The Present Tenses

Unfinished time (today, this week, this month, this year) – I’ve ridden my bicycle today.

A finished action with a present result – I’ve lost my keys (so I can’t open the door).

Recent past with the words ‘just’, ‘recently’, ‘already’ and ‘yet’ – I’ve just spoken to Mark on the phone.

 
However, keep in mind that when we give more details in a sentence – and explain things like when, who, where, who, and why – we change the tense we use to the past simple.
Here is an example:
-Have you ever been to Scotland?
-Yes I went there for a week when I was ten years old.

Present Perfect Simple Activity

Look at the activity below. First complete each gap with an appropriate past participle. Then answer the questions in the present perfect simple.

4. Present Perfect Continuous

The present perfect continuous is the last of the present tenses. It is used to talk about an action that started in the past but perhaps has still not finished in the present. The focus is on the process as well as the result. The process may be still going, or may have recently finished.

Form

Use the auxiliary verb have/has + been + base verb + ing to form the present perfect continuous. Let’s take a look at the verb “read”:

Note that the verbs “live” and “work” can be used with either present perfect simple, or present perfect continuous without changing the meaning.
Also note you cannot use stative verbs with continuous tenses. For these, we use the present perfect simple.

Uses & Examples

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  Actions that started in the past and continue in the present – I’ve been watching Game of Thrones.
  
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  To emphasise the duration or ’how long’ (with for and since) – Henry has been playing the violin since he was eight.
  
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