Perfect Tenses

Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous

1. I have been feeling sick since Monday.
2. The boss has been waiting for me to report all day, and I still haven’t finished it!

Difference

Present Perfect

1. Focus on the duration

Present Perfect Continuous

1. Focus on how recent it is
2. Seeing the effect of something from the past

Examples

have you been smoking? (bad smell)
have you been crying? (red eyes)
have you been hitting the gym? (body shape)

Present Perfect and Past Tense

1. It is a pity that he has never visited another country. (maybe one day in the future he will)
2. It is a pity that he never visited another country. (he DIED.)

Difference

Present Perfect

1. Focus on repetitions
2. NEVER say when in present perfect

Past Tense

1. Very very recent events

Examples

DIFFERENCE

I have never... (maybe in the future)
I never watched that movie (IMPOSSIBLE TO WATCH)

PAST: finished actions (IMPOSSIBLE TO GO BACK AND CHANGE)

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RECENT EVENTS

Did you have lunch?
Yeah, I've just eaten something. (yeah, i ate something, im full)
I had lunch at 1m (story of the lunch...)

OR

I've just finished
I've just arrived

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EFFECT ON PRESENT

I lost my keys yesterday > (FINISHED, story)
I've lost my keys. (still affecting in the present)

Time

1. NEVER mix AGO and SINCE

• Ago: Only for the past
• For: Amount of time
• Since: Starting point (date/year/an action/an ge)

Examples

NEVER DO THIS

Yesterday, I have watched a movie
I have worked at Team since 3 months ago

INSTEAD

"I have been working at Team for the past 3 months."
"I started working at Team 3 months ago."
"I have been with Team for 3 months now."
"I joined Team 3 months ago and have been working there since."
"It has been 3 months since I started working at Team."

Vocabulary

• Clog up: entupir
• Divert: divergit
• Digress: mudar o assunto da conversa
• Slip out: escapulir
• Gut feeling: Pressentimento, instintivo