Struggling to choose the right tense? You’re not alone. The difference between “I have done” and “I have been doing” is one of the trickiest parts of English grammar. The best way to master it is not just by reading the rules, but by practicing with targeted exercises.
On this page, you’ll find over 50 practice questions, organized from easy to challenging. Each section comes with a detailed answer key and clear explanations, so you don’t just know what is correct, but why.
Ready to practice until it becomes perfect? Let’s begin.
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When to Use Which Tense:
| Present Perfect Simple | Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|---|
| Focus: Result, completion, experience. | Focus: Duration, ongoing activity, process. |
| Answers: What have you done? | Answers: What have you been doing? |
| Example: I have written the report. (It’s finished.) | Example: I have been writing the report. (I’m still working/just stopped.) |
The Golden Rule: Stative verbs (know, like, want, believe, understand) are NOT typically used in continuous forms.
Still unsure? Ask yourself
- → Is the verb stative? Use Present Perfect.
- → Am I explaining why I’m tired/dirty/busy? Use Present Perfect Continuous.
- → Do I care more about the final result? Use Present Perfect.
- → Do I care more about the time spent? Use Present Perfect Continuous.
For the full guide, read our detailed lesson: Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous: The Ultimate Guide.
Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous Exercises with Answers
Part A: Foundational Recognition (Beginner)
Exercise 1: Build the Tense
Complete the table with the correct forms.
| Tense | Positive Form | Negative Form | Question Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present Perfect | I have started. | I _____ started. | _____ I started? |
| She has seen it. | She _____ seen it. | _____ she seen it? | |
| Present Perfect Continuous | We have been waiting. | We _____ been waiting. | _____ we been waiting? |
| He has been working. | He _____ been working. | _____ he been working? |
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice (Time Expression)
Each sentence below uses either the Present Perfect Simple (PPS) or Present Perfect Continuous (PPC). Read the sentence and choose the time expression that best fits the meaning and the tense used.
Example:
I have ____________ finished my report.
– a) all day
– b) just
– c) since Monday
→ Answer: b) just. We use ‘just’ with the Present Perfect Simple to talk about very recent completions.
- She has been working on the proposal ________________.
a) for three hours
b) already
c) yet - Have you ________________ visited Tokyo?
a) since 2020
b) ever
c) recently (in the “lately” sense) - We haven’t received the delivery confirmation ________________.
a) all morning
b) yet
c) for a week - I’ve ________________ woken up, so I need a coffee.
a) just
b) lately
c) since 8 a.m. - They’ve been renovating their house ________________.
a) already
b) lately
c) since June - He looks tired because he has been studying ________________.
a) all night
b) just
c) yet - I’ve ________________ understood how important this is.
a) since last year
b) all week
c) always - Has the meeting started ________________?
a) for ten minutes
b) yet
c) lately
Exercise 3: Stative Verb Filter
Part A: Which of these verbs are stative verbs (SV) that describe a state, not an action, and are rarely used in the continuous form? Write “SV” next to them and “AV” next to the action verbs.
- know: _____
- run: _____
- want: _____
- build: _____
- believe: _____
- understand: _____
- study: _____
- own: _____
Part B: Now, choose two of the stative verbs you identified and write a correct sentence using the Present Perfect Simple.
Example with ‘know’: I have known my best friend since we were children.
- (Verb: _____ ) …
- (Verb: _____ ) …
Exercise 1:
1. PP Negative: I have not/haven’t started | She has not/hasn’t seen it.2. PP Question: Have I started? | Has she seen it?
3. PPC Negative: We have not / haven’t been waiting. | He has not / hasn’t been working.
4. PPC Question: Have we been waiting? | Has he been working?
Exercise 2:
1. a) for three hours – PPC focuses on duration. ‘For + period’ is a key signal.2. b) ever – PPS is used for life experiences, and ‘ever’ is its classic question adverb.
3. b) yet – ‘Yet’ is used in questions and negatives with PPS to talk about expected actions that haven’t happened.
4. a) just – PPS with ‘just’ indicates a very recently completed action.
5. c) since June – PPC with ‘since + starting point’ emphasizes an ongoing activity that began in the past.
6. a) all night – PPC often uses ‘all + time period’ to emphasize the length of an activity causing a present state.
