We can use the Present Perfect for longer actions which started in the past and are still happening.
I have lived in Vienna for two years.
(I was in Vienna two years ago. I am still in Vienna now.)
I have worked for this company for over two years.
We use the present perfect to show that an action happened during a period of time up to now.
I’ve only seen six tigers.
(In my life up to now.)
Have you been to Denmark?
(In your life up to now.)
This means that we can use the present perfect for actions where the time has not yet finished.
Thursday: I’ve seen two films this week.
(The week has not finished yet.)
We use the Present Perfect for an action that happened in the past and may happen again. We can show that something will not happen again by using the past simple.
I have been to the Moscow State Circus.
(And may go again.)
Compare:
I went to the circus last year.
(Now it has left and I can’t go again.)
◆BEEN and GONE
He has gone to Spain. (He has left and is still there.)
He has been to Spain. (He has visited and come back.)
He has been in Spain for a week. (He left a week ago and is still there.)
5. We can use the Present Perfect with the following “time guides”: just, already, yet, always, ever, never, often, lately, of late, recently, so far, up to now, repeatedly.
Hello, have you just arrived?
I have already started my new job.
We haven’t seen George recently.
They haven’t had any problems so far.
6. We use the Present Perfect after a superlative.
What a boring film! It’s the most boring film I’ve ever seen.
7. We use the Present Perfect with This is the first time…, It’s the first time….
Ron is driving a car. It’s his first time behind the wheel of a car. This is the first time he has driven a car.
Is this the first time you’ve been in hospital?
8. We use the Present Perfect with for + length of time and since + a time in the past. We use the Present Perfect to ask or say how long something has been happening up to now. We use the Past Indefinite to say when something happened.
How long have you been here? - I have been here for two weeks.
I have been here since Monday.
We do not use for in expressions with all (all day / all morning / all week / all my life etc.)
I’ve lived here all my life.
◆In the clause introduced by since the Past Indefinite is used to indicate the starting point of an action.
Your daughter has become a real beauty since I saw her last.
◆Note the structure How long is it since…?
-How long is it since you had a holiday?
-It’s two hours since I had a holiday. (I haven’t had a holiday for two years.)
It’s ages since Tom visited us. (He hasn’t visited us for ages.)
THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
I. The formation of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense
The Present Perfect Continuous is formed by means of the Present Perfect of the auxiliary verb to be and Participle I of the notional verb. Participle I is formed by adding the suffix -ing to the stem of the verb.
In the interrogative formthe first auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
In the negative formthe negative particle not is placed after the first auxiliary verb.
| Affirmative | Negative | ||
| I have been working | I have not been working | ||
| You have been working | You have not been working | ||
| He/she/it has been working | He/she/it has not been working | ||
| We have been working | We have not been working | ||
| They have been working | They have not been working | ||
| Interrogative | |||
| Have I been working? | |||
| Have you been working? | |||
| Has he/she/it been working? | |||
| Have we been working? | |||
| Have they been working? | |||
II. The contracted affirmative forms are:
I’ve been working
He’s been working
You’ve been working
The contracted negative forms are:
I haven’t been working
He hasn’t been working
You’ve been working
The negative-interrogative forms are:
Has he not been working?
Hasn’t he been working?
Have you not been working?
Haven’t you been working?
III.The use of the Present Perfect Continuous
We use the Present Perfect Continuous for action that started in the past and is still happening. Usually if the action started a few minutes or hours ago, we use the Present Perfect Continuous, and if it has been happening for longer, we can use either the simple or continuous form.
I have been studying for three hours.
(I started studying three hours ago and I am still studying.)
They have been living in Paris for three years.
(They have lived in Paris for three years, and are still there.)