The difference between the present perfect and the present perfect continuous. Using the Present Perfect in simple language

I have broken my pencil. I broke my pencil. (The speaker means to report a specific result of the action have broken, namely, that the pencil is broken. He could also express this with the sentence: My pencil is broken. My pencil is broken.)

Main use case Present Perfect Continuous - expression of a long-term action that began in the past and is still taking place at the present time. In this case the time period during which the action is performed is always specified (for an hour, for a month, for a long time, since yesterday, etc.) .

I have been waiting for my brother for a long time. I've been waiting for my brother for a long time.
He has been teaching English since 1999. He has been teaching English since 1999.

From the above examples it is clear that the Present Perfect Continuous can express both an action occurring at the moment of speech (example one), and an action that is ordinary, constant, characteristic of the subject, i.e. what is happening in general (example two). If the examples did not indicate how long the action took, then instead of the Present Perfect Continuous one should use the Present Continuous (i.e., it would be simply an action taking place at the time of speech) or the Present Simple (an ordinary action characteristic of the subject).

I am waiting for my brother. I'm waiting for my brother.
He teaches English. He teaches English.

Present Perfect Continuous is also used for expressions of long-term action that began in the past and ended immediately before the moment of speech. In this case The period of time during which the action was performed may or may not be specified.

I feel tired as I have been working in the garden for several hours. I feel tired because... worked in the garden for several hours.

Although the sun is shining, it is still cold as it has been raining hard. Although the sun is shining, it is still cold because... It was raining heavily.

Let's present all of the above in the form of a table:

Can Present Perfect Continuous and Present Perfect replace each other?

He has been living in London for five years. = He has lived in London for five years.
He has lived in London for five years.

He has been teaching English since 1999. = He has taught English since 1999.
He has been teaching English since 1999.

With verbs that are not used in the tenses of the Continuous group (to be, to love, to have, to know, etc.), the Present Perfect is used instead of the Present Perfect Continuous.

She has known him for two years. She has known him for two years.

“similar” times using examples from TV series and movies. This time we’ll take a rather complex pair: Present Perfect and Past Simple. And the legendary “Friends” will act as a provider of examples.

I’ll Be There For You: difference between past simple and present perfect

The difficulty with these tenses for us is that often both tenses are translated into Russian the same way. For example:

I’ve already seen that film – I have already saw This movie.
I saw him yesterday – I saw him yesterday.

Why then different times?! What is the difference between Past Simple and Present Perfect?! There are several ways to understand it forever.

1. Understand logic. I suggest two assistants. First: . As a second assistant, I highly recommend watching a video that clearly explains the logic of using the Present Perfect in comparison with the Past Simple.

You can start watching from 3:59. Personally, I liked the analogy with the curtain and examples from the Russian language: verbs went And left.

2. Practice! At one time, when I was struggling with these times, older comrades said: if you start using the Present Perfect, the understanding will come to your mind - you will “feel” this time. So keep the exercises on and (free workouts available after registration).

3. Remember the cases of using both tenses. This article will help you. The fact is that, despite all the difficulties, the Present Perfect has a list of cases of obligatory use, which is quite memorable. Use the Present Perfect in this number of cases, and the Past Simple in the rest, and everyone will understand you.

Now let's find examples for the main use cases of both tenses.

We Were On a Break! The first difference between Present Perfect and Past Simple

The Past Simple is used to express a completed past action when a specific time is specified, for example: yesterday, last week, on Sunday, an hour ago, long ago, the other day, in 1990.

Season 1 episode 7. Chandler is stuck in the ATM lobby with model Jill Goodacre. In a phone conversation, Jill tells her mom that she's stuck with "some guy," and Chandler begins to fantasize and say to himself:

Chandler: Oh! Some guy. Some guy. 'Hey Jill, I saw you with some guy last night. (Oh, some guy. Some guy. ‘Hey, Jill, I saw you with some guy last night.’)

Chandler imagines Jill being told that they saw her with some guy last night. The exact time is given - the Past Simple is used.

