Uses of 

the present perfect simple

 

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Recent past actions (just, already, yet)

 
To talk about past finished actions when we don’t know or say when the action
happened. There’s often a present result.

 John has broken his leg and he is in hospital.

 Sue has left. (=She is not here any more.)

We use just for actions that happened a very short time ago.

 Mike’s just called. He said that he’d call you back.

 Sue has just left. She was here a minute ago.

We also use the present perfect simple with the words already and yet.

  Have you already finished your homework?
 She hasn’t called me yet.

Experiences (never, ever, before)

 
To talk about past experiences when we don’t say when something happened.

 He has been to the moon. He’s an astronaut.

 I haven’t been to India.

We often use the words never, ever, or before to talk about experiences.

 I have never read this book.

 Have you ever seen a John Wayne film.
 I haven’t experienced anything like this before.

How much we have done of something of how many times we have

done something
 
To talk about how much of something we have done or how many times we have done
something (none, one, two, three, etc.) up to now.

 He’s drunk a lot of coffee and now he is very nervous.

 I’ve seen this film three times.
 This shop has been robbed four times.
 You’ve eaten too much.

The best thing I’ve ever done

 
We can use the present perfect simple with the superlative and ever.

 This is the best meal I’ve ever had.

 It’s the most amazing place we’ve ever travelled to.

Actions from the past till now (how long, for, since, lately, all
day/morning, etc.)
 
With stative verbs (be, know, etc.) for situations that started in the past and still
continue. We normally use expressions like how long, for, since, lately, all day, etc.
  We’ve known each other since we were kids.
 I haven’t seen Kate for years.
 I’ve been very busy all weekend.

Uses of the present perfect continuous

 

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Actions from the past till now (how long, for, since, lately, all
day/morning, etc.)
 
With dynamic verbs for situations that started in the past and still continue or have just
finished, and often have present results.

 Have you been crying?
 Sorry I am so dirty, but I’ve been painting.

To express duration, we often use words like how long, for, since, lately, all day, etc.
  I haven’t been feeling well lately.
 He’s been annoying us all evening.
 She’s been studying very hard for weeks.
 How long have you been playing golf?

We can use the present perfect continuous for either continuous or repeated actions
from the past till now.

 She’s been studying a lot lately.

 She’s been calling you for days.

Present perfect simple or continuous?

 

Situations that started in the past and still continue

 
We can use either the present perfect simple or continuous for situations that started in
the past and still continue. But we must use the present perfect simple with stative
verbs, and we normally use the present perfect continuous with dynamic verbs
(although the present perfect simple is also possible.)

  We’ve had this car for years.

 I haven’t been sleeping well lately.

We use the present perfect continuous with dynamic verbs for situations that started in
the past and still continue when we want to emphasise how long the situation has
lasted.

 I have been waiting for hours! (=I want to emphasise that I’ve been waiting for a long
time).
 I couldn’t do the dishes. I’ve been working all day.

Finished and unfinished situations

 
We use the present perfect simple for finished actions in the past, and the present
perfect continuous for situations (happening from the past till now) that may or may not
have finished.

 Who has eaten my cookies? (=We would say this if there are no cookies left)
 Who has been eating my cookies?  (=We would say this if there are some cookies left)
 I’ve been watching the series you recommended. I’ll tell you about it when I finish
watching it.
 I’ve watched the series you recommended. I watched the last episode yesterday.

 
Actions with present results
 
We can use both present perfect simple or continuous for recent actions with
a present result, but we use the present perfect simple when the present results come
from having finished the action, and we use the present perfect continuous when the
present results come from the process of performing the action (which may or may not
have finished).

 Look how nice my car looks. I’ve washed it.

 Sorry I’m so sweaty. I’ve been washing my car.
 Something is different in this house. Have you painted it?
 How come you are so dirty? Have you been painting?

A: 1   the dog for a walk yet?

B: No, I haven’t. I 2   all day. I 3   home

from work and I 4   the time to walk the dog yet.

A: So how long 5   home alone?

B: For about 6 hours. You 6   the dog zero times since last weekend. Why
don’t you take him for a walk?

A: Well, I 7   things all day too, you know. I have a very important

meeting tomorrow and I 8   my presentation yet.

B: Okay, I will go then.9   the collar and the leash?

A: They are in the kitchen. By the way, 10   anything yet? If not, could
you get us something from the supermarket?

