Today or LetThemTalkTV.
A grammar lesson for you.
We're going to compare the present perfect with the present perfect continuous.
These two tenses are often confused.
I'm going to go through
an explanation of the grammar, and then with the help of Jon
from English with Monty, we're going to look at some examples
and some common mistakes in the context of a real conversation.
Are you ready?
Let's go.
Present Perfect is actually a past tense.
We use it to talk about completed actions
that occurred at a non specified time in the past.
So for example, I've read Harry Potter.
I don't say when I've read it.
We've met before.
We also used to present perfect with unfinished actions
that started in the past that continue up until the present.
So, for example, we've known each other for a long time.
I've had this phone for one year.
The present perfect continuous.
We also use for actions that started in the past
and are still continuing in the present.
So for example, she's been playing video games for hours.
I've been trying to find the answer for 20 minutes and I still don't know.
And we also use it for recently completed actions
that have a consequence on the present.
Sometimes to give explanations as to
why things are how they are.
So let's have a look at an example of that.
I'm exhausted because I've been working all day.
Her hair is wet because it's been raining.
The children have mud on their clothes.
Why? Well, they've been playing in the garden.
There are some verbs that don't use or rarely use the present
perfect continuous.
And in order to understand this, we need to look
at the two types of verbs we use in English.
And these are stative verbs and action verbs.
Stative verbs are verbs of states,
feelings, senses and emotions.
So, for example, like, love, hate, know, have, belong.
These verbs are rarely used in the continuous form.
I say rarely
Because you might find some exceptions.
So an example of a stative verb is to know
I have known Jon for a long time.
I have been knowing Jon.
No, I've liked ice cream since I was a young child
I've been liking? No.
This land has belonged to our family for generations.
Action verbs can take the present
perfect continuous, though they don't always.
Now, here's some examples.
I've been writing this thesis for six weeks and I still haven't finished.
I've been digging a hole in the garden for the last hour.
I've been watching TV all evening.
However, many action
verbs that refer to a one off action rather than a continuous action
will usually take the present perfect.
So, for example, to open. It's an action verb, you can say I am opening,
but we say I've opened the door and not I've been opening the door
because usually when you open something, it's a single gesture.
I've been opening the door for 10 minutes now.
That's unlikely.
Another of these verbs is to fall.
For example, Nykolai has fallen over.
To fall is an action verb.
But when you fall, it's usually just one motion.
So you use it with the.
Presents perfect. He's fallen over.
and not has been falling over.
Some verbs can be a stative verb.
And an action verb with different meanings.
So for example, the verb to feel
when it's used to talk about your wellbeing.
It's an action verb.
I've been feeling tired today. When you use it to talk about your opinion.
On the other hand, it's a stative verb.
I've always felt that we should do more to help the environment.
The verb to have is also like that for possession.
It's a stative
Verb.
I've had this watch since my grandfather passed away.
But you can use HAVE to mean the passing of time.
For example, we've been having
a lot of fun together.
Haven't we?
Sometimes a verb can be used with a present perfect
or a present perfect, continuous with a difference in meaning.
And sometimes the difference is quite small.
So for example, what's the difference between I've
bought fruit and I've been buying fruit?
If you use the present perfect, then it's about the result of the process.
I've bought lots of fruit and now we can make a fruit salad
and we use the present perfect continuous
to talk about the process itself
and how this touches on the present.
In this case, the actual buying and perhaps on its impact
on something else and not the results, which is a shopping bag full of fruits.
I'll give you an example
to make it clearer
Hey, why didn't you come to the yoga class today?
Well, I've been buying fruit all morning for the party,
so I didn't have time.
Now, there are a few verbs which might be active
or stative with a very small difference.
But you could use both most common, all the verbs to live and work.
For example, I've been living in Mexico City for five years.
Or I've lived in Mexico City for five years.
Which is correct?
Well, you might hear both.
There is perhaps a nuance
of a difference in meaning.
If the speaker is trying to indicate that it's a state,
something pretty permanent, then he'd use the present.
Perfect.
So, for example, I've lived in this town all my life.
But if it's clearly a temporary, ongoing,
changing situation, you'd use a present, perfect, continuous.
I've been [living] in this.
Airbnb for two weeks.
The verb to work also works in this way.
I've worked here for a long time. Okay.
I've been working here for a long time.
Both are possible.
But you might say I've worked here since I left school.
That sounds a bit more like a state rather than something changing.
But as I said, you will hear both.
There are perhaps other verbs he could use in this way.
Okay.
Just depends on how you feel about a situation.
So the verb to play, for example, could be used in the present perfect or present
Perfect continuous.
I've been playing the piano for two years.
I played the piano since I was a child.
So the second sentence just sounds a bit more permanent.
That it's a part of you is a part of who you are
and not something that's just arisen or is always changing.
Now I'm here with Jon from English with Monty.
say hello, Jon.
Hello, everybody.
Hello, Gideon
And we're going to look at the difference between the present perfect
and perfect continuous, and we're going to look at some questions.
My first question is for you.
Okay. What's the difference between.
I have
cleaned my room and I've been cleaning my room.
Ooh. So I would say I have cleaned
my room is something that's just recently finished, just recently happened here.
And you can see I've been cleaning my room like you're dead
tired and you're like
Why are you so tired? I've been cleaning my room
It's such a weird example because you never clean your room.
How do you know? I've seen it..