Now let's find the same verb, but in the Present Perfect. Let's jump to season 10, episode 7 and take Chandler's line again. A call rings in his and Monica's apartment, Chandler picks up the phone and then asks Monica if she has seen Joe's bat:

Chandler: Have you seen Joey's bat? (Have you seen Joe's bat?)

This time the time is not indicated, and it is not important - the main result is: did Monica see the bat, and therefore, does she know where the desired object is.

SUMMARY:

How do you do? Second difference between Past Simple and Present Perfect

We said that if time is indicated, then we use the Past Simple. BUT! Please note: this must be a complete period of time.

Let's look at examples. Season 1 episode 4. Rachel, Monica and Phoebe reminisce about their past misdeeds. Monica remembers Rachel's 7th grade:

Monica: Well, at least ‘big girls’ don’t pee in their pants in seventh grade! (Well, at least 'big girls' don't pee their pants in 7th grade!)
Rachel: I was laughing! You made me laugh! (I laughed! You made me laugh!)

The girls talk about a long-past period of life: 7th grade. Past Simple is used.

The Present Perfect is used if the time has not yet ended: this week / month/ year, two months / years, since Monday / 2000 / 5 a.m. Also with words like: ever, never, in my life, keeping in mind that life is also a period of time that has not ended. 🙂

The very first episode. Rachel ran away from her fiancé and is enjoying the start of a new, independent life, an indicator of which, as it seems to her, is that she made the coffee herself:

Rachel: Isn't this amazing? I mean, I have never made coffee before in my entire life. (Isn't that amazing? I mean, I've never made coffee in my life).

Remember these markers for the Present Perfect: just, already, yet, ever, never, this week / month / year, two months / years, since Monday / 2000 / 5 a.m. etc.

SUMMARY:

Oh...My...God! How to distinguish Present Perfect from Past Simple

Let's name another difference, which, this time, focuses on logic rather than on some time markers. When we use the Past Simple, we talk about the past, which is not related to the present tense. The situation may have changed since then, for example: I lost my key, but I found it the next day(I lost my keys, but found them the next day).

When we use the Present Perfect we are talking about something that happened in the past but is relevant now. For example, if you were explaining why you can’t get into the house now: I have lost my key(that is, you don’t have the key now, the situation has not changed, the key is lost).

Let's find examples in the series. Season 1, episode 19. Ross leaves his monkey Marcel in the care of Rachel, who loses him. All his friends are looking for him, and in the end, not without difficulty, they find him. Rachel still feels guilty about this incident:

Rachel: Oh, Ross, c'mon. It’s my fault, I almost lost your... (Ross, stop it. It's only my fault I almost lost yours...)
Ross: Yeah, but you were the one who got him back, y’know? You were great. (Yeah, but you were the one who brought him back, you know? You were great.)

The monkey has already been found. The fact that Rachel lost her is already history and has nothing to do with now.

Reverse example. Season 9, episode 20. Ross meets his new colleagues - Professor Wheeler (it turned out that this is a charming girl - Charlie) and Professor Spafford. The second one turns out to be an incredible bore and constantly talks about his many allergies. They sit together in a cafe, and when Spafford goes to the restroom, Ross states:

Ross: I've lost the will to live. (I lost the desire to live).

Ross’s phrase is still relevant: right now he’s so bored that he doesn’t want to live...

SUMMARY:

Va fa a Napoli: what is the difference between Present Perfect and Past Simple

I’ll add about 2 more cases of using the Present Perfect.

First: when we talk about an action that began in the past and is still ongoing in the present.

“But for this case it is used !!!», - you will object.

And you'll be right. But the Present Perfect Continuous is replaced by the Present Perfect if the verb cannot have the Continuous form. These are verbs like to like, to love, to wish, to sound, to need, to believe and etc.

Let's return to episode 7 of season 1 to Chandler stuck in the lobby. He makes friends with his famous partner in misfortune, and she teaches him to rotate a pen around his head. But Chandler just can't do it.

Jill: Chandler, we've been here for an hour doing this! Now watch, it's easy. (Chandler, we've been doing this here for an hour! Look, it's so easy!)

