Grammar Lesson: Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Continuous

Overview

• Focus on two confusing tenses: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous
• Understanding the differences and similarities between them
• Free PDF available for further study

Formation of Tenses

Present Perfect

• Structure: have/has + past participle
  • Example: "I have worked"
• Negative: have/has + not + past participle
  • Example: "I have not worked"
• Question: have/has + subject + past participle
  • Example: "Have I worked?"

Present Perfect Continuous

• Structure: have/has + been + verb-ing
  • Example: "I have been working"
• Negative: have/has + not + been + verb-ing
  • Example: "I have not been working"
• Question: have/has + subject + been + verb-ing
  • Example: "Have I been working?"

Key Points

• Stative Verbs:
  • Cannot be used with present perfect continuous (e.g., "I have known her for years" vs. "I have been knowing her for years")
• Use with Since and For:
  • Both tenses can describe unfinished actions that started in the past
  • Examples:
    • "I have lived in England for three years"
    • "I have been studying English since 2003"

Situations with Differences in Meaning

1. Emphasis on Time:

   • Present Perfect Continuous emphasizes duration
   • Example: "She has been working for hours" vs. "She has worked for hours"

2. Quantity:

   • Present Perfect used for stating quantities
   • Example: "She has eaten three pieces of toast" (works) vs. "She has been eating three pieces of toast" (doesn't work)

3. Focus on Action vs. Completion:

   • Present Perfect Continuous focuses on ongoing action
   • Example: "I've been watching the TV series" (ongoing) vs. "I've watched the TV series" (completed)

4. Results in the Present:

   • Present Perfect for completed actions
   • Present Perfect Continuous for ongoing relevance
   • Examples:
     • "I've done all my chores, so I can come out tonight." (completed)
     • "I've been doing my chores, so I'm exhausted." (ongoing)

5. Non-Permanent Situations:

   • Present Perfect Continuous describes temporary states
   • Example: "I've been sleeping badly" (temporary)

Additional Notes

• Using Yet and Already:
  • Present Perfect: "I have already seen the film."
  • Yet can be positioned at the end or before the participle.

Conclusion

• Emphasis on understanding differences between tenses
• Reminder to download the free PDF for quizzes and additional learning
• Mention of vlogging channel for vocabulary and listening skills
• Connect with Lucy on social media for more resources and lessons

Resources

• Free PDF and quiz link in description
• Vlogging channel for vocabulary practice
• Pronunciation tool available on the website

• End of lesson summary and invitation to connect on social media.