· В некоторых случаях разницы в употреблении этих времен нет. Сравните:
I’ ve played the piano since I was a boy. – I’ ve been playing the piano since I was a boy.
How long have you worked in the office? – How long have you been working in the office?
· Present Perfect употребляется в том случае, когда мы имеем в виду краткое действие, Present Perfect Continuous подчеркивает длительность действия.
I’ ve cut my finger. (One short action)
I’ ve been cutting firewood. (Perhaps over several hours)
· Present Perfect употребляется для обозначения законченного действия:
I’ ve painted the kitchen and now I’m doing the bathroom.
· Present Perfect Continuous обозначает незаконченное действие, поэтому не может употребляться в предложениях, в которых есть количественный результат:
I ’ve been reading all day. I’ ve read ten chapters.
She’ s been smoking since she arrived. She ’s had 12 already.
· Present Perfect Continuous иногда употребляется, чтобы подчеркнуть временность, непостоянство данного действия:
We’re staying with friends until we find our own place to live. We’ve been living with them for six weeks.
· Некоторые глаголы, как правило, не употребляются во временах Continuous. К ним относятся глаголы, выражающие восприятия органов чувств (to see, to hear, to feel, to watch), эмоциональные восприятия (to like, to hate, to love, to dislike, to want…), умственные восприятия (to think, to understand, to know …), а также глаголы to be, to have. Эти глаголы употребляются только в Present Perfect.
I haven’t seen Ann for a long time.
She’ s had a lot of things to do since she began working here.
Ex. 1. Complete the sentences using the Present Perfect Continuous tense.
1. I’m tired. I (play) tennis all afternoon. 2. The Smiths (live) in Stratford for nearly 3 years. 3. It’s time to do your homework. You (watch) television since 10 o’clock. 4. A friend of mine (learn) English for nearly 4 years, but she still doesn’t speak it well. 5. It (rain) all day. 6. Greg speaks French like a native. He (learn) it since childhood. 7. They are nervous and angry. They (wait) for a bus for over an hour. 8. We can’t drive a car today because of a snowstorm. It (snow) since Monday. 9. My feet are killing me. I (do shopping) all day. 10. Martin has bought a new computer. He (save up) money for two years. 11. Helen’s eyes are red and puffy. She (cry). 12. Something (go on). She (not, answer) my letters. 13. You look hot. – Yes, I (play) tennis. 14. You (sleep) for the last ten hours.
Ex. 2. Form negative sentences.
1. George doesn’t look very tired. I think he (work) too hard. 2. Kevin and Angela (talk) to each other for more than a week. 3. There’s no need to apologize. We (wait) here for hours. 4. Unfortunately, I cant’ play the piano as well as I used to. I (practice) for over 5 years. 5. It (rain) all morning. 6. I don’t know Moscow well. I (live) here for very long.
Ex. 3. Make the sentences general questions.
1. I (think) it over all night. 2. We (do) nothing to help him. 3. Emma (play) chess almost all her life. 4. The Lloyds (live) here for a long time. 5. Fred (not, read) the paper since 5 o’clock. 6. You (not, collect) stamps for years. 7. I (look) for the cat everywhere. 8. Henry (tell) Kate the truth about poor old George. 9. Lucy (prepare) for her exam since April. 10. You (run). You are out of breath.
Ex. 4. Ask alternative questions.
1. He (learn) Italian / Spanish since last year? 2. Your brother (play) football / hockey since he was 7? 3. She (read) a romantic novel / a detective story all night? 4. The children (lie in the sun / swim in the sea) all day? 5. It (rain) since yesterday / early morning? 6. You (stay in the hotel / with your relatives) since you arrived here? 7. He (wait) for Helen / Victor? 8. Jack (do) his homework for two / three hours? 9. You (talk) with Mike / Nick about this affair? 10. Granny (knit) a sweater / a pullover since March?
Ex. 5. Complete these conversations using Present Perfect Continuous.
| 1. A (What / Tom / do?) B: (talk on the phone.) A: (Who / he / talk to?) B: (talk to Mary.) 3. A: (What / you / do?) B: (write a letter.) A: (Who / you / write to?) B: (write to my parents.) | 2. A: (What / the kids / do?) B. (play computer games.) A: (How long / they / play?) B: (all evening.) 4. A: (Where / she / work?) B: (in London.) A. (Which company / she / work for? B. (for Coca-Cola.) |
Ex. 6. Ask questions about the information in italics.
1. They (play) basketball for an hour. 2. His sister (take) dancing classes. 3. The children (stay) in the street because their mother has lost the key to the front door. 4. My mother (read) a fascinating novel. 5. Our distant relatives (stay) with us for a while. 6. We (play) tennis since 10 a.m. 7. A friend of hers (drive ) a Volvo for two years. 8. I (look after) their children for a week. 9. Peter (look through) the mail since breakfast. 10. You (us e) this computer for three years. 11. They (watch) you for the last few days. 12. She (tell) you all this to make you realize the truth.