Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous, Present Simple Continuous?
Hi there,
Sometimes I have some problems to distinguish which tenses, quoted above, are the most correct to use in a specific situation.
These are my doubts:

"I've been following a swimming course for 4 years"

"I've followed a swimming course for 4 years"?

Both tenses tell that I started an action in the past, in this case the acting of having swimming lessons, and it still continues in the present, so what's the difference between the two cases? Would it be complety incorrect if I used present preferct instead of present perfect continuous?

An other doubt:

"I'm having a busy day today!"

I'm talking about a countinuous action referred to the present(today),so I'd use present continuous,right?
Yet,I suppose that the reasons that make today a "busy day" happen continuously in the past,so if I specific when the action starts could I use the present perfect countinuous as well?

"I've been having a busy day since I woke up"

I'm having an overdose of neuronsActually I'm a little confused. When I was in school it was said to me by my teacher that present perfect is used for actions that start in the past and still continue in the present,and that this is the difference with the past simple. Now you're saying that I can use it also for an action already ended, even if recently. Up to now, I've thought that the difference between present perfect simple and continuous was that the latter was more focused on the continuety of the action. By the way, thank everybody, you helped me a lot.

Question

Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous, Present Simple Continuous?
Hi there,
Sometimes I have some problems to distinguish which tenses, quoted above, are the most correct to use in a specific situation. 
These are my doubts:

"I've been following a swimming course for 4 years"

"I've followed a swimming course  for 4 years"?

Both tenses tell that I started an action in the past, in this case the acting of having swimming lessons, and it still continues in the present, so what's the difference between the two cases? Would it be complety incorrect if I used present preferct instead of present perfect continuous?

An other doubt:

"I'm having a busy day today!"

I'm talking about a countinuous action referred to the present(today),so I'd use present continuous,right?
Yet,I suppose that the reasons that make today a "busy day" happen continuously in the past,so if I specific when the action starts could I use the present perfect countinuous as well?

"I've been having a busy day since I woke up"

I'm having an overdose of neuronsActually I'm a little confused. When I was in school it was said to me by my teacher that present perfect is used for actions that start in the past and still  continue in the present,and that this is the difference with the past simple. Now you're saying that I can use it also for an action already ended, even if recently. Up to now, I've thought that the difference between present perfect simple and continuous was that the latter was more focused on the continuety of the action. By the way, thank everybody, you helped me a lot.

Answer

1. As @Patrick Călinescu says, the implication of the continuous form is that you are still following the course, while the simple form suggests that you have recently stopped following the course. Please note that this is not always the case with these two tenses, but that is certainly the implication in this particular context. As for whether one or the other would be incorrect, we would need to have the full conversation and background information to say for sure.

As a general rule, the present perfect continuous focuses more on the experience of the activity itself. Compare 'I've been swimming all morning, and I'm exhausted now' to 'I've swum 5 kilometres'.

The continuous form can also suggest a repeated activity. Compare 'I've heard that the staff aren't happy with the new software'  with 'I've been hearing that..... ' The first suggests that you've heard this from one person, while the second suggests that you've heard this from several people.

2. "I'm having a busy day today!"

Yes, that's correct. You are in the middle of a busy day. You are describing what's happening at the current time, so the continuous form is correct.

'I've been having a busy day'.

This is also correct, and there is no need to say 'since I woke up' - this is understood. The only difference is that you might say this later in the day, when the busy period is perhaps coming to an end.

I hope this helps. Keep those neurons busy!

Answer

Both are technically correct technically, however the emphasis is different

"I've been following a swimming course for 4 years" (The stress is on the activity)

"I've followed a swimming course for 4 years" (The stress is on the result of the activity.

I have been following a swimming course for 4 years.The experience has been absolutely enjoyable.

I have followed a swimming course for 4 years. Still, I lose my confidence when I swim in the sea.

Answer

That is very technical! I would say that in these examples either is correct. Neither is wrong. There may be other examples where is does matter which you use, but in these it doesn't.

Answers · 3

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