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 #2 (permalink) Fri Oct 16, 2009 4:25 am Present perfect vs. present present continous tense. |
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| For me the continuous has an added sense of action here, of being busy doing something. As for the time period covered I see no difference. |
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 Cerberus™
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| #3 (permalink) Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:52 am Present perfect vs. present present continous tense. |
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Hi,
My nickname for the present perfect continuous is the 'umbrella tense'. It's a veritable jewel in the crown in the world of tenses because it covers the past, the present and casts a glance at the future. 'I have been reading for two hours' suggests I started two hours ago, I'm still reading and there is more than a hint that I shall go on reading.
'I have read my book for two hours' suggests I've now closed the book.
Alan
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| #4 (permalink) Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:26 am Present perfect vs. present present continous tense. |
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| Aikuzo wrote: |
| Isn't that an overlap??? I know I can say "I have been studying for nine hours.", but can I also rephrase it as "I have studied for nine hours." to convey the same meaning? |
I think the second sentence means you won't continue studying. |
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Volcano1985
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| #5 (permalink) Fri Oct 16, 2009 17:26 pm Present perfect vs. present present continous tense. |
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| Alan wrote: |
| I have read my book for two hours' suggests I've now closed the book. |
So the trick I can incorporate is that:
(If I want to say a continuoous action I'm still doing as I speak, whether I stop doing it after I have said it or whether I continue it - I'll use present perfect progressive all the time)
Ex.
(Say, a friend of mine stops by asked me while I was typing a message now)
Friend: What are you doing?
Me: I've been reading my replies for the questions I've asked on an English forum.
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(But if someone asked me when I just stand up from the computer, I'll say)
Me: I've read my replies for the questions I've asked on an English forum. (completed action just now)
I guess that solves it?
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Aikuzo
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| #6 (permalink) Fri Oct 16, 2009 18:01 pm Present perfect vs. present present continous tense. |
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Could we say that the time period implied in the present perfect is also affected by certain words or facts in its context?
- I have worked here since June - implies that I still work here.
- I have always worked here with much pleasure - implies that this may be part of my farewell speech, or that I have just had my first major fight with a colleague.
- I have worked here for two years now - implies that I still work here; I might say this when I want to ask for a raise in salary.
- I have read my book for two hours - implies that I am about to close it. |
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Cerberus™
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| #7 (permalink) Fri Oct 16, 2009 20:28 pm Present perfect vs. present present continous tense. |
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From what I understand:
Normal uses:
- I have read the book for two hours. (You are about to close it or you just closed it.)
Certain words that affect the context: (Using my intuition based on Cerberus explanation.)
- I have waited for him since he left. (she's still waiting)
- I have studied in this school for a year now. (I'm still studying; I might say this to imply something like I am still doing it up until now and just pointing out the fact that I still do it now to probably just to talk about what I've been through etc.)
- I have always loved her. (If she's breaking up with you or if they just broke up.)
So normally it's for completed action or action that you are about to stop the moment of speaking. Otherwise, there's additional combination of words like "since" that makes the action past and still going on in the present. And also words that could also 'implies' something(sometimes indirectly) that could change the overall meaning based on the context.
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Aikuzo
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| #8 (permalink) Fri Oct 16, 2009 22:46 pm Present perfect vs. present present continous tense. |
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| Aikuzo wrote: |
From what I understand:
Normal uses:
- I have read the book for two hours. (You are about to close it or you just closed it.)
Certain words that affect the context: (Using my intuition based on Cerberus explanation.)
- I have waited for him since he left. (she's still waiting)
- I have studied in this school for a year now. (I'm still studying; I might say this to imply something like I am still doing it up until now and just pointing out the fact that I still do it now to probably just to talk about what I've been through etc.)
- I have always loved her. (If she's breaking up with you or if they just broke up.)
So normally it's for completed action or action that you are about to stop the moment of speaking. Otherwise, there's additional combination of words like "since" that makes the action past and still going on in the present. And also words that could also 'implies' something(sometimes indirectly) that could change the overall meaning based on the context. |
It has been seen, to me, as your stern must be at way more than topsy-turvy, having been pumping and grinding forward and backward, inward and outward, over and over, it may, even now, be underway, whereas I, indeed, do not know beans about what has put a bee in your bonnet, Aikuzo. Moreover, it is presumably deduced that you have not been able to introspect yourself so far, since you have disregarded having to revise something else whose must have been paramount more than being receptive and clinging in this forums.
