Past Continuous Tense vs Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Question

Sorry, English is not my first language,I'm learning the basics.
I'm confused about Past Continuous Tense and PresentPerfect Continuous Tense.
I have some examples:
Past Continuous Tense:
- an action that was still going on at a given period or point of time in the past.
Ex: Latifah was reading a book the whole afternoon. ( means is she still reading or she has stop reading? Ps if any grammar mistake pls correct me )

Present Perfect Continuous Tense:
- Used for an activity that started in the past and is continued to the present
Ex: I have been writing the letter for the whole afternoon ( am I still writing? )

I got a grammar book state that we use "have been" when the action that occurred at an unspecified or unknown time in the past.
Ex: I have been to china many times.

*then isn't it different from the another example I have shown?
I means the different of example of " I have been writing the letter for the whole afternoon" (still writing) and " I have been to china many times. ( this sentences couldn't be Im still going china right?"
I hope you understand what I tried to say. Sorry for my poor English again.

Actually when should I use Past Continuous Tense and Present Perfect Continuous Tense?

I really need help from you and I appreciate and would like to say thank you that you see my questions patiently. Thank you

Nagariya · Accepted Answer

I found this and thought that it could help you as it has helped me. Let me know after reading if you have any further questions.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousLatifah was reading a book the whole afternoon. ... is she still reading or she has stop reading?

If that afternoon was 100 years ago, I don't think she is still reading.

In any case, the sentence tells us nothing whatsoever about what Latifah is doing now. Most people would guess that she is not still reading, so she must have stopped at some time or other, but we don't know when. All we know is what Latifah was doing during that afternoon.

AnonymousI have been writing the letter for the whole afternoon ( am I still writing? )

It is still afternoon. You might still be writing or you might have stopped quite recently to take a break, but it seems to me that you might still return to writing because you might not yet have finished the letter. So maybe you finished the letter very recently and maybe you haven't finished yet.

AnonymousI got a grammar book state that we use "have been" when the action that occurred at an unspecified or unknown time in the past.Ex: I have been to China many times.*then isn't it different from the another example I have shown?

Yes, the two examples are different. The perfect tenses are not "single-use" tenses. There are several reasons to use the present perfect, for example, so don't be surprised if the circumstances of their use seems different from one sentence to the next.

AnonymousI have been to China many times. ( this sentences couldn't be Im still going china right?"

No. (This is called the "experiential present perfect", by the way.) I have been to China many times does not imply I'm still going to China.

AnonymousActually when should I use Past Continuous Tense and Present Perfect Continuous Tense?

Use the search box at the upper left of the page to find hundreds of posts on this topic.

CJ

Past Continuous Tense vs Present Perfect Continuous Tense

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