Question:
I'm from Argentina and I'm learning English by myself. I'm trying to focus
in British English.
I need help with the Present Perfect and the Present Perfect Progressive
(continuous) tenses.
I'd like to read some examples and hints about this topic, if that were
possible.
I'm not very sure about when I must use P.P.S. or P.P.P.
Answer:
Do you want the only sensible explanation of the difference?
Here it is:
With regards activities and time, the Present Perfect can be used in two
different ways:
1: To describe a continuous action that started or happened in the recent
past, and is connected to now.
-- "I have worked as a plumber for three years" (I am still a plumber now,
and might continue to work as a plumber in the future).
2: To describe a series of actions as if they are a single activity, which
is either connected to or conditionally spans now.
-- "I have worked as a plumber for three years" (I do not now work as a
plumber, but I might work as a plumber again in the future).
The Present Perfect Continuous can only be used as in '1', above. It is not
used as in '2'.
And that's it. There is no other difference. Ignore any statements you may
read in half-arsed texts about "the Present Perfect Continuous indicates
that time has passed", or "the Present Perfect Continuous states that the
action is recent"; they only serve to confuse, as the Present Perfect also
indicates that time has passed, and can also state that the action is
recent.
The Present Perfect Continuous is an almost complete waste of time, because
it does nothing that the Present Perfect cannot do.
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