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2.31: Review Information - Simple Past Tense, Present Perfect, and Present Perfect Continuous

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    SIMPLE PAST

    Usage: Finished action

    Please note: verbs are highlighted in yellow and keywords/expressions are underlined and bold.

    • She called me yesterday.
    • I met you last week/month/year.
    • I went to S.F. 2 days ago.
    • When did you move here?
    • When I moved here, I lived in Oakland.

     

    PRESENT PERFECT - have/has + past participle

    Usage:

    1. Action started in the past and continues to the present [not finished]

    Since: I have been a teacher since 2001.

    For: I have been a teacher for 9 years.

    How long: How long have you been a teacher?

    2. Repetition

    • I have gone to the library 3 times this week.
    • She has called her mother twice today.

    3. Indefinite/unknown time

    Always:        I have always wanted to learn Spanish.

    Never:         She has never seen a scary movie.

    Ever[?]:       Have you ever been to China?

    Yet[-/?]:      Have you called your friend yet?

    Already[+]:  I have already finished my work.

     

    PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS - have/has + been + verb-ing

    Usages:

    1. Action started in the past, continues to the present + is happening right now:

    • I have been teaching since 12:45 pm today.
    • You have been sitting in your seats since the class began.
    • The sun has been shining for a few hours.

    2. With work / live / study / wear / teach: instead of using present perfect, use present perfect continuous

    Note: Both verb forms are fine with the following sentences but the present perfect continuous is more commonly used.

    • I have studied Spanish for years. → I have been studying Spanish for years.
    • I have lived in California since I moved to the U.S. → I have been living in California since I moved to the U.S.

    ***Do not use the present perfect continuous:

    1. With non-action verbs:

    • She has been wanting to call you. → She has wanted to call you.

    2. With repetition:

    •  I have been going to the library 3 times this week. → I have gone to the library 3 times this week.

    3. With indefinite time:

    • She has already been eating lunch. → She has already eaten lunch.
    • I have never been going to China. →I have never gone to China.

    This page titled 2.31: Review Information - Simple Past Tense, Present Perfect, and Present Perfect Continuous is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Nooshi Borhan.

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