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Hachi8 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

have done & have been doing

What's your image/interpretation for the difference between "I have studied English for five years." and "I have been studying English for five years."? My images are that the former means like "The person finished five-year long English study in the past/already" and that the latter means like "The person is still studying English, and this is the 5th year since he/she started studying English." Am I wrong?
  

Top answer

"? The former means he may or may not still be studying. The latter means that he is still studying.

— Mister Micawber

  • "?
  • The former means he may or may not still be studying.
  • The latter means that he is still studying.
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9 Answers
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hachi8What's your image/interpretation for the difference between "I have studied English for five years." and "I have been studying English for five years."?
The former means he may or may not still be studying. The latter means that he is still studying.
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Both imply that you are still studying English, or possibly that you are just finishing your studies now. "I have been studying English for five years" feels more "engaged", and, I would say, a bit more natural.
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Mister MicawberThe former means he may or may not still be studying. The latter means that he is still studying.
So you would say "I have studied English for five years" if you stopped, say, a year ago? In that case, I think I would always say "I studied English for five years".
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GPYIn that case, I think I would always say "I studied English for five years".
That's what I was thinking too at first, but theoretically the experiential present perfect should also be possible. Couldn't you put something like that on a resume, for example?

Or, similarly,

— What have you done with your life?
— Well, for one thing, I've
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CalifJimthe experiential present perfect should also be possible.
Yes, that was my intent. (The 'for 5 years' doesn't make any difference to my ear.)
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How about these, teachers? Could they be used to talk about our experience of living in XYZ? Which of the sentences given below are ungrammatical or unnatural to you, please?

- I have lived in California once for 5 years.
- I have lived in California before for 5 years.
- I have lived in California once/before for 5 years in the ni
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CalifJimOr does the "for five years" spoil it for you?
For sure, that's the issue that I perceive. "I have studied English" by itself is fine in that sense.
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Califjim, your sentence 'I have lived in China for five years' shows experience(in a life) , right?
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tenjing Califjim, your sentence 'I have lived in China for five years' shows experience(in a life) , right?
Yes. That's right.

CJ
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