Form
Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Simple Continuous
irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of form of 'have' + been + verb + ing
irregular verbs
Example: Example:
I / you / we / they have spoken I / you / we / they have been speaking
he / she / it has spoken he / she / it has been speaking
regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed
Example:
I / you / we / they have worked
he / she / it has worked
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 'ed' : Exceptions when adding 'ing' :
when the final letter is e, only add d silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -ee)
Example: Example: come - coming
love - loved after: agree - agreeing
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant
is doubled is doubled
Example: Example: sit - sitting
admit - admitted
final l is always doubled in British English (not in after a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled in
American English) British English (but not in American English).
Example: Example: travel - travelling
travel - travelled final ie becomes y.
after a consonant, final y becomes i (but: not Example: lie - lying
after a vowel)
Example:
worry - worried
but: play - played
Use
Both tenses are used to express that an action began in the past and is still going on or has just
finished. In many cases, both forms are correct, but there is often a difference in meaning: We use
the Present Perfect Simple mainly to express that an action is completed or to emphasise the result. We
use the Present Perfect Progressive to emphasise the duration or continuous course of an action.
Result or duration?
Do you want to express what has happened so far or how long an action has been going on yet?
Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Simple Continuous
Result (what / how much / how often) Duration (how long)
I have written 5 letters. / I have been to London I have been writing for an hour.
twice.
Certain verbs
The following verbs are usually only used in Present Perfect Simple (not in the progressive form).
state: be, have (for possession only)
Example: We have been on holiday for two weeks.
senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch
Example: He has touched the painting.
brain work: believe, know, think, understand
Example: I have known him for 3 years.
Emphasis on completion or duration?
Do you want to emphasise the completion of an action or its continuous course (how has somebody
spent his time)?
Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Simple Continuous
Emphasis on completion Emphasis on duration
I have done my homework. (Meaning: My I have been doing my homework. (Meaning:
homework is completed now.) That's how I have spent my time. It does not
matter whether the homework is completed now.)
Result or side effect?
Do you want to express that a completed action led to a desired result or that the action had an
unwanted side effect?
Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Simple Continuous
desired result unwanted side effect
I have washed the car. (Result: The car is clean Why are you so wet? - I have been washing the
now.) car. (side effect: I became wet when I was
washing the car. It does not matter whether the
car is clean now.)
Time + negation: last time or beginning of an action?
In negative sentences: Do you want to express how much time has passed since the last time the action
took place or since the beginning of the action?
Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Simple Continuous
since the last time since the beginning
I haven't played that game for years. (Meaning: I haven't been playing that game for an hour, only
It's years ago that I last played that game. for 10 minutes. (Meaning: It's not even an hour
ago that I started to play that game.)
Permanent or temporary?
If an action is still going on and we want to express that it is a permanent situation, we would usually
use the Present Perfect Simple. For temporary situations, we would prefer the Present Perfect
Progressive. This is not a rule, however, only a tendency.
Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Simple Continuous
permanent temporary
James has lived in this town for 10 James has been living here for a year. (Meaning:
years. (Meaning: He is a permanent resident of This situation is only temporary. Maybe he is an
this town.) exchange student and only here for one or two
years.)
Signal words
Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Simple Continuous
how often how long
... times since
for
