Present Perfect Continious 1. There is a sentence: "I have played hockey since I was 5. And I'm still pretty good!" and "She has lived in London since 1994" Why don't we use "I have been playing hocke

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Elina

Present Perfect Continious 1. There is a sentence: "I have played hockey since I was 5. And I'm still pretty good!" and "She has lived in London since 1994" Why don't we use "I have been playing hockey" and "She has been living" in this case? I used to think that we use present perfect just for finished actions in the past, but in these examples he still plays hockey and she still lives in London. If those sentences above are correct then when do we use present perfect continious?

Jan 12, 2015 1:29 PM

Answers · 3

It is wrong to " think that we use present perfect just for finished actions in the past". Finished actions in the past use past tense, not a present perfect. However, your instinct about those two examples is correct. You could use the present perfect continuous in both of these sentences, and the meaning would be the same. There is no difference in meaning between "I have played hockey since I was 5." and "I have been playing hockey since I was 5." or between "She has lived in London since 1994" and "She has been living in London since 1994"

January 12, 2015