Questions tagged [present-perfect-progressive]
The present-perfect-progressive tag has no usage guidance.
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Confusion in tenses
Well, I was learning present perfect tenses today and I am confused between present perfect and present perfect continuous. I have grasped majority of the uses of these sentences but I am confused ...
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I'm reading a book or I've been reading a book? Implying I started some days ago
I saw a similar question, but I'm not content with the answers, i.e. it's still unclear.
It looks like both options are appropriate here, since for present perfect continuous can be applied to an ...
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Present perfect continuous for a short action?
This is from a novel:
The police is called because a man has urinated in a parking lot. When the police arrive 5 minutes later they ask the man: "Have you been urinating in the parking lot, sir?&...
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Using "now" with the past tense
I'm confused because I think the use of word "now" is kind of idiomatic in phrase 1, but on the other hand I think it should be as phrase 2.
So, is it normal to use "now" with the past simple ????
1-...
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“Easily find again pages you have been reading”
This is from a website:
Recently visited pages
Easily find again pages you have been reading.
The Present Perfect Continuous is being used here but would it be possible to say: "pages you have ...
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Haven't spoken or haven't been speaking
Could you, please, provide me with an explanation as to why "haven't spoken" is an accepted answer instead of "haven't been speaking" in the following example:
My downstairs ...
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You've spent too much time playing that stupid game or you've been spending too much time playing that stupid game?
Is this explanation legit? Can you think of example of present perfect referring to how much you've done something?
"You've spent" too much time playing that stupid game.
"You've been ...
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I've been wasting or I've wasted?
Which tense is used in this sentence?
Oh no! This is the wrong paint! I _____________ a lot of time. Now I have to paint all the walls again!
A. Have been wasting
B. Have wasted
What's the right ...
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can I use "own" in progressive?
I ...... this car for more than ten years.
a) have owned
b) have been owning
c) owned
d) will own
So what's the difference between a,b and c
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It's been over 20 years since John has lived in that country
I've just come from a closed thread, without seeing a clear answer (since John has died). I don't know if I can discuss this question here.
It's been over 20 years since I've lived on that street*
...
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John has "persuaded" me to keep off alcohol
John has persuaded me to keep off alcohol many times in the past year, but I haven't decided yet to give it up.
In the sentence presented above, is persuade used correctly? I don't think so, because &...
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usage of memorize in Present perfect
George is doing his homework today. He needs to memorize 30 French words.
Is the verb "memorize" used correctly in the following two sentences?
George has memorized 30 French words for an ...
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I've been travelling/I've travelled for 4 hours
It is now 1 p.m and I've been travelling for 4 hours and have just arrived. The journey was quite exhausting so I say: "I'm tired because I've just been travelling for 4 hours.
At 4 p.m I'm still ...
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Present Perfect vs Present Perfect continuous tense differences
What is the difference in meaning between these two sentences?
He has been studying in the same class for the last three years.
and
He has studied in the same class for the last three years.
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Is it idiomatic to write “have been having a holiday”?
Is it idiomatic to use "have been having a holiday"?
We have had a vacation since last week. / We have been on vacation since last week.
We have been having a vacation since last week.
Are ...
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Have you been riding your bike? Focus on activity?
What have you been doing during lock down? Have you been riding your bike or going for walks?
Does this mean someone has ridden their bike multiple times or not necessarily? Or is the present perfect ...
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"Until now I have been living in the city for a year" or "until now I had been living in the city for a year"?
Could you tell what tense I use after until now in the following context: the present perfect continuous or the past perfect continuous?
I have finally moved to the countryside. Untill now I have ...
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It smells like someone has smoked here or it smells like someone has been smoking here
I have come across reviews of hotels where people state that:
"The hotelroom smells like someone has smoked there".
I thought that "someone has smoked there" means that smoking has ...
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Tense agreement when one recent activity is interrupted by another
I wrote this sentence but I'm not convinced the tenses are correct.
I've been waiting for this book for a few weeks, and it has just come out
In the first clause, I used present perfect continuous ...
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Can both "running for" and "running to" be used with the present perfect continuous?
I have a question about the following sentences, which both refer to a single occasion:
Why are you out of breath?
I have been running for the bus. (uttered when entering the bus)
Why are ...
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How to use grammar book examples in real life
English grammar books often use these kind of examples to explain the difference between the use of the present perfect simple and progressive:
"I can see you have painted your room, it looks great!" ...
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Is it right to say "I have started to watch" or better to say "I have been watching"?
Here are my sentences.
I have been watching football since 2010 World Cup, and I liked players like Drogba, Lampard, and after World Cup, I have started to watch Premier League.
Is it right to say &...
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Am I criticizing by saying this?
If I visit someone in the middle of the day and they look like they have just woken up, can I say, "Have you been sleeping?" or does that sound like I am criticizing? Should I just say, “Were you ...
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Present Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous in the same sentence
Can I use both Present Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous in the same sentence?
Apparently the army had been trying to advance last night but has been stopped by the enemy.
The reasons:
Present ...
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Using "just" with Present Perfect Continuos
We can say:
We have already made the decision.
We have already been learning English for a half of a year.
Thus, I may use "just" either with Present Perfect/Past Perfect and Present ...
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have been thinking / have thought
I have been thinking about you
Would mean that currently I am still thinking about her but we do not have a period.
I have been thinking about you since I met you.
This sentence implies I'm still ...
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present perfect tense vs Present perfect continous tense usage
1)I have been waiting to do this for a long time.
2)I have waited to do this for a long time.
Which one is correct? If both are correct, what is the difference in meaning between them??
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"have been playing" or "have played"?
Which phrase is more grammatically correct?
1) I have been playing cricket for last 2 years.
Or
2) I have played cricket for last 2 years.
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Present perfect tense vs Present perfect continous tense
I have eaten food for two hours.
I have been eating food for two hours.
Are both sentences correct? Do they mean same thing that, "They started eating two hours back and eating even now" ? ...
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I have been buying a car this week
I have come across a clip where someone says: "I have been buying a car this week". He bought the car for less than the asking price and is very pleased. Then he continues to explain the ...
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