Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous?

Exercise 1 – Result or duration

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous)

1. I (play) have been playing football for five years.

2. My team (win / only) have only won two matches so far.
3. The others (be / always) have been always being better.
4. Are we not there yet? We (walk) for hours.
5. But we (cover / only) have only covered an area of five miles so far.
6. I (finish/just) have just finished my homework.
7. I (work) have been working on this essay since two o'clock.
8. Jane (go out) has been going out with Bob for seven years.
9. Martin (date) have dated three girls this week.
10. How long (wait / you) have you been waiting for us?
11. A: (you / play / ever) Have you ever played tennis?
12. B: I (play / only) have played tennis once or twice. And you?
13. A: I (learn) have been learning tennis for two years.
14. B: (you / take)Have you taken part in any competitions yet?
15. A: I (participate)_have participated in four contests this year.
16. B: (you / win) Have you been winning any prizes so far?
17. A: No, I (win / not) haven’t won anything yet. I'm not that good yet. (you / enter / ever)
Have you ever entered a contest?
18. B: I (swim) have been swimming for seven years and I (receive / already) have already
received some trophies.

Exercise 2 – Certain verbs

Use the verbs in Present Perfect Continuous, if possible. If it is not possible, use the Present
Perfect Simple.

1. We (know) have known them for 15 years.

2. They (watch) have been watching TV for 3 hours.
3. He (have) has been having this car for 20 years.
4. We (work) have been working for 7 hours without a break.
5. How long (you / learn) have you been learning English?
6. Mr Smith (be) has been in hospital for 5 days.
7. Steven (hear) has been hearing a mouse squeak all night.
8. (you / see) Have you seen Brona?
9. She (prepare) has been preparing dinner for two hours.
10. Don't worry, they (touch / not) haven’t touched your gameboy.
 Exercise 3 – Completion or Duration

Which form is correct (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous)?

1. We want to tell how we have spent our time:

a) We have played football.
b) We have been playing football.

2. The action is completed now:

a) Charlie has sent the letter.
b) Charlie has been sending the letter.

3. I want to tell how I have spent my time:

a) I have watched TV.
b) I have been watching TV.

4. I want to emphasise that the door is open now:

a) Elizabeth has opened the door.
b) Elizabeth has been opening the door.

5. I want to emphasise that the house is ready now:

a) My friends have built a house.
b) My friends have been building a house.

Now choose what is emphasised…..

6. I have cooked dinner.

a) emphasising that dinner is ready now
b) emphasising how I have spent my time

7. She has been reading a book.

a) emphasising that she has read the book completely
b) emphasising how she has spent her time

8. He has closed all the windows.

a) emphasising that all windows are closed now
b) emphasising how he has spent his time

9. I have tidied up my room.

a) emphasising that the room is tidy now
b) emphasising how I have spent my time

10. We have been swimming.

 a) emphasising, that we are not swimming anymore now
b) emphasising how we have spent our time

Exercise 4 - Result of Side Effect

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous).

1. Why are you out of breath? - I (run) have been running.

2. The toaster is okay again. Dad (repair) has been repairing it.
3. I am so tired, I (work) have worked all day.
4. Your shirt is clean now. Maggie (wash) has washed it.
5. I'm afraid, I'm getting a cold. I (walk) have been walking walking home in the rain.
6. Your clothes smell awful! (you / smoke) Have you been smoking?
7. Peggy is ready for her exam now. I (help) have been helping her preparing for it.
8. It is dark in here because we (close) have closed the curtains. We want to watch a film
and that's better in the dark.
9. His voice is gone now because he has been shouting (shout) all morning.
10. One can see through the windows again. Jane (clean) has been cleannig them.
11. You are absolutely sunburned. You (sit) have been sitting in the sun too long.
12. We can watch the film now. Michael (connect) has connected the DVD player.
13. The room looks much nicer now. I (hang) have hung up some pictures.
14. Freddy is soaken wet. He (wash) has been washing dog.
15. I am not hungry. I (eat / already) have already eaten something.
16. Can I go outside? I (do) have done my homework.
17. My eyes are red because I (cut) have been cutting onions.

Exercise 5 – Since the last time or since the beginning

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous).

1. I (play / not) the computer for half an hour, only for about 5 minutes.
2. Bob (drive / not) hasn’t been driving a car for eight years.
3. Carla (go / not) hasn’t been going on holiday for three years.
4. We (run / not) haven’t run for 40 minutes yet - there are still 10 minutes left.
5. They (smoke / not) have smoked for 10 days now.
6. I (eat / not) haven’t eaten anything since two o'clock.
7. Anna (work / not) hasn’t been working here for five years, but for seven years.
8. I (read / not) haven’t been reading for a long time - just 10 minutes, not more.
9. You (cycle / not) haven’t cycled for two hours. It was only about one hour.
10. Catherine (speak / not) hasn’t been speaking French for 10 years, so her French isn't
very good now.

Exercise 6 – Since the last time or since the beginning

 Put the verbs into the correct tense (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous).

1. Since I bought my car, I (travel / not) _______________by train.

2. He (learn / not) _______________English for two years yet, but he speaks it very well.
3. We (party / not) _______________for a long time, but there's no food left.
4. My sister and her boyfriend (go / not) _______________out together for a long time.
They only met three weeks ago.
5. James (tidy / not) _______________up his room for a long time. It's a complete mess.
6. We (practise / not) _______________for hours - 15 minutes were enough.
7. Louis is absolutely tired as he (sleep / not) _______________well for days.
8. Dana (work / not) _______________for days because she is ill.
9. I (play / not) _______________the piano for ages, so please don't ask me to perform
anything.
10. We (hang / not) _______________about all day, we have helped grandma in the
garden.

Exercise 7 – Mixed Exercises

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous).

1. A: (you / take) _______________the dog for a walk yet?

2. B: I (work) _______________all day. I (come / just) _______________home from work
and I (have / not) _______________the time yet to walk the dog.
3. A: How long (the dog / be) _______________home alone?
4. B: For about 6 hours. You (walk / not) _______________the dog for a long time. Don't
you want to go?
5. A: Well, I (laze / not) _______________about all day either, you know. I have a very
important meeting tomorrow and I still (finish / not) _______________my presentation.
6. B: Okay, I will go then. Where (you / put) _______________collar and leash?
7. A: They are in the kitchen. By the way, (you / eat) _______________anything yet? If
not, could you get us something from the supermarket?
8. A: I (call) _______________ for you for half an hour. Where (be) _______________?
And why are your clothes so dirty?
9. B: I (tidy) _______________ up the shed in the garden.
10. A: (you / find) _______________ a box with old photos there? I (look)
_______________ for it for ages.
11. B: I (discover / not) _______________ it yet, but I (work / not) _______________ for a
long time yet. I (come / just) _______________ in to eat something.
12. A: I (cook / not) _______________ anything yet because I (talk) _______________ to
our neighbour.