The present perfect is formed using have (auxiliary) + past participle
The present perfect continuous is formed using have (auxiliary) + been + present participle
I’ve been working all afternoon, but I’ve finished everything now.
It’s important to remember that, when you use the present perfect, you’re making a connection between something in the past and something in the present. If what you’re referring to only relates to the past or the present, then you’ll need to use a different tense.
Experience
When we talk about experience, we’re usually talking about something that happened at an unspecified time in the past. The important thing is that we did it or it happened, and that today we remember the experience of it. This is the connection between the present and the past.
The most typical way you learn to talk about experience on an English course is by using a question including the word ‘ever’:
- Have you ever been to India?
- Have you ever eaten sushi?
- Have you ever tried to cook a paella?
The question is asking for general information, but if you want to give specific details, then you will have to change tenses.
- Yes, I have. I went there on holiday two years ago.
- No, I haven’t. I don’t like fish.
- I’ve tried, but I always get someone else to do it.
Sometimes it can be difficult to see the difference between talking about experience and talking about the present result of something that happened in the past:
My colleague’s been to New York (experience).
My colleague’s gone to New York (he’s there now, not here).
As long as you remember both uses are the present perfect, it doesn’t really matter what category you think a sentence belongs in.
Present result of something that happened in the past
The way we use the present perfect here is self-explanatory and basically the same as Spanish.
Imagine you see a friend in the street, a friend you haven’t seen since you left school years ago. It’s very likely they’ll look different, and the conversation might include sentences like these:
You’ve changed a lot since I last saw you.
You’ve lost a lot of weight.
You’ve had your hair cut again.
When you use the simple, it often refers more to a completed action. The continuous refers more to repeated actions over a period of time:
I’ve been going to the gym.
I’ve been doing lots of exercise.
I’ve been trying lots of different hairstyles.
If you use the present perfect simple, you generally have to supply more information and make a longer sentence. Often with the continuous you can just use the verb:
I’ve worked. I’ve been working.
I’ve watched TV. I’ve been watching TV.
I’ve drunk. I’ve been drinking.
Past continuing into the present
In Spanish we have more than one way of expressing this idea, but in English you have to use the present perfect. It describes a verb action that began in the past and continues into the present and quite possibly into the future.
I’ve lived in Spain for over ten years. (¡Esta frase significa que “hace 10 años que vivo en España!)
My uncle’s been working in the same company for twenty years. (“Mi tío lleva trabajando para la misma empresa 20 años”, o “hace 20 años que trabaja para la misma empresa”.)
Sorry I’m late. Have you been waiting long?
There is sometimes little or no difference between the simple and the continuous ( If both the simple and the continuous are possible, an English speaker will probably use the continuous):
I’ve lived in this flat since 1998 / I’ve been living in this flat since 1998.
My sister’s worked in personnel since she left school / My sister’s been working in personnel since she left school.
Her daughter’s played chess since she was four / Her daughter’s been playing chess since she was four.
The simple can sometimes imply something permanent, while the continuous can refer to something more temporary:
This building has stood in the centre of town for over five centuries.
He’s been standing outside waiting for half an hour.
It has rained on bank holidays for as long as I can remember.
It’s been raining since I got up this morning.
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Some comparisons with Spanish
We (Spanish people) usually use the present perfect to refer to anything that has happened today. We can only do that in English if we are in the same time period:
What have you done this morning? (It’s 11.30 am)
What did you do this morning? (It’s 1.30 pm)
Have you had a nice day? (the day is continuing)
Did you have a nice day at the office? (the day at the office is finished)
If an action is completely finished, even if it happened seconds ago, we use the past simple and not the present perfect. In class it’s not impossible to hear someone ask someone else:
What did he say? → “¿Qué ha dicho?”
The idea of the past continuing into the present often presents problems:
I’ve been working (or I’ve worked) here for five years. → “Llevo cinco años trabajando aquí” o “Trabajo aquí desde hace cinco años.”