Jill couldn't say: We've been being here... Therefore, the Perfect form was used instead of the Perfect Continuous.

SUMMARY:

Second: to describe actions that were repeated several times.

We will find an example again in the first season, this time in episode 14. Joe persuades Chandler to go on a double date with him, because his companion will come with her friend. This friend turns out to be (Oh my God!) Janice - the girl Chandler is constantly trying to get rid of.

Joey: Just calm down. (Just calm down)
Chandler: Calm down? You set me up with the woman that I've been dumped twice in the last five months! (Calm down? You set me up with a woman I've dumped twice in the last 5 months!)

BUT! Do not confuse this with listing DIFFERENT sequential actions in the past. In this case we will use the Past Simple.

Season 3. The same Chandler, oddly enough, already in love with Janice, tells his friends how his meeting with his beloved went:

Chandler: …. And then I... threw the bag of barley at her, and ran out of the store. (And then I... threw a bag of barley at her and ran out of the store).

Chandler lists sequential actions he has taken in the past.

SUMMARY:

Present Perfect and Past Simple: comparison table

Let's summarize and put all use cases in one table.

It's time to practice: Present Perfect vs Past Simple

In Russian grammar, for example, such opposition does not exist. Using Present Perfect instead of Past Simple conversely, students make mistakes due to the fact that both tenses express a past action that ended before the present moment. In Russian, in such situations, the past tense of the perfect verb is used. For example:

Vasya was born in 1990.
Vasya was born in a local hospital.

Vasya went to school in 1996.
Vasya went to school.

Yesterday Vasya ate the whole cake.
Vasya ate the whole cake.

For our brother, all verbs are in the past tense. After all, in the Russian language the emphasis is on the fact that the action has already happened!

In English, it is very important to indicate the completion or incompleteness of an action, as well as the relation of the action to the present moment (whether the result of the action exists or not).

Let's look again at our examples from the point of view of an English-speaking interlocutor:

Vasya was born in 1990. = Completed action in the past, indicating exactly when the action took place (1990).
Vasya was born in a local hospital. = Result: maybe Vasya is only 2 days old and is being taken home today.

Vasya went to school in 1996.= A completed action in the past, indicating exactly when the action occurred (1996).
Vasya went to school.= Result: Vasya is a schoolboy.

Yesterday Vasya ate the whole cake. = Completed action in the past, where exactly when the action occurred (yesterday) is indicated.
Vasya ate the whole cake. = Result: No cake!

Or another example:

What do we get in such cases?

The result is important in the present: We use the Present Perfect.

The action is cut off from the present by indicating a moment in the past: Past Simple or Past Indefinite is used.

The Present Perfect indicates an action from the past that is connected to the present through a result that exists in the present.

Past Simple expresses an action that took place in the past, and also states the fact that an event occurred in the past. Past Simple is widely used when describing events that took place in the past, or in conversations about past events.

Signal words:

Here is a cheat sheet and a reminder at the same time:

1) Present Perfect is never used with such designations of past moments as yesterday, last week, an hour ago, at five o’clock, etc. The Past Simple is used with them.

2) If these adverbs are present, then they are used rather with the Present Perfect:

Ever (ever)
- already (already)
- before (before)
- never (never)
- yet (yet)
- not yet (not yet)
- since (since)
- for (during)
- just (just now)
- recently (recently)
- rarely (rarely)
- lately (lately)
- so far (for now)

3) If the question begins with when, use the Past Simple rather than the Present Perfect. When indicates that the question is about a past moment.

Now let's pay attention to the formation of these two times:

At the end of the story, we offer you a translation of examples from Vasya:

Vasya was born in 1990.
Vasya has been born at a local hospital.

Vasya started school in 1996.
Vasya has started school.

Vasya at the whole cake yesterday.
Vasya has eaten the whole cake.

For English language learners, the difference between Present Perfect and Past Simple has been and remains one of the most common difficulties in mastering English verb tenses. Let's discuss the difference between these two crucial times.