7. c) always – PPS is used with stative verbs (like understand) to describe long-term states. ‘Always’ is a common adverb here.
8. b) yet – In questions about whether something has happened up to now, we use PPS with ‘yet’.
Exercise 3:
Part A1. know: SV
2. run: AV
3. want: SV
4. build: AV
5. believe: SV
6. understand: SV
7. study: AV
8. own: SV
→ Stative Verbs: know, want, believe, understand, own.
→ Action Verbs (can be used in continuous forms): run, build, study.
(Sample Sentences – Answers will vary)
9. → (Verb: want ) I have wanted to visit Japan for years.
10. → (Verb: believe ) Scientists have believed this theory to be true for decades.
Part B: Application & Choice (Intermediate)
Exercise 4: Multiple Choice
Choose a or b:
- You look exhausted. What _________?
a) have you done
b) have you been doing - Great news! I _________ the job!
a) have gotten
b) have been getting - How many chapters of the book _________ so far?
a) have you read
b) have you been reading - The children _________ cartoons for two hours. Can you turn it off?
a) have watched
b) have been watching - I _________ John for ten years. We met at university.
a) have known
b) have been knowing - Sorry, I can’t go out. I _________ my homework yet.
a) haven’t finished
b) haven’t been finishing - It _________ all afternoon, so the ground is completely wet.
a) has rained
b) has been raining - She’s an amazing writer. She _________ five novels.
a) has written
b) has been writing - You’re covered in flour! What _________?
a) have you cooked
b) have you been cooking - I _________ to call you for days, but I’ve been so busy.
a) have meant
b) have been meaning
Exercise 5: Gap Fill (Choose the correct tense)
Use the verb in brackets in either the Present Perfect (PP) or Present Perfect Continuous (PPC).
- I __________________ (teach) English for over a decade.
- She __________________ (not/finish) her project yet.
- How long __________________ (you / learn) to play the guitar?
- We __________________ (paint) the living room, and it looks fantastic now.
- He __________________ (write) three emails this morning.
- I’m sorry I’m late. __________________ (you / wait) long?
- They __________________ (be) married since 2015.
- My phone is dead because I __________________ (use) it non-stop all day.
- I __________________ (read) a great book lately. You should borrow it.
- The manager __________________ (just / leave). Can I take a message?
Exercise 4:
1. b) have you been doing – Explaining a current state (exhaustion). The continuous form focuses on the recent activity that caused it.2. a) have gotten – Announcing a completed result (getting the job). The simple form focuses on the achievement.
3. a) have you read – “How many” asks for a completed quantity. The simple form is used for measurable results.
4. b) have been watching – Emphasizes the duration of an ongoing activity (“for two hours”) that is the reason for the request to stop.
5. a) have known – “Know” is a stative verb. It is not used in continuous forms.
6. a) haven’t finished – “Yet” is used with the present perfect simple to talk about incomplete actions. The verb “finish” is also a punctual action, not a long process here.
7. b) has been raining – Explains the cause of a present condition (wet ground). The continuous form emphasizes the prolonged activity.
8. a) has written – Focuses on the completed achievement (five finished novels).
9. b) have you been cooking – Explains the visible evidence (flour on clothes). The continuous form highlights the recent, messy activity.
10. a) have meant – “Mean” (in the sense of “intend”) is a stative verb. We use the simple form. (This is a very common advanced mistake).
Exercise 5:
1. have taught / have been teaching – (Both possible). ‘Have taught’ focuses on the experience; ‘have been teaching’ emphasizes the ongoing duration.2. has not finished – “Yet” signals the Present Perfect Simple for an incomplete action.
3. have you been learning – “How long” typically prompts the PPC to focus on the duration of an ongoing activity.
4. have painted – The second clause highlights the result (“it looks fantastic”), so the Present Perfect Simple is needed.
5. has written – Focuses on the completed quantity (“three emails”).
6. Have you been waiting – A standard question about the duration of an ongoing activity.
7. have been – The verb “be” is stative when describing a state (like marriage). Use PPS.
8. have been using – Explains the cause of a present state (“phone is dead”). The PPC highlights the prolonged activity.
9. have read / have been reading – (Both are possible with a key difference).
– have read suggests you have finished the book and are recommending it.
– have been reading suggests you are in the middle of it and are enjoying it so far. (This nuance makes it an excellent advanced item).
