Hello I'm Emma from mmmEnglish!
A couple of weeks ago, I created a lesson about the
What it looks like, how to use it
I talked about when to use the present perfect
simple tense and when to use the past simple tense.
Now if you missed it, you can check it out right here.
But after watching that lesson, many of you asked me
"So when do we use the present perfect simple tense
the present perfect continuous tense?"
"So when do you use these words 'since' and 'for'?"
Now, both of these questions are really important
the present perfect tense in English.
So, in this video I'm going to answer
This channel is all about speaking and communicating
of these common grammar errors
is an important part of helping you to feel
confident when you're using English so that when you
do speak, you can express yourself clearly
So let's start by talking about the
and the present perfect continuous tense.
So this is the present perfect simple tense.
We have the auxiliary verb, have, with our main verb
They have been eating the pizza.
Now this is the present perfect continuous tense.
We still have the auxiliary verb, have,
but now we have the word, been,
and our main verb in a continuous or progressive form.
So when you compare these two sentences,
the main difference is that the first one
tells us that the action finished in the past,
there is no more pizza, now in the present.
- the present perfect continuous tense -
suggests that there is still pizza left now.
They haven't eaten all of the pizza
yet.
We can use either of these tenses to talk about events
but they're somehow connected to the present.
So this is an action that happened in the past but
it's important to the present because
we don't have a car right now.
We're focused on the result when we're using
She's been borrowing our car every Thursday.
Now, this sentence suggests that the action
she'll probably borrow the car again.
So here, our focus is on the action.
Now the present perfect continuous is your best choice
when the focus is on an activity that is unfinished.
So let's compare another example.
I've searched the internet for more information .
that you're not searching anymore.
The action finished in the past
but it's important to the present
because right now, in this moment,
we don't have the information.
I've been searching the internet for more information.
This sentence suggests that you're still doing it,
you're still looking for the information now.
We've written an essay about climate change.
It's in the past, we've already completed it.
we wrote an essay about climate change
but to connect it to the present and make it
you need to use the present perfect tense.
Think about if you were with a group of scientists
and you wanted to demonstrate to them or
show them that you were knowledgeable
about the topic of climate change.
You can connect your past experience to the present
using the present perfect tense.
Writing the essay is part of your life experience now.
We've been writing an essay about climate change
suggests that you're still doing it.
The essay is not finished yet,
you're still working on it at the moment, in the present.
This is an unfinished action - I'm still doing it.
The continuous form makes it clear
that the action is still happening.
I'm still studying in this moment.
By using the present perfect tense here,
it suggests that the action happened regularly
in the past, but that it doesn't happen in the moment.
But by using this tense - not the past simple tense -
I'm suggesting that somehow it's meaningful or relevant
I'm not studying it at the moment
a little more difficult to explain and understand.
There are a few verbs in English
where the difference between the present perfect simple
and the present perfect continuous is less clear.
But I'm going to try and explain it for you now.
I've lived here for five years.
I'm from Melbourne originally,
but I've been living here for five years.
So both of these sentences use the adverb, for,
to give us more information about
how long the action has been happening for,
But to understand the difference, we need to think about
these examples in slightly different ways.
The present perfect simple, I have lived
suggests that the action is a permanent thing.
The present perfect continuous
often tells us that the action is a more temporary thing.
somewhere else, in the future.
Okay, how do you feel about the present perfect simple
and the present perfect continuous tenses now?
Now, we're going to focus on those two adverbs
that you can use with these tenses.
Now there's quite a few adverbs that you can use
with the present perfect tenses
yet,
But in this lesson, we're going to focus on for and since.
Both of these words are used with the
present perfect tenses and the past perfect tenses.
And both of these words explain how long
something has been happening for,
So when you're using the present perfect tense
and you want to give more information about
the amount of time that the action's been happening for,
you can use the words "for" and "since".
Now it's important to remember that the word "since"
can only be used with the perfect tenses
but the word "for", can be used in other tenses as well
when you want to give more information about the time
So these two important words can be easily confused,
is a very common mistake for English learners.
We use the word "for" with a period of time,
Okay so like, three days, this is a period of time.
So I want to show you on a timeline how this works.
This is today. This is Sunday.
And this point in our timeline is Thursday.
This is when the action happened
So the focus is on this period of time, here.
For periods of time, we need to use "for".
Even though we're not talking about a specific
this reference refers to a period of time,
So we still need to use "for".
Now let's add this to some of the examples in the
We have lived in London for six years.
He has borrowed my car for three days.
They've been waiting for an hour.
Now, you need to use "since" with a specific moment
in the past - with a specific point in time.
So let's go back to our timeline to talk about it.
So today's Sunday, here we are on Sunday
and this is the point when the action happened
so we can say that we've been doing the action
So the focus is on the point in time
when the action happened or it began.
Since 1992.
So let's add "since" to the present perfect structure.
I have lived here since I was a child.
I've been working here since April.
They've been waiting since 9:00 a.m.
I've had these pens since I was at school!
I've been expecting the parcel since last Tuesday!
These structures with "for" and since are really useful
when answering questions that start with "how long"
How long have you been travelling?
I've been travelling since June.
I've been travelling for 3 months.
So make sure that you're always listening for the clues
then you can use these words "for" and "since"
to give your answers in the present perfect.
Well that's it for this lesson!
Even though the present perfect tenses
be patient while you're perfecting it.
Don't just use the past simple tense because it's easier.
I want you to really take the time to practice the present
perfect, because it allows you to be so much more
And the more often that you do it,
the more naturally it will come to you.
So make sure that you subscribe to this channel
I make new lessons every week.
To keep practising with the present perfect tenses,
watch this playlist here because I've been making
a few lessons about the present perfect recently.
But you can also explore other lessons, right here.
Thanks for watching and I'll see you in the next lesson