Which tense and why?

Question

Hello teachers,In the following sentence we have to choose between present perfect and present perfect progressive, and the solution is Present Perfect Progressive.He has been working too much recently.Is it the present perfect progressive and not the present perfect because of the adverb 'recently'? Because I've seen sentences in the present perfect with the adverb 'recently'. I think both tenses can be right, can't they?Thanks in advance.

Philip · Accepted Answer

He has recently received a gift of $100 from the boss. [ pres. perfect, usual explanation applies ]
He has been working...recently... [ Action begun at an unspecified time in the past, ongoing, might continue in the near future ]

Tenacious Learner · Answer

PhilipHe has been working ... recently ... [ Action begun at an unspecified time in the past, ongoing, might continue in the near future ]

Hello Philip,
Thank you for your reply.
Then is there any difference between?
a) He has worked too much recently. Present Perfect places emphasis on the result, completion of an action)
Result: He is really tired.
b) He has been working too much recently. (Present Perfect Progressive places emphasis on theduration of an action, here in the sentence there's no duration at all, but the result is the same one; he is very tired.)

TL

Philip · Answer

Right.  Except that I think the continuous implies the possibility of continuation.

Fivejedjon · Answer

PhilipRight. Except that I think the continuous implies the possibility of continuation.

This seems to be more true of AmE than BrE. In BrE, the continuous form does not necessarily imply the possibility of continuation.

Philip · Answer

fivejedjon PhilipRight. Except that I think the continuous implies the possibility of continuation.This seems to be more true of AmE than BrE. In BrE, the continuous form does not necessarily imply the possibility of continuation.

Right, not necessarily.

CalifJim · Answer

Tenacious LearnerIs it the present perfect progressive and not the present perfect because of the adverb 'recently'?

I'd say it's both "too much" and "recently" that makes us think that this situation is (has been) going on for some time, which in turn makes us use an -ing form when we translate the thought into words.

CJ

Tenacious Learner · Answer

Hello teachers,
Thank you so much for your help and replies.

TL

Thomas Tompion · Answer

Hello TL.

If we take a slightly different example, we may see what makes the difference here.

He has seen her too much recently - suggests he has seen her on several occasions recently.

He has been seeing her too much recently - suggests he has seen her repeatedly over a period leading up to the present.

Similarly, He has been working too much recently suggests continuous periods of overwork.

He has worked too much recently would lack this feeling of continuous overwork, and the too much (too often?) seems at odds with the slight suggestion of the present perfect that the overwork has been occasional. This is not something that people say much, for these reasons, perhaps.

Interestingly, one could very easily say He has worked too hard recently. Now the adverbial is detailing the intensity of the work, not its duration. So I'm inclined to think that it's the too much in the original which pushes us towards the continuous tense, rather than anything else.

Which tense and why?

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