10. has just left – “Just” for very recent completions is used with the Present Perfect Simple.
Part C: Advanced Production & Nuance
Exercise 6: Error Correction
Which sentence is correct? Find and correct the mistakes in the incorrect sentences.
- I have been believing in ghosts since I was a child.
- She has been finishing her degree last week.
- They have been working here for five years, so they are well-experienced.
- How long have you had this car?
- I have been wanting to ask you about your health.
Exercise 7: “Both Are Possible” – Explain the Difference
In these sentences, both tenses are grammatically correct, but the meaning changes. Explain the difference in meaning.
- a) I have lived in Rome for two years.
b) I have been living in Rome for two years.- Difference: _________________________________________
- a) She has cooked dinner. (It’s on the table.)
b) She has been cooking dinner. (The kitchen is a mess.)- Difference: _________________________________________
Exercise 8: Paragraph Writing Prompt
Scenario: Write a short email (4-5 sentences) to a friend. You need to:
- Explain what you have been doing recently (use Present Perfect Continuous at least twice).
- Tell them what you have just achieved or finished (use Present Perfect at least once).
Start here: “Hi [Friend’s Name], Just a quick update from me! Lately, I…”
Exercise 6:
1. Incorrect.→ Correction: I have believed in ghosts since I was a child.
→ Why: “Believe” is a stative verb. We do not use stative verbs in continuous tenses.
2. Incorrect.
→ Correction: She finished her degree last week. (or She has finished her degree.)
→ Why: You cannot use the Present Perfect Continuous with a finished past time expression (“last week”). If announcing news without a specific time, use Present Perfect Simple. If stating when it happened, use Past Simple.
3. Incorrect.
→ Correction: They have worked here for five years, so they are well-experienced.
→ Why: While the continuous form is grammatically possible in the first clause, the logical focus of the sentence is on the completed experience (five years of work) that results in their current state (“well-experienced”). The Present Perfect Simple is the better, more natural choice.
4. CORRECT.
→ Why: “Have” (possession) is a stative verb. The Present Perfect Simple is correct to describe a state that began in the past and continues now, especially with “How long…?”.
5. Incorrect.
→ Correction: I have wanted to ask you about your health.
→ Why: “Want” is a stative verb. We do not use it in continuous forms. Use the Present Perfect Simple.
Exercise 7:
1.→ a) (have lived) Suggests a more permanent, general fact about my life.
→ b) (have been living) Emphasizes the temporary, ongoing nature of my current living situation. It feels more recent and active.
2.
→ a) (has cooked) Focuses on the completed result: the dinner is ready.
→ b) (has been cooking) Focuses on the ongoing activity: the process that has led to the current state (the messy kitchen).
Exercise 8:
Sample Answer:“Hi Sam, Just a quick update from me! Lately, I have been working really hard on a new course, and I have been studying every evening. But the good news is, I have finally completed the final project! I feel so relieved. Let’s catch up soon!”
Final Quiz: Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous?
You’ve practiced the rules. Now take the final test! This 10-question quiz covers all the nuances. Good luck!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between present perfect and present perfect continuous?
The core difference is focus. The present perfect (have/has + past participle) emphasizes the result or completion of an action. The present perfect continuous (have/has been + -ing) emphasizes the duration or ongoing process of an action.
Can I use present perfect instead of present perfect continuous?
Sometimes, but it changes the meaning. For action verbs, using the present perfect suggests the action is finished and you are focusing on its result. Using the continuous suggests the action is either ongoing or was very recent. With stative verbs (like know, want, be), only the present perfect is typically used.
What is the difference in conversation?
In conversation, the present perfect continuous is often used to explain a current situation or appearance (“You look tired.” “I have been working all night.”). The present perfect is frequently used to announce news or life experiences (“I have finished the report,” or “I have visited Japan”).
What are the different time markers used with each tense?
Present Perfect: ever, never, already, yet, just, so far, once, twice, many times.
Present Perfect Continuous: for, since, all day/week/month, recently, lately. (Words like how long…? can often be used with both tenses).
More about English verb forms in English
How did you do? If you aced the exercises, congratulations! If you found something challenging, that’s where real learning happens. Review the explanations and revisit the full lesson on the difference between the present perfect simple and continuous.
