Present perfect and present perfect continuous

The present perfect simple describes actions that started in the past and connect

to the present. These actions are usually finished or completed, but are still true now.

a) I have written twenty books. (past action true today)

These actions can either be completed at an unknown time in the past, or a

completed action which directly affects the present result.

b) My father has travelled all over the world. (Unknown time)

c) I have just got home after a very long and tiring day. (present result)

Another reason to use the present perfect is to describe a series of events that occur

until the present moment. We have just flown through three countries.

d) We have just flown through three countries, so we are exhausted. (series).

The present perfect continuous describes an action that has been repeated from

the past and stops just before the present moment.

a) I have been tidying up after you all day, please keep the house clean!

b) The boys are wet because they have just been playing football in the rain.

It can also describe an action that has been continuing from a point in the past until

this moment. The action is not usually finished or complete.

c) I have been reading the same book for two years!

d) My friends have been telling me to cut my hair for ages.

Exercise 1

Change the form of the word in brackets so that it best fits the meaning of the

sentence. It could either be positive or negative.

a) ……………………………… (work) in my company for three years.

b) ……………………………… (cycle) for three weeks because I sprained my ankle.

c) They ……………………………… (listen) to their favourite radio show every

Sunday morning for twenty years.

d) That house is haunted. Nobody ……………………………… (live) in it for over thirty

years.

e) There are only two people ……………………………… (walk) on the moon.

f) My mother ……………………………… (nag) me to get married since I turned 25.

g) My friends and I ……………………………… (go) to dinner at the same restaurant

every Saturday for the last 5 years.

h) My family ……………………………… (have) a pet since our family dog died many

years ago.