Present Perfect Simple or Continuous

The usage of the present perfect simple (have + past participle) and present perfect continuous tenses (have been + gerund) are easy to confuse.

First of all, let’s mention that we use the past simple, which we use for an action completed at a concrete time in the past:

I was there a year ago.

I broke my hand last month.

On the other hand, we use the present perfect simple for an action completed at an unknown time in the past:

I have been here before.

I have broken my hand before.

We also use the present perfect simple for repeated past actions:

I have broken my hand twice.

I have seen a physical therapist a few times.

We can also use the present perfect continuous for repeated past actions:

I have been seeing a physical therapist.

Although it doesn’t always make sense:

I have been breaking my hand.

(you’re not continuously breaking hand over and over again intentioinally!)

We can use both the present perfect simple and the present perfect continuous for a situation or action that began in the past but continues up to now:

I have lived here since I was a child.

I have been living here since I was a child.

It has rained the whole morning.

It has been raining the whole morning.

Notice that the simple tense emphasizes situations:

I have had this car for six years.

I have known him since I high school.

Whereas the continuous form places more emphasis on the actions:

I have been driving for six years.

Beware[1], the continuous tenses doesn’t always make sense[2]:

I have been being here before.

(once you are somewhere, you stay there until you leave)

I have been having this car for six years.

(once something is in your possession, it stays in your possession until you lose it)

I have been knowing him since I left high school.

(once you know someone, you always know them)

So as you can see the present perfect continuous tense shouldn’t be used with state verbs, like be, have or know.

Has this helped? Or has this been helping you?

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[1] cuidado, [2] tener sentido