Present Perfect Simple & Present Perfect Continuous

What tense gives importance to the completion and result of an action?

• PRESENT PERFECT

• PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

What tense gives importance to the process and duration of an action?

• PRESENTT PERFECT SIMPLE

• PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Look! ... that window.

• Somebody has broken

• Somebody has been breaking

Answer explanation

It's a completed action.

You look tired. ... hard?

• Have you been working

• Have you worked

Answer explanation

Action that happened until now. You can show its effect now (you look tired).

‘ ... in a factory?’ ‘No, never.’

• Have you ever been working

• Have you ever worked

Answer explanation

They're asking about a completed action.

My brother is an actor. ... in several films.

• He's been appearing

• He's appeared

Answer explanation

We're talking about a past experience and it's completed.

Are you OK? You look as if ... .

• you've been crying

• you've cried

Answer explanation

The action continued until now and we can see the effects of the past action in the present (she has been crying).

The children are tired now. ... in the garden.

• They have played

• They have been playing

Answer explanation

The action continued until now. We can see the effects of the action (they are tired).

... my phone. ... it?

• I have lost... have you seen...

• I have been losing... have you been seeing...

• I have lost... have you been seeing...

• I have been losing... have you seen...

Answer explanation

I have lost: completed action.

Have you seen...: verbs of the senses don't usually take continuous forms.

... the book you lent me, but

... it yet. It’s really interesting.

• I have been reading... I haven't finished

• I have read... I haven't been finishing

• I have been reading... I haven't been finishing

• I have read... I haven't finished

Answer explanation

I have been reading: focus on the process; I haven't finished: focus on the completion of the action.