Present perfect continuous

Question

I have been walking around New York. I saw many street dancers there. They do have talents. Correct or not?

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Anonymous Correct or not?

Not.

I have been walking around New York and have seen many street performers. They have a lot of talent.

Anonymous · Answer

Thani you very much for the reply, Mister Micawber. I am really sorry for my stupid questions on previous posts. I am trying to learn hoe to use present perfect continuous tense. Could you please check one conversation?

Alex meets Jack after an hour. Alex sees Jack just standing doing nothing. Here the conversation goes,

Alex: Where have you been, Jack?
Jack: I have been in the kitchen.
Alex: What have you been doing there in the kitchen?
Jack: I have been cleaning the kitchen.
Alex: Great job! Let's clean the living room too.
Jack: Ok.

Anonymous · Answer

I have been walking around New York and have seen street performers. Does it mean I am still walking around newyork or it doesn't say anything? Please help.

Mister Micawber · Answer

Alex: Where have you been, Jack?
Jack: In the kitchen.
Alex: What were you doing?
Jack: Cleaning it.
Alex: Great! Let's clean the living room, too.
Jack: OK.

You really cannot practice verb paradigms and create natural dialogue at the same time. Try writing narratives instead.

Mister Micawber · Answer

AnonymousI have been walking around New York and have seen street performers. Does it mean I am still walking around newyork or it doesn't say anything?

Post your related questions in the same thread instead of starting a new thread, Anon.

AnonymousI have been walking around New York and have seen street performers. Does it mean I am still walking around newyork or it doesn't say anything?

You are not walking at the moment, but you may well do so again in the near future.

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymous I have been walking around New York and have seen street performers. Does it mean I am still walking around newyork or it doesn't say anything? Please help.

You may be talking to someone who is walking with you at the time you say this. In this case, you're still walking.
You may have paused in your walking in order to say this to some stationary passer-by. In this case, you're not still walking, at least not for the little while it takes you to speak to the passer-by. At this point you may now abandon further walking, so you're not still walking. Or, after saying this, you may continue your walking, so you're still walking in that you always had the intention to continue walking. So, to my ear, 'have been walking' doesn't tell you a lot about "still walking" or "not still walking", and it's really other things in the situation that answer the question "still walking, or not still walking?" much more definitively than the mere words "have been walking".

CJ

Present perfect continuous

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