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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Can you help me please?    

Can you help me please?



yuky
Italy

Can you help me please?
 
Can you help me, please? My son �s English teacher says there is a difference between Present Perfect Continuous and Duration Form... I wonder... What �s the difference?
                           Thank you very much 

1 Jun 2015      





67Englishteacher
France

hello
 
 I never use the term "duration form", but I agree that there are (at least) two uses of the present perfect continuous.
1) "I �ve been sunbathing since two o �clock." This is what you call duration form, I suppose
2) "He �s been crying". Here, we aren �t interested in any duration. The speaker is making a statement about what happened in the past and which has left visible traces in the present (the tears).
3) Similar to 2 : "She �s been eavesdropping!" : this is a criticism, probably based on a consequence in the present situation.
 
I hope this helps

1 Jun 2015     



yanogator
United States

67 �s excellent examples show that there is a difference. I had never heard of "duration form", but if it is using the present perfect continuous with a time period (or duration), then there is a difference, in that the duration replaces the necessity of a result or consequence in the present.

When you see my messy kitchen, I explain it by saying, "I �ve been cooking". There is a result in the messy kitchen.

"I �ve been teaching for 30 years" does have a result of course, but you can �t see it.
 
So, yes, there is a difference, and if your son �s teacher wants to emphasize that, it �s fine. Many other teachers just demonstrate the uses of the present perfect continuous.
 
Bruce 

1 Jun 2015     



yuky
Italy

Thank you very much!!!!!! :-* 

3 Jun 2015