Leisure time:

Lesson 4
To express situations or events using present perfect
simple and continuous.

13 April 2022
• How often do you watch films?
• How do you watch them: at the cinema,
on live TV, or online?
• Are some types of film better to watch at
the cinema than on TV?
 Present perfect simple
• We form the present perfect simple like this:
have / has + past participle

We use it:
• For an action that began in the past and is still in progress.
• We often use for or since to say how long the action has been in progress, particularly when it is a long time.
I’ve lived in this house since I was a child.

• For an action that has recently been in progress, when we want to make clear that it is now completed.
I’ve done my homework. Let’s go out!

• With verbs that we do not use in continuous tenses (have, own, know, like, believe, etc.)
She’s had that car for years.
She’s been having that car for years.
 Present perfect continuous
• We form the present perfect continuous like this:
have / has been + -ing
We’ve been doing housework all day.

We use it:
• For an action that began in the past and is still in progress.
• We often use for or since to say how long.
I’ve been learning English since 2010.

• For an action that has recently been in progress and which explains the current situation.
I’ve been tidying my room. It looks a lot better now.

• For an action that has happened repeatedly during a recent period.

I’ve been getting a lot of junk emails recently.
Present perfect simple vs Present perfect continuous
Present perfect simple Present perfect continuous

Finished actions Unfinished actions

The kids have played for two hours. The kids have been playing since the morning.

Permanent actions Temporary actions.

I’ve taught English for 12 years. I have been teaching this class for two hours.

Emphasis on the result Emphasis on the duration

He has repaired the car. He’s been repairing the car for two hours.

How much/many How long

She’s read ten books this summer. She’s been reading that book all day.

Evidence
That grass looks wet. Has it been raining?

Sometimes we can use either form and the meaning

is the same:
I’ve lived here for 20 years.
I’ve been living here for 20 years.
 Practice
Choose the correct phrase.

1. I love that film. I’ve seen / I’ve been seeing it three times!
2. She’s got some great ideas for her book, but she hasn’t written / hasn’t been writing it yet.
3. Sorry, I’m late. How long have you waited / have you been waiting?
4. My mum often works abroad. This week, she’s worked / she’s been working in Paris.
5. Don’t take my plate away. I haven’t finished / haven’t been finishing my lunch!
6. We’ve got / We’ve been getting ready for the party. We still need to decorate the room.
7. Can you speak more slowly? I haven’t understood / haven’t been understanding everything.
Speaking time!
How have you been spending
your days off recently?
How many times have you met
How long have you been your best friend this years?
working in your present job?
Have you thought what you are
going to do your next holidays?
How long have you been dating
What was your last job? with your current girlfriend?

Have you recently been writing

How long have you known your
more or less emails than usual? How long have you been living
best friend?
where you live now?

How many hours have you Have you made any new friends
spend writing emails/texts so far recently?
this week? How many different places have
you lived in your life?