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Present perfect simple or present perfect continuous?

Completed or continuing events​

We use the present perfect simple with action verbs to emphasise the completion of an event in the recent past. We use the present perfect continuous to talk about ongoing events or activities which started at a time in the past and are still continuing up until now.

Compare

I’ve written the Politics essay.Completed event.
I’ve been writing the Politics essay.Ongoing activity: I’m still writing it.

Compare

I’ve thought about buying a laptop.Suggests that I’m not thinking about it any more.
I’ve been thinking about buying a new laptop for a while but I haven’t decided which one to get.Focuses on the action of thinking over a period of time up to now.

Sometimes we can use either form and the meaning is the same:

  • I*’ve*** lived here for 20 years.
  • I*’ve*** been living here for 20 years.
warning

The present perfect continuous form is not normally used with verbs that refer to actions that are completed at a single point in time such as start, stop, finish:

  • Has the concert started already?
  • Not: Has the concert been starting already?

Mental process and sense verbs​

Some verbs are not used very often in the continuous form.

We don’t use the continuous form with verbs of mental process (know, like, understand, believe):

  • They haven’t known each other for very long.
  • Not: They haven’t been knowing each other for very long.

We don’t use the continuous form with verbs of the senses (hear, smell, taste):

  • Have you heard the news?
  • Not: Have you been hearing the news?

Spoken English:

In speaking you will sometimes hear these verbs used in the continuous form to refer to events that are ongoing or temporary:

  • I*’ve*** been hearing some strange noises coming from outside.