In Russian grammar, for example, such opposition does not exist. Using Present Perfect instead of Past Simple conversely, students make mistakes due to the fact that both tenses express a past action that ended before the present moment. In Russian, in such situations, the past tense of the perfect verb is used. For example:

Vasya was born in 1990.
Vasya was born in a local hospital.

Vasya went to school in 1996.
Vasya went to school.

Yesterday Vasya ate the whole cake.
Vasya ate the whole cake.

For our brother, all verbs are in the past tense. After all, in the Russian language the emphasis is on the fact that the action has already happened!

In English, it is very important to indicate the completion or incompleteness of an action, as well as the relation of the action to the present moment (whether the result of the action exists or not).

Let's look again at our examples from the point of view of an English-speaking interlocutor:

Vasya was born in 1990. = Completed action in the past, indicating exactly when the action took place (1990).
Vasya was born in a local hospital. = Result: maybe Vasya is only 2 days old and is being taken home today.

Vasya went to school in 1996.= A completed action in the past, indicating exactly when the action occurred (1996).
Vasya went to school.= Result: Vasya is a schoolboy.

Yesterday Vasya ate the whole cake. = Completed action in the past, where exactly when the action occurred (yesterday) is indicated.
Vasya ate the whole cake. = Result: No cake!

Or another example:

The action is cut off from the present by indicating a moment in the past: Past Simple or Past Indefinite is used.

The Present Perfect indicates an action from the past that is connected to the present through a result that exists in the present.

Past Simple expresses an action that took place in the past, and also states the fact that an event occurred in the past. Past Simple is widely used when describing events that took place in the past, or in conversations about past events.

Here is a cheat sheet and a reminder at the same time:

1) Present Perfect is never used with such designations of past moments as yesterday, last week, an hour ago, at five o'clock, etc. Past Simple is used with them.

2) If these adverbs are present, then they are used rather with the Present Perfect:

Ever (ever)
- already (already)
- before (before)
- never (never)
- yet (yet)
- not yet (not yet)
- since (since)
- for (during)
- just (just now)
- recently (recently)
- rarely (rarely)
- lately (lately)
- so far (for now)

3) If the question begins with when, use the Past Simple rather than the Present Perfect. When indicates that the question is about a past moment.

Now let's pay attention to the formation of these two times:

At the end of the story I offer you look at this text and work with English tenses. All times are highlighted in a different color.

By the way, here is a translation of the examples with Vasya:

Vasya was born in 1990.
Vasya has been born at a local hospital.

Vasya started school in 1996.
Vasya has started school.

Vasya at the whole cake yesterday.
Vasya has eaten the whole cake.

I was constantly confused about English tenses, and it was very difficult for me to understand in what cases to use this unfortunate Present Perfect. Today I will try to explain as clearly and simply as possible in what cases it is necessary to use the Present Perfect, and not some other English tenses.

Uncertain time in the past

We use the Present Perfect to say that an event happened at an unspecified point in the past. That is, we do not say when exactly this happened. We only say that it happened in the past. It is not necessary to name a specific time. You cannot use the Present Perfect with expressions such as yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, and so on. And with expressions that do not name a specific moment in time, the Present Perfect should be used. These are expressions ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, and so on.

Let's look at a few examples:

I have seen that movie twenty times.(I've seen this movie 20 times).

I think I have met him once before.(I think I met him once).

There have been many earthquakes in California.(There have been many earthquakes in California).

People have traveled to the Moon.(People have flown to the moon).

People have not traveled to Mars.(People didn't go to Mars).

Have you read the book yet?(Haven't you read this book yet?)

Nobody has ever climbed that mountain.(No one has ever climbed that mountain.)

A: Has there ever been a war in Russia?(Has Russia ever had a war?)

B: Yes, there has been a war in Russia.(Yes, there was a war in Russia).

Note that none of the examples specified a specific point in time.

Still, such a formulation as “uncertain point in time” may not be clear to you. Let's then divide the use of the Present Perfect by topic.

1. Mentioning someone's experience

You can use the present perfect tense when talking about your experience. This is the same as the phrase " I have the experience of…“Accordingly, if you have not had a similar experience to this day, you can say so using the same tense. However, you cannot mention a specific event using the Present Perfect.

