have been working vs have worked

Question

Hello,Following sentences sound the same to me. Is there any difference?1. She has been working since 18th January.2. She has worked since 18th january.

Laborious · Accepted Answer

inelementsIs there any difference?

There's no difference in meaning as far as I can tell. Both of your sentences mean that she started working on the eighteenth of January and is still (an employee at that company / working at that company).

Inelements · Answer

Thank you very much for your help!

Inelements · Answer

Thank you for clarifying.
So, do following sentences mean the same?

1. I have lived in Japan for 12 years.
2. I have been living in Japan for 12 years.

Laborious · Answer

inelementsSo, do following sentences mean the same?

Yes. When verbs such as work or live are used with for + a period of time / since + a point in time, present perfect continuous and present perfect simple are interchangeable.

Effector · Answer

They are essentially the same. But I wouldn't use them to purport the same flow of thought, myself.

If I were still living in Japan (my presence in Japan making up the "12 years"-in question), I'd use "2".
^
The "been" is the cue here.

On the other hand, "lived" would mean "in the past" for me.

As such, In most situations, If I were to "talk about my past" in Japan, then I'd use "1".

But this is just me. In any case, my theory could be reversed as, according to an answer before me, both the sentences purport similar meanings.

You generally need a good understanding of English grammar, only if you need to teach it as a skill to people who don't know the first thing about English. English grammar is a great formula (of sorts) to develop an understanding for the rules of English writing. Otherwise, just practise would do. If I were to take a English grammar test, I'd score zero, no doubt about it. But I scored an 8.5 in my Ielts nearly always, except when I scored 7.5, which was 12 years ago when I was but only 18 years old. If I don't take at least 2 or 3 Ielts test every year, I'd fall sick. Practise, practise, recurrent practise would make you perfect (in English) it in no time.

Laborious · Answer

EffectorIf I were to "talk about my past" in Japan, then I'd use "1".

Hi ..

Don't you think you should use the past simple, instead, If you want to talk about your past in Japan? For eg I lived in Japan for 12 years (once).

Thank you.

Inelements · Answer

Hello,

Thank you for answering!
I'm little confused. So, should I use past simple or present perfect if I talk about the past?

Laborious · Answer

inelementsshould I use past simple or present perfect if I talk about the past?

If you wish to speak of any experience from the past without mentioning a specific / particular time (as we don't use a specific time with the present perfect), then use the present perfect.

If you wish to say that something happened / occurred in a past finished time, then use simple past.

Here're some examples which show the difference between the two tenses:

- Did you eat sushi yesterday? or Did you see this movie last week? (past simple - finished time periods (yesterday and last week))
- Have you ever been to England? ~Yes, I have. / No, I haven't. (No specific time)
- Did you go to England last year? ~Yes, I did. / No, I didn't. (specific time - last year)
- I've (just) finished my work. (present perfect - no specific time)
- I finished my work at 5 PM. (past simple - specific time in the past (5 PM) )

Inelements · Answer

Thank you for the explanation and examples!

have been working vs have worked

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