've got my Instagram, which is @Lucy,

and I've got my website, englishwithlucy.co.uk,

where I have a fantastic pronunciation tool.

I am still very excited by it.

You can click on words

containing those phonemes,

and hear me say them too.

Ee, no, er.

I will see you soon for another lesson.

Has or have, plus subject, plus B. (laughing)

I'm struggling here.

We cannot use the present perfect conditional.

Conditional, (chuckling) sorry.

We can use them with sinth.

Sinth?

Have I pronounced stative correctly?

Yeah, stative.

Look at me, doubting myself.

It's 'cause I'm scarred

with people calling me out on the internet.

(sighing) Okay.

(upbeat music)