I have been to France.(This means that you have had experience in France. You may have been there once, or perhaps several times).
I have been to France three times.(You can put “times” at the end of the sentence as many times as you like).
I have never been to France.(This states that you have no experience of traveling to France.)
I think I have seen that movie before. I've seen this movie before (You've already had this experience).
He has never traveled by train. He has never traveled by train (no such experience)
Joan has studied two foreign languages. Joan learned two foreign languages. (She knows them now).
A: Have did you ever meet him?(Have you met him?)
B: No, I have not met him.(No, I haven’t.)

2. Changes that have occurred over a certain period of time

You have grown since the last time I saw you.(You have grown since the last time I saw you.)
The government has become more interested in arts education.(The state has become more interested in arts education.)
Japanese has become one of the most popular courses at the university since the Asian studies program was established.(Japanese has become a popular language in universities since the advent of Asian studies programs.)
My English has really improved since I moved to Australia.(I have improved my English noticeably since moving to Australia.)

3. Achievements

The Present Perfect is used when we mention the achievements of a person or humanity. But we don’t name a specific moment.

Man has walked on the Moon.(Man landed on the moon.)

Our son has learned how to read.(Our son learned to read.)

Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.(Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.)

Scientists have split the atom.(Scientists split the atom.)

4. An event that we are waiting for has not yet occurred

By using the present incomplete tense we mean that we are waiting for some event to happen.

James has not finished his homework yet.(James didn't finish his homework.)

Susan hasn't mastered Japanese, but she can communicate.(Susan has not yet become an expert in Japanese, but she can communicate.)

Bill has still not arrived. (Bill hasn't arrived yet.)

The train hasn't stopped.(The train did not stop.)

5. Multiple actions at different times

We use the Present Perfect to talk about events that happened several times at different times in the past. The use of this particular time indicates that the process has not yet ended and may happen again.

For example:

The army has attacked that city five times.(The army attacked the city several times.)

I have had four quizzes and five tests so far this semester.(I had four quizzes and five tests this semester.)

We have had many major problems while working on this project.(We had a lot of big problems while working on the project.)

She has talked to several specialists about her problem, but nobody knows why she is sick.(She has talked to several specialists about her problem, but no one knows what is wrong with her.)

Expressing time with the Present Perfect

Let me remind you once again that the use of the Present Perfect characterizes some time in the past. It is not so important to name any exact moment in time. Sometimes we want to limit the period of time in the past when talking about our own or other people's experiences.

For example:

Have were you to Mexico in the last year? Have you been to Mexico at least once in the past year?

I have seen that movie six times in the last year. I've watched this movie 6 times over the past year.

They have had three tests in the last week. They had 3 tests last week.

She graduated from university less than three years ago. She has worked for three different companies so far. She graduated from university less than three years ago. During this time she worked for three different companies.

My car has broken down three times this week. This week my car broke down 3 times.

IMPORTANT NOTICE. "Last year" And "in the last year" have different meanings. "Last year" means "last year", which is a specific point in time, so the Past Simple is used. “in the last year” is 365 days ago, that is, on any of these days. This does not imply a specific point in time, which is why the Present Perfect is used.

I went to Mexico last year. I went to Mexico last year (a year ago).

I have been to Mexico in the last year. I have been to Mexico on at least one of the 365 days between now and last.

Duration from past to present

Relevant for verbs that do not form an ing form (non-continuous verbs), as well as for mixed verbs. In this case, we use the Present Perfect to denote events that began in the past and are still ongoing. “For five minutes,” “for two weeks,” and “since Tuesday” are all expressions that can be used with the present perfect tense.

I have had a cold for two weeks. I've been sick with a cold for two weeks. Got sick in the past, but still continues to get sick.

She has been in England for six months. She has been in England for 6 months. She arrived last year and hasn't left yet.
Mary has loved chocolate since she was a little girl. Mary has loved chocolate since childhood.

Sometimes verbs that form ing forms can be used with the Present Perfect: For example, the verbs “live,” “work,” “teach,” and “study.”