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Unit. 10 How long have you (been)...?

UNIT. 11

 How long have you (been)...?

 A

 Study this example situation:

 Bob and Alice are married. They got married exactly 20 years ago, so today is their 20th wedding anniversary. 

They have been married for 20 years.

 We say, They are married." (present)

 but      How long have they been married? (present perfect) (not How long are they married?)

 They have been married for 20 years. (not They are married for 20 years.)

 We use the present perfect (especially with how long, for, and since) to talk about something that began in the past and still continues now. Compare the present and the present perfect.

  •            We know each other very well.
 but   We've known each other since we were in high school. (not We know) 
  • Do you have a pain in your stomach?
but      How long have you had the pain? (not How long do you have) 
  • I'm learning English.b
but I've been learning English for six months. (not I am learning) 
  • He's waiting for somebody.
 but He's been waiting all morning.

 B

 I have known/had/lived, etc., is the present perfect simple.

 I have been learning / been waiting / been doing, etc., is the present perfect continuous. In most situations with how long, since, and for, the continuous is more usual:

  •  I've been studying English for six months. (more usual than I've studied)
  •  It's been raining since lunchtime.
  •  Richard has been doing the same job for 20 years. 
  • "How long have you been driving?" “Since I was 17."

 But some verbs (for example, know/like/believe) are not normally used in the continuous: 

  • How long have you known Jane? (not have you been knowing)

 For a list of these verbs, see Unit 4A.

 C

 You can use either the present perfect continuous or present perfect simple with live and work:

  • John has been living / has lived in Denver for a long time. 
  • How long have you been working / have you worked here?

 But we use the simple (I've done / I've lived, etc.) with always:

  •  John has always lived in Denver. (not has always been living)

 D

 We use the present perfect simple in negative sentences like these:

  •  I haven't seen Tom since Monday. (= Monday was the last time I saw him) 
  • Jane hasn't called me for two weeks. (= the last time she called was two weeks ago)

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