Chill yourself out for a wee while, Aikuzo! After all, you have been buckling down to the scrabble ever since the day you were about to get over the initial hump as for the further polish whose must have, however, been dichotomized a soul-destroying and self-affirming milestone concurrently. Because it is conjectured that you'll, at the end of the day, be more likely to be despondent than euphoric on account of frustration induced by your effusive gumption for the amelioration in your English excessively undermining your unrelenting convictions which may eventuate in the burnout syndrome that one of my acquaintances ever undergone consequently before he would have been able to accomplish his second language acquisition, otherwise.
Ergo, as for your second language acquisition for yourself to be able to concretize as well as as in having occasionally been down-to-earth in this forums as yet, you ought not to pull out all the stops just unlike a nonstop choo-choo, if you don't want to fall by the wayside, albeit that here is appeasing abreaction that "the bigger aspirations we have, the bigger psychological compensation we have". In other words, I don't want you to walk on the same way as one of my acquaintances ever walked on, not to be a down-at-the-heel underdog, however, to be an atypical top dog up there.
With best regards.
your pony Fimbriae
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| #9 (permalink) Fri Oct 16, 2009 22:53 pm Present perfect vs. present present continous tense. |
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| Fimbriae, please speak plain English! I don't understand a word you're saying, except that it doesn't sound too friendly. |
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Cerberus™
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| #10 (permalink) Fri Oct 16, 2009 22:55 pm okey-doke. |
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| Cerberus™ wrote: |
| Fimbriae, please speak plain English! I don't understand a word you're saying, except that it doesn't sound too friendly. |
yeah, I did get it bro.
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Fimbriae
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| #11 (permalink) Fri Oct 16, 2009 23:03 pm okey-doke. |
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| Fimbriae wrote: |
| Cerberus™ wrote: |
| Fimbriae, please speak plain English! I don't understand a word you're saying, except that it doesn't sound too friendly. |
yeah, I did get it bro. |
I really don't mean to bully you, but I couldn't even understand this last sentence of yours. |
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Cerberus™
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| #12 (permalink) Sat Oct 17, 2009 7:23 am Present perfect vs. present present continous tense. |
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I assume I understand the topic correctly now. :lol: Thanks guys! Special thanks to Cerberus by the way. I avoid confusion on the future, thanks to that 'certain words in its context' part. :D
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Aikuzo
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| #13 (permalink) Sat Oct 17, 2009 19:39 pm Present perfect vs. present present continous tense. |
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| Aikuzo wrote: |
From what I understand:
Normal uses:
- I have read the book for two hours. (You are about to close it or you just closed it.)
Certain words that affect the context: (Using my intuition based on Cerberus explanation.)
- I have waited for him since he left. (she's still waiting)
- I have studied in this school for a year now. (I'm still studying; I might say this to imply something like I am still doing it up until now and just pointing out the fact that I still do it now to probably just to talk about what I've been through etc.)
- I have always loved her. (If she's breaking up with you or if they just broke up.)
So normally it's for completed action or action that you are about to stop the moment of speaking. Otherwise, there's additional combination of words like "since" that makes the action past and still going on in the present. And also words that could also 'implies' something(sometimes indirectly) that could change the overall meaning based on the context. |
I don't think there is a "normally": each present perfect should be judged by itself; there are many cases of a short sentence of which no-one, based on the verb itself without more context, could say whether the action was just finished or still going on. |
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Cerberus™
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| #14 (permalink) Sat Oct 17, 2009 22:11 pm Present perfect vs. present present continous tense. |
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| Cerberus™ wrote: |
| there are many cases of a short sentence of which no-one, based on the verb itself without more context, could say whether the action was just finished or still going on. |
So better not assume the 'time' of action on those kind of sentences that lacks context to identify the verb eh. This is a fun ride, I'll study this even further.
Thanks for your insight Cerberus! I'll keep it all in mind.
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