⚙️ Lesson 2: Present Perfect Simple vs. Continuous
You have learned the Present Perfect Simple1 and the Present Perfect Continuous2. They are very similar, but they have a key difference in focus. Choosing the correct tense will make your English more precise and natural. The main difference is whether you want to emphasize the result of an action or its duration.
The Main Difference: Result vs. Duration
This is the most important concept to understand.
- Present Perfect Simple (Focus on Result): We use this to talk about the finished result3 or completion of an action. It often answers the questions "How much?" or "How many?".
Example: "She has written three emails." (The focus is on the completed number of emails). - Present Perfect Continuous (Focus on Duration): We use this to talk about the activity itself and the duration4 (how long it has been happening). The action may not be finished.
Example: "She has been writing emails all morning." (The focus is on the continuous activity over time).
Permanent vs. Temporary Situations
We often use the Present Perfect Simple for situations that feel more permanent5, and the Continuous form for situations that feel more temporary5.
"He has lived in Battambang his entire life." (Sounds permanent).
"He has been living in Battambang for six months while working on a project." (Sounds temporary).
Comparative Summary
| Present Perfect Simple | Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|---|
| Focuses on the result or completion. | Focuses on the duration of the activity. |
| Answers "How much/many?" | Answers "How long?" |
| Used for permanent states & with stative verbs (know, own, etc.). | Used for temporary situations & recent, ongoing actions. |
| "I've read 50 pages." | "I've been reading all afternoon." |
🧠 Practice Quiz: Choose the Best Tense
Choose the most appropriate tense for each situation.
- She's a successful author. She _______ (write) more than twenty books.
Answer: has written (The focus is on the result, the number of completed books.) - His eyes are tired because he _______ (read) for hours.
Answer: has been reading (The focus is on the duration of the recent activity that caused a present result.) - I _______ (lose) my key! I can't get into my apartment.
Answer: have lost (The focus is on the present result of a past action.) - How long _______ you _______ (study) English?
Answer: have you been studying (The question "How long...?" emphasizes duration, making the continuous form more natural.) - I _______ (know) the owner of this cafe for many years.
Answer: have known ('know' is a stative verb and cannot be used in the continuous form.)
📝 Homework: Result vs. Duration
Write sentences for these situations, focusing on the correct tense.
- You started cooking two hours ago and you are still cooking.
(Example: I have been cooking for two hours.)
_________________________________________ - You finished cooking three different dishes.
(Example: I have cooked three different dishes for dinner.)
_________________________________________ - Your friend looks very tired and sweaty. Ask them a question about their recent activity.
(Example: Have you been exercising?)
_________________________________________
Vocabulary Glossary
- Present Perfect Simple: (Noun Phrase) - បច្ចុប្បន្នកាលបរិបូណ៌ធម្មតា (bât'chŏp'bân'nâ'kal bo'rĭ'bao thoâm'mea'da) - A tense for past actions with present results, focusing on completion. ↩
- Present Perfect Continuous: (Noun Phrase) - បច្ចុប្បន្នកាលបរិបូណ៌កំពុងបន្ត (bât'chŏp'bân'nâ'kal bo'rĭ'bao kâmpŭng bântɔɔ) - A tense for past actions that are still ongoing, focusing on duration. ↩
- Result: (Noun) - លទ្ធផល (lŏt'thâ'phól) - A consequence, effect, or outcome of something. ↩
- Duration: (Noun) - រយៈពេល (rô'yĕă' peil) - The length of time that something continues. ↩
- Permanent / Temporary: (Adjectives) - អចិន្រ្តៃយ៍ / បណ្តោះអាសន្ន (â'chĭn'tray / bân'dɑh'a'sân) - Lasting forever / lasting for only a limited time. ↩