The use of the Present Perfect Continuous

We use the Present Perfect Continuous:

1. to put an emphasis on the duration of an action that started in the past and continues up to the present, especially with such words: for, since, all day\year, etc.

e.g. Sam has been talking on the phone for half an hour.

2. for an action which started in the past and lasted for some time. The action may have finished or may still be going on. The result of the action is visible in the present.

e.g. Her feet hurt. She has been walking all morning.

3. to express anger, irritation or annoyance.

e.g. You've been telling lies again.

Someone has been giving our plans away.

Note: With certain non-terminative verbs both the Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous are used with no difference in the meaning.

e.g.We've lived/We have been living.

(In the first case the fact is emphasized, in the second - the process)

e.g. He hasn't been sleeping since 6 a.m. ( he has been sleeping but only since 7 or 8 o'clock but not since 6 o'clock).

He hasn't slept since 6 a.m. (he has been all the time awake since 6 o'clock).

Note: The Present Perfect denotes a completed action while with the Present Perfect Continuous there is an implication of incompleteness.

e.g. He has worked in a company all his life/He has been working in the company for three months. (in the 1st case it's more permanent situation, in the 2nd - temporary).

Note: The Present Perfect Continuous is used with the following time expressions: for, since, lately, recently, how long, etc.

The Past Indefinite is a synthetic form which is built up by adding suffix -ed to the stem (regular verbs) or by changing the root vowel, or in some other way (irregular verbs).

The interrogative and negative forms are built up analytically by means of the auxiliary verb to do in the Past Indefinite and the infinitive of the notional verb without particle to.

We use the Past Indefinite:

1. for an action which happened at a definite time in the past. The time is stated, already known or implied

e.g. They went camping by the lake last month.

2. for actions which happened immediately one after another in the past (for a succession of actions)

e.g. Fist she paid the driver then she got out of the taxi.

3. for past habits, regularly repeated actions in the past or past states which are now finished. In such cases we can also use the expression used to

e.g. Kitchens were/used to be very different 100 years ago.

Note: Would expresses regularly repeated actions and routines in the past. It isn’t used for states.

e.g. Mum would always make me a big breakfast.( also Mum used to make…)

4. for repeated actions or events in the past

e.g. We visited Spain three times last year.

5.for permanent, long-termed situations that existed in the past.

e.g. When I was a child I played the piano.

6. for a future actions viewed from the past in adverbial clauses of time an condition.

e.g. He told me that he would call us as soon as he came back home.

Note: The Past Indefinite is used with the following time expressions: yesterday, last year. last week, last month, a second ago, etc.

The Past Continuous is an analytical form which is build up by means of the auxiliary verb to be in the Past Indefinite and the Participle I of the notional verb.

We use the Past Continuous:

1. for an action which was in progress at a stated time in the past.

e.g. At 7 o'clock yesterday they were having dinner.

2. for an action which was in progress when another action interrupted it. We use the Past Continuous for the action in progress (longer action) and the Past Indefinite for the action which interrupted it (shorter action).

e.g. He was walking down the street when he ran into an old friend.

3. for two or more simultaneous past actions.

e.g. She was talking on her mobile phone when she was driving in the car.

4. for a certain state or quality peculiar to a person at a giving moment in the past.

e.g. He knew he was being scientific and restrained.

5. for an actions generally characterizing the person, bringing out his/her typical features. Used with constantly, always, etc. and these words as a rule are found in the emotional speech.

e.g. She was always suffering from a cut or burn.

6. for a future actions viewed from the past. For an action which was supposed to take place in the future due to the previous arrangements.

e.g. Why didn't you tell me that you were studying?

7. to describe an atmosphere, setting, etc. in the introduction to the story before we describe the main events.

e.g. One beautiful autumn afternoon Ben was walking down a quiet country road, the birds were singing and the leaves were rustling in the breeze.

8. with the verb wonder has a polite meaning.

e.g. I was wondering if I could use your phone.

Note: The Past Progressive is used with the following time expressions: while, as, when, all morning/evening, etc.

The Past Perfect is an analytical form which is built up by means of the auxiliary verb to have in the Past Indefinite and Participle II of the notional verb.