Page 1 of 2

1I hope I'll pass the test, I ____ very hard all week.

a.'ve worked
b.'ve been working
c.'ve being working
2I ____ for my keys since yesterday, but I ____ them.

a.'ve been looking / haven't found

b.'ve been looking / haven't been finding
c.'ve looked / haven't been finding
3I'm so tired. I _____ all day.

a.'ve worked
b.'ve been working
c.'ve being working
4I can see you _____ your room. It looks great!

a.have redecorated
b.have been redecorating
c.have being redecorating
5Why are your shoes so dirty? ______ football in the mud?

a.Have you played

b.Have you playing
c.Have you been playing

You have completed this test.

Correct answers: 9/10.

Your score is 90%.

Check your answers:

 

1I hope I'll pass the test, I ____ very hard all week.

 a. 've worked
 b. 've been workingcorrect
 c. 've being working

➪ We use the present perfect continuous with dynamic verbs for situations that started
in the past and still continue or have just finished, specially when we want to emphasise
how long the situation has lasted.
2I ____ for my keys since yesterday, but I ____ them.

 a. 've been looking / haven't foundcorrect

 b. 've been looking / haven't been finding
 c. 've looked / haven't been finding

➪ We use the present perfect continuous with dynamic verbs for situations that started
in the past and still continue, specially when we want to emphasise how long the
situation has lasted.
➪ We use present perfect simple for past recent actions when we don’t say when they
happened.

3I'm so tired. I _____ all day.

 a. 've worked
 b. 've been workingcorrect
 c. 've being working

➪ We use the present perfect continuous with dynamic verbs for situations that started

in the past and still continue or have just finished, and often have present results.

4I can see you _____ your room. It looks great!

 a. have redecoratedcorrect
 b. have been redecorating
 c. have being redecorating

➪ We can use both present perfect simple or continuous for recent actions with
a present result, but we use the present perfect simple when the present result
comes from having finished the action, and we use the present perfect
continuous when the present result comes from the process of performing the
action (which may or may not have finished). Compare:

 Look how nice my car looks. I’ve washed it. (=it looks nice because I’ve finished
washing it)
 Sorry I’m so sweaty. I’ve been washing my car. (=I’m sweaty because I’ve been
washing the car)

5Why are your shoes so dirty? ______ football in the mud?

 a. Have you playedwrong

 b. Have you playing
 c. Have you been playingcorrect

➪ We can use both present perfect simple or continuous for recent actions with
a present result, but we use the present perfect simple when the present result
comes from having finished the action, and we use the present perfect
continuous when the present result comes from the process of performing the
action (which may or may not have finished). Compare:

 Look how nice my car looks. I’ve washed it. (=it looks nice because I’ve finished
washing it)
 Sorry I’m so sweaty. I’ve been washing my car. (=I’m sweaty because I’ve been
washing the car)

6______ a book by Charles Dickens?

 a. Have you ever readcorrect

 b. Have you ever being reading
 c. Have you ever been reading

➪ We use the present perfect simple talk about past experiences when we don’t say
when something happened. We often use the words never, ever, or before to talk
about experiences.

7I ______ you all afternoon. Are you OK?

 a. 've called
 b. 've been callingcorrect
 c. 've calling

➪ We can use the present perfect continuous for either continuous or repeated actions
from the past till now.

8I ______ her four or five times, but her phone seems to be off.

 a. 've calledcorrect
 b. 've been calling
 c. 've being calling

➪ We use the present perfect simple to talk about how much of something we have
done or how many times we have done something (none, one, two, three, etc.) up to
now.

9I _____ the report, but I think I won't be able to finish it on time.

 a. 've written
 b. 've writing
 c. 've been writingcorrect

➪ We use the present perfect simple for finished actions in the past, and the present
perfect continuous for situations (happening from the past till now) that may or may not
have finished. Compare:

 Who has eaten my cookies? (=We would say this if there are no cookies left.
The action was finished.)
  Who has been eating my cookies?  (=We would say this if there are
some cookies left)

10I ____ to go to Australia, and now my dream will finally come true. I ____ the tickets!

 a. ‘ve always wanted / ‘ve just boughtcorrect

 b. ‘ve always been wanting / ‘ve just been buying
 c. ‘ve always wanted / ‘ve just been buying

➪ Want is a stative verb. We use the present perfect simple with stative verbs (be,
know, etc.) for situations that started in the past and still continue.
➪ We use present perfect simple for past finished actions when we don’t say when,
often with words like just, already, and yet.

Feedback
 
1 Correct answer: Have you taken
➪ We use present perfect simple for past finished actions when we don't say when,
often with words like just, already, and yet.

2 Correct answer: 've been working

➪ We use the present perfect continuous with dynamic verbs for situations that started
in the past and still continue or have just finished, specially when we want to emphasise
how long the situation has lasted.

3 Correct answer: 've just come

➪ We use present perfect simple for past finished actions when we don't say when,
often with words like just, already, and yet.

