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In our native language we use present participle tense instead of present perfect tense.

Here are the some sentences which mean the same:

1) Why are you standing here?

2) why have you stood here?

3) Why are you sitting here?

4) why have you sat here?

(sentence 1,3=sentence 2,4).

But when we translate the same words in our syntax to English, the sentence becomes to present perfect tense. Are these correct with grammatical and syntactical?

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  • "Why are you standing here?" does not mean the same thing as "why have you stood here?". The first relates to a continuous ongoing event, the second to something that has happened in the past (which may or may not be continuing to happen). The same applies to sitting.
    – WS2
    Apr 2, 2017 at 8:59
  • There are differences between the sentences: 1) Why are you standing here? (the same for: Why are you sitting here:) It is talking about the moment - only. 2) why have you stood here? (the same for: why have you sat here?) It could mean to some times in the past. It's a little bit difficult to answer your question without to know your native language. Apr 2, 2017 at 9:57

1 Answer 1

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If you speaking about an action that is on-going and happening at the moment of speaking you use the Present Continuous Tense:

  • Why are you standing here?
  • Why are you sitting here?

This means that at the moment you are asking this the person is doing the action.

If you are speaking about an action that finished some time ago, a short time ago or a very short time ago, or just before the moment of speaking, or even just at the moment of speaking, or if this action has a connection with the present, results in something then you use the Present Perfect Tense:

  • Why have you stood here?
  • Why have you sat here?

This means that either the person finished the action just at the moment of speaking, some time before the moment of speaking, or in the past and has left a mark in the present.

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