Present perfect simple and continuous

Do you know the difference between We've painted the room and We've been painting the room?

Look at these examples to see how the present perfect simple and continuous are used.

• We've painted the bathroom.

• She's been training for a half-marathon.

• I've had three coffees already today!

• They've been waiting for hours.

Explanation

We use the present perfect simple with action verbs to emphasise the completion of an event in the recent past.

We use the present perfect continuous to talk about ongoing events or activities which started at a time in the past and are still continuing up until now.

Sometimes we can use either form and the meaning is the same:

• I’ve lived here for 20 years.

• I’ve been living here for 20 years.

We use both the present perfect simple (have or has + past participle) and the present perfect continuous (have or has + been + -ing form) to talk about past actions or states which are still connected to the present.

Focusing on result or activity

The present perfect simple usually focuses on the result of the activity in some way, and the present perfect continuous usually focuses on the activity itself in some way.

Ongoing states and actions

We often use for, since and how long with the present perfect simple to talk about ongoing states.

• How long have you known each other?

• We've known each other since we were at school.

We often use for, since and how long with the present perfect continuous to talk about ongoing single or repeated actions.

• How long have they been playing tennis?

• They've been playing tennis for an hour.

• They've been playing tennis every Sunday for years.

Sometimes the present perfect continuous can emphasise that a situation is temporary.

• I usually go to the gym on the High Street, but it's closed for repairs at the moment so I've been going to the one in the shopping centre.