present perfect-simple-or-continuous

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE OR

CONTINUOUS?RESULTS OR ACTIONS?

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLETHE PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE LOOKS AT RESULTS. WHAT DO WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY, “I HAVE MADE THE BED.”?

WE MADE THE BED AND RIGHT NOW, IT IS MADE.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUSTHE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS LOOKS AT ACTIONS WE WERE DOING IN THE PAST. THEY MAY HAVE STOPPED RECENTLY. THEY MAY CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE. BUT – WE DO NOT HAVE A RESULT OF THAT ACTION. OUR FRIEND HANK IS SWEATING AND WE ARE CURIOUS WHY, SO WE ASK HIM, “WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?”“I HAVE BEEN RUNNING.”

*** BE CAREFUL ***WE DO NOT USE THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TO REFER TO ACTIONS FROM THE PAST. THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS IN ENGLISH IS EITHER FOR ACTIONS AT THIS MOMENT OR FOR FUTURE ACTIONS, SO IT IS CONFUSING AND WRONG TO HEAR SENTENCES LIKE THIS:“I AM WORKING HERE FOR 5 YEARS.” WHAAAATTTTT????RIGHT NOW? FOR 5 YEARS INTO THE FUTURE? HOW? WHAT? WHEN? YOU SHOULD SAY, “I’VE BEEN WORKING HERE FOR 5 YEARS.”

COMPARE:

THEY’VE EATEN THE CAKE!!!

THE CAKE IS GONE!!

OH, NO! WHAT HAS SHE BEEN DOING?

I THINK SHE’S BEEN EATING CAKE!

COMPARE:

HE’S WRITTEN A LETTER.THE LETTER IS FINISHED!

WHAT HAS HE BEEN DOING? HE’S BEEN WRITING A LETTER.HE MIGHT NOT BE FINISHED.

HE MIGHT CONTINUE.

COMPARE:

SHE’S PAINTED THE ROOM.

SHE’S DONE!

SHE’S BEEN PAINTING THE ROOM.

SHE MIGHT NOT BE FINISHED WITH IT. SHE MIGHT CONTINUE.

COMPARE:

HE’S FOUND THE KEYS.HE HAS THE KEYS NOW.

THEY ARE NOT LOST.

WHAT HAS HE BEEN DOING? HE’S BEEN FINDING EASTER EGGS.

HE HAS FOUND A LOT OF THEM. HE MIGHT FIND MORE!

COMPARE:

THEY’VE SWUM TODAY!TIME’S UP! TIME TO GO

HOME!

WHAT HAS HE BEEN DOING? HE’S BEEN SWIMMING.

I DON’T KNOW IF HE’S READY TO LEAVE YET!

NOW YOU TELL ME:

WHAT HAS HE DONE?

WHAT HAS HE BEEN DOING A LOT THE PAST

COUPLE OF YEARS?

NOW YOU TELL ME:

HE NEEDS TO SLOW DOWN! HE’S...

THE COFFEE IS GONE!HE’S...

NOW YOU TELL ME:

THAT WAS FAST!!! SHE’S....

WITH TODAY OFF WORK, ANNE.... ALL AFTERNOON.

NOW YOU TELL ME:

WHAT HAPPENED, JOE? WHY ARE YOU SO MESSY? JOE HAS...

OOH! THESE LOOK DELICIOUS.JOE HAS...

NOW YOU TELL ME:

3 TIMES THIS WEEK IS TOO MUCH! YOU HAVE...

YOUR BOSS IS MAD! WORK STARTS AT 9:00 AND IT’S

9:15.YOU HAVE...

NOW YOU TELL ME:

WHAT’S THE WRENCH FOR? OH, SHE’S...

ALL SET!!THE CAR WAS BROKEN BUT

NOW IT’S FIXED. SHE’S...

ANSWERS TO NOW YOU TELL ME:SLIDE 1:A. HE'S BROKEN HIS LEG.B. HE'S BEEN BREAKING HIS LEG.

SLIDE 2:A. HE'S BEEN DRINKING COFFEE.B. HE'S DRUNK THE COFFEE.

SLIDE 3:A. SHE'S READ A BOOK.B. SHE'S BEEN READING A BOOK.

SLIDE 4:A. JOE HAS BEEN COOKING.B. JOE HAS COOKED PANCAKES.

SLIDE 5:A. YOU HAVE BEEN ARRIVING LATE FOR WORK.B. YOU HAVE ARRIVED LATE FOR WORK.

SLIDE 6:A. SHE'S BEEN FIXING THE CAR.B. SHE'S FIXED THE CAR.