So. So it's like, oh, I've cleaned my room
oh, I've been cleaning my room all day and I'm
Exhausted. Exactly.
So you've got questions for me?
I have got a question for you.
So have you seen Penelope
or have you been seeing.
That's interesting, because here
SEE has different meanings
if it's used as a stative verb
or it's used as an action verb.
And I've seen Penelope.
Yes, just over there.
I've just I've just seen Penelop
She's walking out the post office yet to buy a stamp.
Stamp just one stamp
And if you see in the continuous sense, it means that you are having
a relationship with that person.
So I've been seeing Penelope for six months.
Means we've been dating for six months.
Okay. Okay.
Now, that's quite an important difference.
It is, isn't it?
Because I think there are just a few verbs, have a different meaning
if they use in the continuous or in the
As a stative verb. I couldn't say I've been seeing
this film.
You can't say.
No, no, I've I've been seeing my coffee a long time.
No way.
It doesn't only works in the relationship, I think that as well.
Okay. Okay.
Next one, if I say, Jon,
have you drunk coffee and Jon, have you been drinking coffee?
What will be the difference?
So I have just recently had a coffee.
Have you drunk coffee? Yeah, I've just had it
Yeah, I've been drinking coffee. I'm.
buzzing
you've got coffee stains shirt
I'd say have you been drinking coffee?
You're buzzing as you say. Exactly. Yeah.
Have you drunk coffee? Because we can go and get one.
Mm hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So that would be the difference, wouldn't it?
Next question.
So you've been reading that book for a while now.
Yeah.
Okay.
So generally I've been reading this book.
You haven't finished it.
If I've read the book means you finished the book.
Yes. Good.
So it's possible the action is completed with the present, but you can use.
So, for example, Hey what have you been doing today?
I've been reading this book all day.
I've just finished it a few minutes ago so it could be finished.
But normal situation situations I've been reading this book means it's not finished yet
So. Yeah.
So I guess it's a consequence on the present, isn't it?
So, yeah.
What have you been doing? I've been doing this.
Exactly. Exactly.
Yeah. Consequence on the present
Yeah. Okay.
What about the verb to think?
I've thought.
And I've been thinking because they have slightly different meanings.
The continuous and present
perfect. They do. Yeah.
So I have been thinking about buying a motorhome.
Is that right? Yeah. Is that right? Yeah.
Traveling around the British Isles in my motorhome.
Nice.
With my dog Archibald.
Archibald. Oh, no, he's okay.
Yeah.
And I
have often thought that dogs make very good companions.
Okay.
Good example. Yeah.
So I've been thinking it's about an idea
to have and
have thought is about a belief.
Yes, it is.
And so I've been thinking about ...changing my job
it's I've been thinking about stopping making videos with you
otherwise.
I'm fine. I've often thought that you're a good guest.
Thank you.
These videos.
I've often thought you were a good, good host.
I've seen that you've got you've you have a language book in your bag.
Have you been learning Portuguese?
I have been learning Portuguese.
Okay. For a few weeks.
A few weeks.
It's a wonderful language. Excellent.
And I just have a reading ability.
I can't speak it well, but yes,
I think if you
if you're learning something and it's
and it's not finished, you continue to use the present perfect, continuous.
I think that's what you're trying to say, isn't it?
That's what I'm trying to say, yes.
But if you say I have learned, it means that you have completed the tasks.
So yeah, I have learned how to operate a video camera.
I'll check later.
So now, Jon,
we can look at a couple of very common mistakes and it's the difference
between the present perfect continuous and the present continuous.
So I teach in Paris and one mistake I hear all the time,
I guess comes with the French language, but I think it's across many languages.
But someone will say to me, for example, I am living in Paris for two years.
That's not correct.
As if that's not correct,
you would you would say I have been living in Paris for two years.
Yeah.
If we are connecting
the past to the present.
That's why you use the
present perfect continuous.
Exactly.
So with the present continuous you would say, for example,
I am living in Paris because I am living in Paris now.
Exactly. Yeah.
I am drinking coffee.
Yeah. We are filming at the moment. Yeah.
Or also we could use it for the future, couldn't we?
We're meeting for coffee tomorrow.
Yeah, exactly.
So and the other mistake which is basically the same thing, but just to.
when you have the police passing here every 20 seconds.
And then another mistake which is linked to this one is
this is basically the same thing that I hear them say.
I am learning English for five years.
Mm hmm. That's not right.
It's not right. No, I have been learning from.
Yeah, same reason, isn't it?
Yeah.
So I've waited for the bus
since one hour, is that correct?
That is not correct.
I would say I've been waiting for the bus for one hour.
Oh, why is that?
Well, since would be a fixed point in time.
In the past.
So I could say I have been waiting since 12:00.
That would be correct.
And in terms of the continuous form,
I would use the continuous form because it's it's an action.
It's a continuous action.
It started in the past.
It's happening now. It's still continuing. So you've got to use the present perfect
continuous wait is an action verb
Yeah, definitely.
And I just added
that little extra mistake about since and for because it's so common.
It is very common that that's not really the subject of this video.
But in the past.
No, not since one hour. Not during one hour.
during before a noun for duration of time.
use for. Yes.
Yeah, that's a common mistake.
Okay, Jon, you've been very helpful.
Have you learned something from Jon? Yeah.
Thanks for coming. you're welcome.
Well, see you guys in the next video.