Present Perfect
For actions continuing until now
Overview
In this grammar section we will have a look at the tense Present Perfect to talk about actions continuing until now.
Examples
A: How long have you worked there?
B: I have worked there for 3 years.
A: How long have you been friends?
B: We haven’t been friends for long. We have been friends since 2022
The video gives an overview of to Present Perfect for something that happened in the past and still continues today.
It shows the meaning/usage: when and why to use the Present Perfect.
For the form and the pronunciation have a look a the different webpages:
Usage/ Meaning
How and when do we use the Present Perfect?
Present Perfect is also used to talk about something that started in the past but still continues today.
You have been friends since 2020. This means your friendship started in 2020 and you are still friends now. You will still be friends tomorrow. In 2023 you have been friends for 3 years. In 2024 you will have been friends for 4 years. Your friendship still continues. If it at some point your friendship stops you will use the simple past, for a finished action in the past.
For or Since
How and when do we use the For or Since
Positive
The present perfect is also used to talk about something that started in the past and still continues today.
In this case FOR and SINCE are used.
- We have been friends SINCE 2020.
- It is now 2023, so we have been friends FOR 3 years.
Since is used as a moment in time: the starting moment
For is used as a duration how long from the starting point till now.
Since
- Since: moment in time
- Since January
- Since 2020
- Since Christmas
- Since Monday
- Since I left school
- …..
For
- For: duration
- For 2 weeks
- For a day
- For 6 hours
- For 5 years
- For a week
…….
Practice
Practice
Practice
Questions
Have a look at the questions and write your answers in the comments below. Also give us some more details about when, where, why,….
- How long have you known your best friend?
- How long have you studied English?
- How long have you lived in your house?
- How long have you worked in your current job?
- How long have you had your smartphone?
- How long have you been awake today?
- How long have you practised the present perfect?
- How long have you used your computer?
- How long have you had your TV?
- How long have you lived in your town/city?
Spread the word
Kristof Abrath
Teacher, Trainer, Course Designer
Teaching in English on 4 different continents since 2006.