Trying not to mix up English Present tenses.
As I mentioned in my previous article, my very first post on this blog, I said I would review English tenses, one piece at a time. So it makes sense to start with the "simplest" of them: the present tenses. But even English present tenses still confuse me sometimes.
When and how exactly do we use the present continuous compared to the present tense?
Back in school, when we started learning English verbs, we usually began by conjugating them in different tenses. And of course, we started with the present tense, especially the simple present.
We learned the structure of the tense, and then when to use it. The simple present was the easiest to understand. Like our teacher said, we use it for regular actions or general truths. So we all thought, "Okay, that's easy!" But then came the explanation of the present continuous and that's when the confusion started.
I think people like me, who live in French-speaking countries, know that there's no real equivalent of the present continuous in French. That's probably why this tense is a bit hard to understand.
For example, when we say "I work" in English, it doesn't always mean "I'm working right now." Most of the time, it just means something more general, like "I have a job."
So now, let's keep using the verb "to work". If I ask a teacher, "What is the difference between I work at a school and I'm working at a school this week?" I'm almost sure the answer would be something like: "The first sentence tells you where you work in general, and the second one means it's just for now, maybe it's temporary or something happening right now."
It's this little difference that sometimes makes me hesitate when I speak. I stop and ask myself: "Is it something regular or something happening now?"
Sometimes I even mix them up, especially when I speak fast or feel nervous. But I guess that's normal when learning a language. On top of all that, we also use the present continuous to express trends and future plans, but we'll talk about that another time.
Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Continuous: The Plot Thickens
So, you’ve finally started feeling somewhat comfortable with the whole “I work” vs. “I’m working” dilemma… and now this shows up. Present Perfect? Present Perfect Continuous? Seriously, English.
I think people like me, who live in French-speaking countries, know why this is so confusing. In French, J’ai travaillé can mean both I’ve worked and I’ve been working. There’s no real way to show the difference in duration or visible effort, and that’s exactly what English wants us to do.
For example, when I say “I’ve read The Alchemist” in English, it just means I finished it at some point. But if I say “I’ve been reading The Alchemist all night”, it tells a whole different story—I’m exhausted, probably sleep-deprived, and maybe only halfway done. The difference isn’t huge, but it matters.
And then there are those little words that make Present Perfect extra tricky—ever, never, just, already, yet. Like, “Have you ever lied about your age?” The Present Perfect doesn’t care about when it happened, just that it happened and maybe still matters now. French speakers often slip up here and say something like “I’ve seen him yesterday.” Nope. English wants you to use the Past Simple with exact times: “I saw him yesterday.”
The Present Perfect Continuous is another story. This is the tense you use when something started in the past and is still happening, or when the action has a visible effect now. Like, “I’ve been learning English since 2020”—and yes, I’m still struggling with grammar! Or, “I’ve been crying over this grammar”, which explains why my eyes are red.
There are also action verbs and non-action verbs to keep in mind. You can’t say “I’ve been knowing her for years.” It sounds weird because know isn’t an action you do over time. The correct way is, “I’ve known her for years.” Little details like this can trip up French speakers, but they’re manageable once you see the pattern.
So how do I decide which one to use? I usually ask myself a simple question: Am I talking about the result, or about the effort/duration?
· Result? Present Perfect. “I’ve fixed the car.” It works now.
· Effort or ongoing process? Present Perfect Continuous. “I’ve been fixing the car.” I’m tired, covered in grease, and maybe it’s still not done.
Even after years of learning English, I sometimes mix them up—especially when I speak fast or feel nervous. But that’s normal. Over time, I’ve learned to notice the clues: sweat, tears, unfinished work? Use Continuous. Talking about completed experiences? Use Simple.
Pop culture gives great examples too. In The Devil Wears Prada, Miranda Priestly says, “I’ve been hearing very good things about you.” She didn’t just hear one thing; she gathered info over time. Or take Foreigner’s song “I’ve Been Waiting for a Girl Like You”—that waiting feels eternal!
English is tricky, yes, but the Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous aren’t impossible. Once you start noticing the difference between completion and effort, it starts to make sense. And honestly, that little insight feels like a small victory every time you get it right.
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