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978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in Use

Raymond Murphy
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Unit Present perfect continuous and simple

10 (I have been doing and I have done)
A Study this example situation:

I’ve been painting my bedroom. I’ve painted my bedroom.

There is paint on Kate’s clothes. Her bedroom was green. Now it is yellow.
She has been painting her bedroom. She has painted her bedroom.
Has been painting is the present perfect Has painted is the present perfect simple.
continuous. Here, the important thing is that something
We are thinking of the activity. It does not has been finished. Has painted is a completed
matter whether it has been finished or not. action. We are interested in the result of
In this example, the activity (painting the the activity (the painted bedroom), not the
bedroom) has not been finished. activity itself.

B Compare these examples:

My hands are very dirty. I’ve been My bike is OK again now. I’ve
repairing my bike. repaired it.
Joe has been eating too much recently. Somebody has eaten all the
He should eat less. chocolates. The box is empty.
It’s nice to see you again. What have Where’s the book I gave you? What
you been doing since we last met? have you done with it?
Where have you been? Have you been Have you ever played tennis?
playing tennis?

C
We use the continuous to say how long We use the simple to say how much, how many
(for something that is still happening): or how many times:
How long have you been reading that How much of that book have you read?
book?
Lisa is writing emails. She’s been Lisa is writing emails. She’s sent lots of
writing emails all morning. emails this morning.
They’ve been playing tennis since They’ve played tennis three times this
2 o’clock. week.
I’m learning Arabic, but I haven’t been I’m learning Arabic, but I haven’t learnt
learning it very long. very much yet.

D Some verbs (for example, know/like/believe) are not normally used in the continuous:
I’ve known about the problem for a long time. (not I’ve been knowing)
How long have you had that camera? (not have you been having)
For a list of these verbs, see Unit 4A. For have, see Unit 17.
But note that you can use want and mean in the present perfect continuous:
I’ve been meaning to phone Jane, but I keep forgetting.

Present perfect simple ➜ Units 7–8 Present perfect continuous ➜ Unit 9

20 Present perfect + for/since ➜ Units 11–12

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Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in Use
Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
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Unit
11 How long have you (been) … ?
A Study this example situation:

Dan and Jenny are married. They got married exactly

20 years ago, so today is their 20th wedding anniversary.
They have been married for 20 years.
20thng We say: They are married. (present)
di
Wed ersary
i v but How long have they been married? (present perfect)
Ann
(not How long are they married?)
They have been married for 20 years.
(not They are married for 20 years)

We use the present perfect to talk about something that began in the past and still continues now.
Compare the present and the present perfect:
Paul is in hospital. present
but He’s been in hospital since Monday. (= He has been ...) he is
(not Paul is in hospital since Monday) do you know
she is waiting
Do you know each other well?
but Have you known each other for a long time?
(not Do you know) present perfect
he has been
She’s waiting for somebody. have you known
but She’s been waiting all morning. she has been waiting
Do they have a car?
but How long have they had their car? past now

B I have known/had/lived etc. is the present perfect simple.

I have been learning / been waiting / been doing etc. is the present perfect continuous.
When we ask or say ‘how long’, the continuous is more usual (see Unit 10):
I’ve been learning English for six months.
It’s been raining since lunchtime.
Richard has been doing the same job for 20 years.
‘How long have you been driving?’ ‘Since I was 17.’
Some verbs (for example, know/like/believe) are not normally used in the continuous:
How long have you known Jane? (not have you been knowing)
I’ve had a pain in my stomach all day. (not I’ve been having)
See also Units 4A and 10C. For have, see Unit 17.

C You can use either the present perfect continuous or simple with live and work:
Julia has been living / has lived here for a long time.
How long have you been working / have you worked here?
But use the simple (I’ve lived / I’ve done etc.) with always:
I’ve always lived in the country. (not always been living)

D We say ‘I haven’t done something since/for …’ (present perfect simple):

I haven’t seen Tom since Monday. (= Monday was the last time I saw him)
Sarah hasn’t phoned for ages. (= the last time she phoned was ages ago)

22 I haven’t … since/for ➜ Unit 8B Present perfect continuous ➜ Units 9–10 For and since ➜ Unit 12A

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Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-18939-2 – English Grammar in Use
Raymond Murphy
Excerpt
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Unit
12 For and since When … ? and How long … ?
A We use for and since to say how long something has been happening.

We use for + a period of time (two hours, six We use since + the start of a period
weeks etc.): (8 o’clock, Monday, 1999 etc.):
I’ve been waiting for two hours. I’ve been waiting since 8 o’clock.

for two hours since 8 o’clock

two hours ago now 8 o’clock now

for since
two hours 20 minutes five days 8 o’clock Monday 12 May
a long time six months 50 years April 2001 Christmas
a week ages years lunchtime we arrived I got up
Sally has been working here for six Sally has been working here since April.
months. (not since six months) (= from April until now)
I haven’t seen Tom for three days. I haven’t seen Tom since Monday.

It is possible to leave out for (but not usually in negative sentences):

They’ve been married (for) ten years. (with or without for)
They haven’t had a holiday for ten years. (you must use for)
We do not use for + all … (all day / all my life etc.):
I’ve lived here all my life. (not for all my life)
You can use in instead of for in negative sentences (I haven’t ... etc.):
They haven’t had a holiday in ten years. (= for ten years)

B Compare when … ? (+ past simple) and how long … ? (+ present perfect):

A: When did it start raining?

B: It started raining an hour ago / at 1 o’clock.
A: How long has it been raining?
B: It’s been raining for an hour / since 1 o’clock.

A: When did Joe and Carol first meet?

⎧ a long time ago.
B: They first met ⎨
⎩ when they were at school.

A: How long have they known each other?

⎧ for a long time.
B: They’ve known each other ⎨
⎩ since they were at school.

C We say: It’s (= It is) a long time

since something happened
or It’s been (= It has been) six months (etc.)
It’s two years since I last saw Joe. or It’s been two years since …
(= I haven’t seen Joe for two years)
It’s ages since we went to the cinema. or It’s been ages since …
(= We haven’t been to the cinema for ages)
How long is it since Mrs Hill died? or How long has it been since … ?
(= When did Mrs Hill die?)

24 How long have you (been) … ? ➜ Unit 11

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