Grammar
Tense: Present perfect continuous- Grammar in use
1st Part
Grammar in use
2nd Part
Form
3rd Part
Drills
1st Part
Grammar in use
- Topic : HAVE BEEN + VB-ing
- Skills : Grammar
Use
PRESENT ENONCIATION:
THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS IS A PRESENT TENSE (Le present perfect continu est un temps du présent)
Any action/state in the present perfect has a relationship with the present time even if it is something that happened in the past.
Toute action/ état décrits par le présent perfect continuous ont un lien avec le moment présent même s’ils se sont déroulés dans le passé.
It focuses on the ACTIVITY of a finished or unfinished action/state which has a link to the present time.
Il indique que le sujet s’est livré à une activité qui a laissé des traces visibles dans la situation présente
| FOCUS ON | ACTIONS |
|---|---|
| It has the same uses/values as the present perfect simple, but it focuses on the activity of a subject. Le present perfect continu a les valeurs / emplois du present perfect simple. (Il insiste sur l’activité qui a laissé des traces dans la situation présente.) It will be used to insist on the duration of an activity until now. (Il sera utilisé pour insister sur la durée d’une action jusqu’à maintenant.) | He has worked here since 1990. He knows everybody in the firm. (constat/bilan : résultat- grâce à son expérience, il connait tout le monde). |
| It is not used with verbs of opinion (to think : to feel/ to understand/ to assume etc …or ‘state ‘verbs like to love, like, hate etc… ….cf present simple) for they do not describe any activity. It is not used with ten times, once, twice (expressions of quantity which focus,on the result of an action) | He has been working in this firm for ten years! (on insiste sur l’activité- on peut également sous -entendre un commentaire sur le sujet : ex : il en a assez ou il doit maîtriser le sujet !….) . |
Adverbs and phrases used with the Present perfect
| Lately (récemment) | ever | just | By now | Since (début action) |
| recently | never | today | For (durée) | |
| before | This week/ this month.. | Over the past few years/days/months | ||
| already | By now |