4 Correct answer: haven't had

➪ We use present perfect simple for past finished actions when we don't say when,
often with words like just, already, and yet.

5 Correct answer: has the dog been

➪ We use the present perfect simple with stative verbs (be, know, etc.) for
situations that started in the past and still continue. We normally use expressions
like how long, for, since, lately, all day, etc.

6 Correct answer: have walked

➪ We use the present perfect simple to talk about how much of something we have
done or how many times we have done something (none, one, two, three, etc.) up to
now.

7 Correct answer: 've been doing

➪ We use the present perfect continuous with dynamic verbs for situations that started
in the past and still continue or have just finished, specially when we want to emphasise
how long the situation has lasted.

8 Correct answer: haven't finished

➪ We use present perfect simple for past finished actions when we don't say when,
often with words like just, already, and yet.

9 Correct answer: Have you seen

➪ We use present perfect simple for past finished actions when we don't say when.

10 Correct answer: have you eaten

➪ We use present perfect simple for past finished actions when we don't say when,
often with words like just, already, and yet

We   Dave and Julia for years. (know)

2You look tired.   well recently? (you/sleep)

3Rose   her homework, so she can't go out. (not do)
4Don't bother knocking at the door. They  . (move)
5The phone bill is enormous. How many times   your boyfriend in Australia?
(call)
6I   time to make lunch. Shall we go to a restaurant? (not have)
7We   for so long! Do you think we're lost? (walk)
8  my biscuits? There aren't many left. (you /eat)
9Someone   all my biscuits!
10I   (write) all morning, but I   (only/write) 9 pages so far. What a
waste of time!
 

1We have knowen   Dave and Julia for years. (know)

Correct answer: 've known
➪ Know is a non-action verb. We use the present perfect simple with stative verbs (be,
know, etc.) for situations that started in the past and still continue. We often use
expressions like how long, for, since, lately, all day, etc.

2You look tired. [no answer]   well recently? (you/sleep)

Correct answer: Have you been sleeping
➪ We can use both present perfect simple or continuous for recent actions with
a present result, but we use the present perfect simple when the present result
comes from having finished the action, and we use the present perfect
continuous when the present result comes from the process of performing the
action (which may or may not have finished). Compare:

 Look how nice my car looks. I’ve washed it. (=it looks nice because I've finished
washing it)
 Sorry I’m so sweaty. I’ve been washing my car. (=I'm sweaty because I've been
washing the car)

3Rose [no answer]   her homework, so she can't go out. (not do)

Correct answer: hasn't done
➪ We use present perfect simple for past finished actions when we don’t say when.

4Don't bother knocking at the door. They [no answer]  . (move)

Correct answer: have moved
➪ We use present perfect simple for recent past finished actions when we don’t say
when.

5The phone bill is enormous. How many times [no answer]   your boyfriend in

Australia? (call)
Correct answer: have you called
➪ We use the present perfect simple to talk about how much of something we have
done or how many times we have done something (none, one, two, three, etc.) up to
now.

6I [no answer]   time to make lunch. Shall we go to a restaurant? (not have)

Correct answer: haven't had
➪ We use present perfect simple for past recent situations when we don’t say when.

7We [no answer]   for so long! Do you think we're lost? (walk)

Correct answer: have been walking
➪ We use the present perfect continuous with dynamic verbs for situations that started
in the past and still continue or have just finished, specially when we want to emphasise
how long the situation has lasted.

8[no answer]   my biscuits? There aren't many left. (you /eat)
Correct answer: Have you been eating
➪ We use the present perfect simple for finished actions in the past, and the present
perfect continuous for situations (happening from the past till now) that may or may not
have finished. Compare:

 Who has eaten my cookies? (=We would say this if there are no cookies left.
The action is finished.)
 Who has been eating my cookies?  (=We would say this if there are
some cookies left.)

9Someone [no answer]   all my biscuits!

Correct answer: has eaten
➪ We use the present perfect simple for finished actions in the past, and the present
perfect continuous for situations (happening from the past till now) that may or may not
have finished. Compare:

 Who has eaten my cookies? (=We would say this if there are no cookies left.
The action is finished.)
 Who has been eating my cookies?  (=We would say this if there are
some cookies left.)

10I [no answer]   (write) all morning, but I [no answer]   (only/write) 9 pages so

far. What a waste of time!

Correct answer: have been writing / have only written
➪ We use the present perfect continuous with dynamic verbs for situations that started
in the past and still continue or have just finished, specially when we want to emphasise
how long the situation has lasted.
➪ We use the present perfect simple to talk about how much of something we have
done or how many times we have done something (none, one, two, three, etc.) up to
now.

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