Welcome to
ESL Printables, the website where English Language teachers exchange resources: worksheets, lesson plans,  activities, etc.
Our collection is growing every day with the help of many teachers. If you want to download you have to send your own contributions.

 


 

 

 

ESL Forum:

Techniques and methods in Language Teaching

Games, activities and teaching ideas

Grammar and Linguistics

Teaching material

Concerning worksheets

Concerning powerpoints

Concerning online exercises

Make suggestions, report errors

Ask for help

Message board

 

ESL forum > Ask for help > present perfect    

present perfect



anaram
Spain

present perfect
 
Hi!

Can anyone tell me if "have not been working" is possible in this sentence?

I can �t find a job. I ............ (not work) for months.

I was expecting "haven �t worked" but I �m not too sure if this option is also possible.

Thanks a lot and have a nice Christmas everybody.

Ana

21 Dec 2010      





uatike
Turkey

as far as I remember   "live-teach-work"  are special verbs . You can use them either in Pres.perf. or pres.perf cont.
So both of the usage is okay. They have the same meaning.
 
Atike

21 Dec 2010     



edrodmedina
United States

haven �t worked, have not worked...either is fine. Ed

21 Dec 2010     



anaram
Spain

Thanks.
So, "have not been working"is not correct. Right?

22 Dec 2010     



aliciapc
Uruguay

Right

22 Dec 2010     



Apodo
Australia

The most obvious answer (and the one that sounds best) is as you expected:
 
I can �t find a job. I haven �t worked for months.
 
 
I haven �t been working is best used like this:
 
 
I haven �t been working at the factory since it closed in July.
 
I haven �t been working here long.
 
 

22 Dec 2010