PRESENT PERFECT AND P. PERFECT CONTINUOUS

PRESENT PERFECT

• We normally use the Present perfect    when we are thinking about past events together with their present results.

              I can’t come to the party because I've broken my leg

(We could often change  a simple Present  Perfect into a Present Simple with a similar meaning. ( My leg is broken) . Mary has just had a baby. (Mary has a baby).

• Grammars say that the Present perfect  can't be used with expressions of definite time. That is,  we have to say : I have seen him or I saw him yesterday but not I have seen him yesterday. In fact, these structures are unusual but not impossible

                   Police have arrested more than 800 people on Friday and Saturday.

• Recently, some British newspapers have started using the Simple Past for smaller news announcements- probably to save space. This is common practice in American English.
• Some grammars say that the Present perfect can’t be used with expressions referring to “definite “time. This is confusing because it is not used with finished time expressions but very common with definite time expressions..

                I’ve lived here for exactly 3 years , seven months and two days.

The choice between Simple Present Perfect and Simple past doesn’t depend on finished actions  but it has a lot to do with  finished time periods

              The cat has eaten your supper - finished action- Present perfect

The choice doesn’t depend either on whether events are recent. But on whether we are concerned about its present results.

The French Revolution has influenced many radical movements in Europe since 1800 ( 200-year-old event)

Ann phoned five minutes ago. ( very recent event)

• We use the Present perfect in sentences constructed with this/that/it is the first/second/only/best/worst …etc

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS.

• Both can be used to talk about situations which started in the past and are still going on. But the Present perfect continuous has an “up to now” focus. It is common for situations that are just coming to an end or may change, or when we are talking about how long a situation has lasted.

I have violin lessons every two weeks

I have been having violin lessons every 2 weeks but I Think I’ll make it every week from now on.

It has been raining since Xmas.

• Both can be used to talk about recent actions that have present results. But there is an important difference: the Present perfect Progressive focus on the action, situation itself, looking at its continuous, extended activity (not necessarily finished) . The Present perfect looks more at the ideas of completion and present result.

         I must have a bath. I’ve been gardening all morning (focus on a continuous activity)

              I’ve planted a lot of new roses (focus on result)

                I’ve been reading a book ( focus on a continuous activity)

                 I´ve read you book.

• We use the Present perfect  Progressive to talk about repeated actions and events but  not if we say how often they have happened

                        I’ve been playing tennis recently.

                         I've played 3 matches or I've played three times this week.

• We often prefer the Present perfect Progressive to talk about more temporary actions or situations; when we talk about long –lasting or permanent situations we often prefer the Simple Present perfect.

That man has been standing in the corner all day

For 900 years the castle has stood on that hill

I haven’t been working very well recently

He hasn’t worked for years

I’ve been living in Sue’s flat  for the last month.

My parents have lived in Pravia all their lives