Simple Present - Present Perfect Progressive

Language Guide German + Dictionary for iPhone and iPod-Touch (made by ego4u)

Exercises and Tests

Form

Simple Present	Present Perfect Progressive
infinitive (3rd person singular: infinitive + 's') Example: I / you / we / they speak he / she / it speaks	form of 'have' + been + ing-form Example: I / you / we / they have been speaking he / she / it has been speaking
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 's': The verbs can, may, might, must remain the same in all forms. Do not add s. Example: he can, she may, it must For verbs ending in o or a sibilant (ch, sh, s, z), add es. Example: do - he does, wash - she washes y as final letter after a consonant becomes ie. (but: not after a vowel) Example: worry - he worries but: play - he plays	Exceptions when adding 'ing' : Silent e as final letter is dropped. (does not apply for -ee) Example: come - coming but: agree - agreeing After a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled. Example: sit - sitting l as final letter after a single vowel is doubled in British English (but not in American English). Example: travel - travelling ie at the end of the word becomes y. Example: lie - lying

See also explanations on Simple Present and Present Perfect Progressive

Use

We use Simple Present for general statements about the present and for actions taking place regularly in the present. We use Present Perfect Progressive to express how long an action has been going on.

General statements (when/how often) or how long already?

Do you want to make a general statement about the present, e.g. say when or how often an action usually takes place? Or do you want to express, how long an action has already been going on?

Simple Present	Present Perfect Progressive
general statement, when / how often I write a letter every day.	how long already I have been writing for an hour.

Signal Words

Simple Present	Present Perfect Progressive
how often ... times	how long since for

Note: The signal words for Simple Present are the same here as for Present Perfect in the explanation on confusing tenses - Present Perfect Simple/Present Perfect Progressive. If we use these signal words for Simple Present, we want to know how often an action usually takes place in the present (not how often it has taken place so far). There is a difference, because you can ask someone how often he plays tennis (in general) or how often he has played tennis (so far).