General English B2 · Lesson 2A

Grammar Bank

The rules behind this lesson — form, use, model sentences and the mistakes to avoid.

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Grammar focus of this lesson

present perfect simple vs continuous

1 structure

Present perfect simple and continuous
Simple highlights the result; continuous highlights the activity.
I've got this
Rules & form
- ›Simple: have + participle — completed, quantified results (three emails, twice).
- ›Continuous: have been + -ing — duration, ongoing or recent activity.
- ›Both work with for / since; only the simple counts finished actions.
- ›State verbs stay simple: I've known her for years.
Examples
- “I've sent the proposal (result). I've been working on it all week (activity).”
- “She's been calling clients since nine.”
- “They've reduced costs by 12% this quarter.”
Watch out · I've been knowing ✗ — states don't take the continuous.
Your own example