Tense Trainer

Present Perfect: Simple or Continuous?

Both connect the past with the present. The difference is what we focus on.

Simplehave / has + past participle
I've written two essays.

Continuoushave / has + been + -ing
I've been writing essays for hours.

A finished action with a result now: I've lost my keys. (I can't find them.)
Quantity: She's read three books this month. · How many cups have you had?
Experiences: Have you ever been to London? I've never eaten sushi.
With already, yet, just, ever, never, so far: We've finished four units so far.

Duration of an activity: I've been waiting for an hour. · How long have you been studying?
A recent activity that explains what we see now: You look tired. Have you been running?
An unfinished or repeated activity: They've been building the bridge for months.

Someone has eaten my chocolate!There's none left. (result)

Someone has been eating my chocolate!There's only half left. (activity)

State verbs are not normally used in the continuous form, so use the Simple, even with for / since:

knowlikelovehatewantbelieveunderstandhave (= possess)be

✓ I've known her since 2019. ✗ I've been knowing her since 2019.

for + a period of time: for two hours, for ages, for a week
since + a point in time: since Monday, since 8 o'clock, since I was six

Present Simple	habits, facts, timetables · The bus leaves at 7.45.
Present Continuous	now, temporary actions, future arrangements · I'm meeting Sara tonight.
Past Simple	finished actions at a specific past time · I went to Paris in 2022.
Past Continuous	an action in progress in the past · I was riding my bike when I fell.
Past Perfect	an action before another past action · When we arrived, the film had started.
will	instant decisions, promises, predictions · I'll answer it!
be going to	plans and predictions with evidence · Look at those clouds! It's going to rain.

Question 1 / 100 pts