Present Perfect Simple vs Present Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect Simple vs Present Perfect Continuous

By Margarita Gallardo

​LICEO BICENTENARIO OSCAR CASTRO ZUÑIGA

RANCAGUA​

​Today's objective

In this lesson we will...​

... be able to recognise and use Present Perfect Simple vs the Continuous form in their corresponding contexts, by analysing their differences and answering multiple choice questions.​

Some text here about the topic of discussion

• It focuses on PERMANENT, REPEATED, ROUTINARY actions from the past to the present.

• State verbs (verbs that represent mental proceses or states of emotions, preferences: want, need, prefer, think, love, etc.a) are more commonly used in the simple form.

• You use time expressions that indicate the action may have recently finish, like just, already, yet, never, ever

Present Perfect Simple​

Present Perfect Continuous​

• It focuses on the progress or duration of this TEMPORARY ACTION.

• Action verbs (verbs that are dynamic or represent movement) are more commonly used in the continuous form.

• You use time expressions that indicate the action is still in progress, like for, since.

Activity 2: look at the statements very carefully and answer the following multiple choice questions.

Pay extra attention to the time expressions, vocbaulary used and other possible verb tenses used.

Multiple Choice

Martina __________ LOL. It's her favourite stream game. But now she's studying.

• has just played

• has just been playing

• just played

• plays

Multiple Choice

They _____________ three letters already.

• has written

• have been writing

• hasn't written

• have written

Multiple Choice

A: ___________ the assignment for two hours?

B: Yes, and I still have some extra work to do.

• Have you ever prepared

• Have you been preparing

• you have been preparing

• you have

Multiple Choice

Nico __________ at this fair for two hours and he still can't find a good and stylish cap (jockey/gorra) for the party.

• has been shopping

• have shopped

• have been shopping

• is shopping

Multiple Choice

Which is the correct Present Perfect Simple sentence?

• She has been forgetting her folder on the desk.

• She has forgotten her folder on the desk

• She forgot her folder on the desk.

• She is forgetting her folder on the desk.

Multiple Choice

Journalist: How many books have you written?

Writer: I __________ two books up to now.

• 've been writing

• 've not written

• 've wrote

• 've written

Multiple Choice

Mom: How long have they been studying?

Dad: Sofia and Pia _____________ since this afternoon. They think they will finish in one hour.

• have studied

• have already studied

• have been studying

• has been studying