Actions recently finished : Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous

Question

Hello everyone!I'm trying to learn the present perfect continuous, and I've managed it so far.But... I've some issues with this use of the present perfect continuous : Past actions recently stopped / finishedHere's a sentence :I have been looking over your resume and I have to say I'm very impressed.I wonder whether I can use the present perfect and what's the difference between :-&gt; I have been looking over your resume and I have to say I'm very impressed.-&gt; I have (just) looked over your resume and I have to say I'm very impressed.What's the difference (in the meaning) between those two sentences?? ... I don't understand because the present perfect continuous is usually used with actions still ongoing, right? So, why can I see some people use this form in this context : "recently stopped"..?.. I mean, the present perfect simple is used in this context as well, isn't it? "recently stopped with results now". Therefore... what's the difference? When should I use the continuous form and the simple form?Look at this sentence from a lesson :I have been waiting for you for half an hour! I'm not waiting anymore because you have come=&gt; The lesson says : Use this tense (present perfect continuous) also to talk about actions that began in the past and have recently stopped.What about 'I have (just) waited for you...'=&gt; To sum up : my question is : when we talk about an activity that has finished (recently) and has some results now, what should I use? The present perfect simple or continuous? I don't see what differences they have (in this use) :/I'm quite lost Hope you'll can help me.Thanks in advance,Arobaz

Lady Yofiel · Accepted Answer

Arobaz I have been looking over your resume and I have to say I'm very impressed.

The way he used "Have been" means that he's been looking over his resume some time ago. "Have" could mean that he's been looking over his resume multiple or continuous times.

ArobazI have (just) looked over your resume and I have to say I'm very impressed.

The way he used "Just" looked over his resume could mean that he JUST looked over it not to long ago.

There's a difference between the two, it's just a matter of wording. I hope this helps.

Arobaz · Answer

Thank you for your answer Lady Yofiel.

So, when I use the present perfect continuous for talking about 'actions recently stopped', it emphasizes on the duration? How I have spent my time.. maybe. No matter what whether I have finished to look over. But I don't understand why the lesson says : We can see the results now.

Whereas, the present perfect simple would emphasize on the results, and it may suggest : 'I know what it contains now' ?

And I've got other sentences :

'I've been cooking dinner'

and

'I've cooked dinner'

Any guess ? :/

For me, it's kind of tough to see the differences

, Sorry about that :/, but I try all the same.

Thanks you very much!

Lady Yofiel · Answer

Arobaz'I've been cooking dinner'

This means that the person IS cooking dinner right now. "Been" is the context clue in this sentence which allows the reader to know that the person is cooking dinner now. "Cooking" is also another clue. Because "cook" has an "ing" "cooking" it lets you know that dinner is in the process of being cooked.

Arobaz'I've cooked dinner'

"Cooked" is the context clue in this sentence , which allows the reader to know that dinner has been cooked. Dinner is already made.

Arobaz · Answer

Thank so much, and yes, it helps me

So, just another question if you can ^^

With these two sentences, what's the differences :

• I've played the piano all my life.
• I've been playing the piano all my life

The two sentences talk about actions that started in the part and continue up to now. But, I don't see any differences... Maybe there aren't any differences... maybe, there are. :/

Any guess about this case?

Thank you so much again

AlpheccaStars · Answer

ArobazI have been waiting for you for half an hour!

Someone who is very annoyed at you would say this. The tone of voice would tell the level of frustration of waiting so long. The waiting just ended, though.
The continuous form stresses the duration of the activity.
The present perfect is not used very much for the verb "wait."

Yesterday I waited a half an hour for you, and then left. I'm sorry we missed each seeing other. (I am not angry at you.)
Yesterday I waited and waited and waited for you. Finally I gave up and left. (I am frustrated!)

CalifJim · Answer

Arobazthe difference between :-> I have been looking over your resume and I have to say I'm very impressed.-> I have (just) looked over your resume and I have to say I'm very impressed.

have been looking focuses on the activity. The speaker is thinking in terms of the activity of looking, conceptualized as on-going in time.
have looked focuses on the event. The speaker is thinking in terms of the act of looking, conceptualized as one event.

By the way, the example with "have been cooking" and "have cooked" works the same way. have been cooking is the activity; have cooked is the act (event).

ArobazI have been waiting for you for half an hour! I'm not waiting anymore because you have come ... What about 'I have (just) waited for you...'

Waiting is inherently something that is on-going in time, so only have been waiting sounds correct to me in this context. have waited is still possible, however, in some contexts. Suppose, for example, that we want to talk about several episodes of waiting events.

I have waited in line at City Hall every time I've gone there.

Arobazwhen we talk about an activity that has finished (recently) and has some results now, what should I use?

I think you'll find that most of the time you'll need the present perfect continuous, but it really depends on what you yourself wish to focus on. If you are thinking of the situation more as an event than an activity, the present perfect simple may be better. In any case, don't put stative verbs in continuous tenses. For example, never write something like "I have been knowing her for years". That's not correct.

CJ

Arobaz · Answer

Thank you so much =)

So, according to your thoughts, the sentence with have been looking might mean : "I was looking over your resume when you knocked at the door" ? (and if you hadn't come, I would go on)

And by the way,

I've read that we can say : 'What have you been doing (today)?' instead of the mythical 'What have you done (today)?' and I must admit that I'm totally lost with that use! Why to use it like that?

But thank you so much for helping me!!! :-)

CalifJim · Answer

ArobazSo, according to your thoughts, the sentence with have been looking might mean : "I was looking over your resume when you knocked at the door" ? (and if you hadn't come, I would go on)

No, it can't meanall that! Let's say it more accurately. The sentence would be used appropriately if it were used in a situation such as you describe.

ArobazI've read that we can say : 'What have you been doing (today)?' instead of the mythical 'What have you done (today)?'

I can't imagine why anyone would say that either one of those is wrong.

What have you [done / been doing] today? Correct either way. The continuous is more common.

However, if you leave out 'today':

What have you been doing? Used to ask what activities someone has been participating in lately.
What have you done? Restricted, for the most part, to expressing surprise or dismay in a somewhat accusatory vein about something done. (You hear a loud noise in the kitchen. You run to the kitchen and see broken glass all over the floor and your daughter standing there. You say, "What have you done?" in an accusatory tone of voice.)

CJ

Arobaz · Answer

Ok thank you =)

But 'what have you been doing today' means that you ask someone on how he has occupy his spare time? / how he has spent his time?

Another sentence where I don't see the differences so much between : lol

- Who have you talked to?

- Who have you been talking to?

The latter would stress why somebody was talking to someone for so long?.. or I'm wrong maybe..

And as well :

- Why have you been talking to him?

- Why have you talked to him?

However, here, I don't see the difference at all

I hope you'll can enlighten me on that =)

Thanks in advance

Actions recently finished : Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous

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