Present Perfect vs Present Perfect continuous

Present Perfect vs Present Perfect continuous

1. * For situations or repeated actions which started in the past and continue into the present or have just finished. The verbs work study and live can be used with both tenses without any change in meaning.

2. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

   • * With state verbs and short duration verbs
     • state verbs: behave, hear, see, smell, taste, touch, believe, know, think, understand
     • short duration verbs: drop, start, finish,break, lose
   • *To emphasize a completed action (emphasis on completion )
     • I´ve done my homework (my homework is completed)
   • *To emphasize completed results and to answer questions such as How much ...? / How far...? / How often ...?
     • I´ve washed my car Result: the car is clean now

3. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

   • *Verbs of action and longer duration
     • wait, stay, run, plan, sit,stand I've been writing for an hour
   • To emphasize a continuous or repeated activity (emphasis on DURATION): How has somebody spent his time?
     • I have been doing my homework (That´s how I spent my time, it doesn´t matter if homework is completed or not)
   • When there is a present evidence of a recent activity
     • A) Why are you so wet? B) I´ve been washing the car (It doesn´t matter whether the car is clean now, but the fact that I became wet when I was washing the car)