My life-long question : a Rain story!

Question

Hello,I have  been  wondering  if  there  are  different   meanings             between  two  below :       It  has  rained  for  three  days.                      vs.       It  has  been  raining  for  three  days. The  same meaning  or  not?  I haven't solved this problem yet :    Your helps  are  needed  badly!Thanks,Gooday!

Canadian45 · Accepted Answer

TasmanTiger
It has rained for three days.

It has been raining for three days.

Assuming there is no special context involved, the two sentences have the same meaning and are interchangeable.

They mean that it started raining three days ago and it is still raining.

TasmanTiger · Answer

If  the rain  stopped  a few minutes ago,   are both tenses  still  available?

MichalS · Answer

Hi,

I'm also quite puzzled by this, I must admit. Let me briefly illustrate the point.

We, non-native English speakers, are often taught that we shouldn't really use the present perfect simple with action verbs in this context (an ongoing activity started in the past). Instead, we are said to use the present perfect continuous, as the present perfect simple focuses rather on the results of an action:

I've been swimming all day. (not *~~I have swum all day~~)
I've been waiting here for 2 hours. (not *~~I've waited here for 2 hours~~)

but

I've read 3 books.

Also I read in my grammar books that it is possible to use the present perfect simple to describe how long something has been happening only with stative verbs and a couple of action verbs, which are exceptions to the rule (live, work, teach, study). Otherwise (that is in the case of other action verbs) we should use the present perfect continuous, grammar books say.

I've lived in Poland for 20 years. (also: I've been living in Poland for 20 years)
I've worked for this company for 15 years. (also: I've been working for this company....)
I've taught English all my life. (also: I've been teaching English all my life)
I've studied English for 15 years. (also: I've been studying English for 15 years)

This is why I've learnt not to use the present perfect simple with other action verbs (than the above 4) in this context. Instead I use the present perfect continuous. However, sometimes I feel that the simple tense sounds good with certain action verbs, other than the four in question. These are: play, rain, snow, etc... (perhaps a couple more but I haven't made a list)

I've played basketball for 15 years.
It's rained/snowed for 3 days now.

How do these sound to you, native speakers? Would you say they are OK too? Can you possibly extend this list with other possible verbs in this context (apart from stative verbs and action verbs denoting a repeated action, of course)?

And most importantly, if my sentences are correct, can anybody explain to me why my grammar books list only work, live, teach and study, as the exceptions to the rule (without any "etc"....).

Michal

Canadian45 · Answer

TasmanTigerIf the rain stopped a few minutes ago, are both tenses still available?

That depends on whether you think it will start raining again soon, because it could have been raining intermittently for three days.

It has rained (intermittently) for three days.

It has been raining (intermittently) for three days.

But if you can somehow be sure that the three days of raining is over, you should say 'It rained for three days.'

CalifJim · Answer

MichalSI'm also quite puzzled by this, I must admit.

I think your grammar books have some good advice.

MichalSI've played basketball for 15 years.
It's rained/snowed for 3 days now.

The choice may depend on a common sense understanding of how long it takes to do certain things. In other words the scope of time must be considered with respect to the activity or accomplishment that you're talking about.

Consider "playing basketball". Consider how long it takes to "play basketball". Put the two together and you get sentences like this:

1. I've been playing basketball all afternoon.
2. ? I've played basketball all afternoon.
3. ! I've been playing basketball for 15 years.

4. I've played basketball for 15 years.

1. Correct. You can play basketball continuously (more or less without a break) for an entire afternoon. This one indicates that there were no breaks in the process in the range of hours.

2. Correct, but this does not focus on the continuity of play. As it stands, it can be considered an equivalent of 1, though, in my opinion, it's an inferior version.

This kind of structure is easily embedded in another which shows an even greater scope of time, thus:

I've played basketball all afternoon almost every day for 15 years.

The focus is on the habitual experience over the 15 years, and the continuity of play during each session is only secondary in importance, so the secondary continuity is not marked by an -ing form.

3. Correct even though it's a little illogical. In spite of the fact that you can't literally play basketball continuously for 15 years, the listener will adjust his understanding to include the fact that you stopped to eat and to sleep! This one suggests that there were no breaks in the process in the range of months or years.

4. Correct. This is quite logical, I think. You have the experience of having played basketball many, many times during the course of 15 years.

These are all based on an interplay between focus on continuity of action and focus on ennumerated life experiences.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

This is the usage between simple present and present perfect continuous tense. We use present perfect continuous tense to show that an action started in the past and progressing up to the time of speaking. Therefore, It has been raining for three days is more appropriate.

TasmanTiger · Answer

Thank you for your reply, Canadian45

According to your opinion,

have rained for duration = have been raining for duration

two tenses are exactly the same meaning ?

In summary, if it has to do with 'duration',

these two tenses are interchangeable?

Am I right?

Canadian45 · Answer

TasmanTigerThank you for your reply, Canadian45

According to your opinion, has rained for duration = has been raining for duration yes

two tenses have exactly the same meaning ? yes In summary, if it has to do with 'duration', these two tenses are interchangeable? Am I right? yes

My life-long question : a Rain story!

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This is the usage between simple present and present perfect continuous tense. We use present perfect continuous tense to show that an action started in the past and progressing up to the time of speaking. Therefore, It has been raining for three days is more appropriate.

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