Have cried/have been crying [duplicate]
This question already has an answer here:
How do the tenses and aspects in English correspond temporally to one another?
7 answers
The book 'English Grammar in Use, Murphy' contains the following exercise under the Present perfect/Present perfect continuous chapter:
- Are you OK? You look as if ____ (you / cry).
I have not found any explanations why 'have been crying' is the correct answer.
Based on my understanding, the action has already been completed (the person has cried and now we're asking her by focusing on the result of the action). Other words, I can't imagine a situation when we're asking someone who's crying right now by focusing on the activity and not the result.
Would anyone explaining the Present Perfect Continuous choice here?
grammar present-perfect
asked Mar 24 at 11:26
FSou1FSou1
1052
marked as duplicate by Janus Bahs Jacquet, tchrist♦ Mar 24 at 16:15
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
add a comment |
This question already has an answer here:
How do the tenses and aspects in English correspond temporally to one another?
7 answers
The book 'English Grammar in Use, Murphy' contains the following exercise under the Present perfect/Present perfect continuous chapter:
- Are you OK? You look as if ____ (you / cry).
I have not found any explanations why 'have been crying' is the correct answer.
Based on my understanding, the action has already been completed (the person has cried and now we're asking her by focusing on the result of the action). Other words, I can't imagine a situation when we're asking someone who's crying right now by focusing on the activity and not the result.
Would anyone explaining the Present Perfect Continuous choice here?
grammar present-perfect
asked Mar 24 at 11:26
FSou1FSou1
1052
marked as duplicate by Janus Bahs Jacquet, tchrist♦ Mar 24 at 16:15
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
Have been crying is not present continuous; it’s perfect continuous, just like have cried is simple perfect. Have been crying does not mean is crying.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Mar 24 at 12:06
add a comment |
This question already has an answer here:
How do the tenses and aspects in English correspond temporally to one another?
7 answers
The book 'English Grammar in Use, Murphy' contains the following exercise under the Present perfect/Present perfect continuous chapter:
- Are you OK? You look as if ____ (you / cry).
I have not found any explanations why 'have been crying' is the correct answer.
Based on my understanding, the action has already been completed (the person has cried and now we're asking her by focusing on the result of the action). Other words, I can't imagine a situation when we're asking someone who's crying right now by focusing on the activity and not the result.
Would anyone explaining the Present Perfect Continuous choice here?
grammar present-perfect
asked Mar 24 at 11:26
FSou1FSou1
1052
This question already has an answer here:
How do the tenses and aspects in English correspond temporally to one another?
7 answers
The book 'English Grammar in Use, Murphy' contains the following exercise under the Present perfect/Present perfect continuous chapter:
- Are you OK? You look as if ____ (you / cry).
I have not found any explanations why 'have been crying' is the correct answer.
Based on my understanding, the action has already been completed (the person has cried and now we're asking her by focusing on the result of the action). Other words, I can't imagine a situation when we're asking someone who's crying right now by focusing on the activity and not the result.
Would anyone explaining the Present Perfect Continuous choice here?
This question already has an answer here:
How do the tenses and aspects in English correspond temporally to one another?
7 answers
grammar present-perfect
grammar present-perfect
asked Mar 24 at 11:26
FSou1FSou1
1052
asked Mar 24 at 11:26
FSou1FSou1
1052
asked Mar 24 at 11:26
FSou1FSou1
1052
asked Mar 24 at 11:26
FSou1FSou1
1052
asked Mar 24 at 11:26
FSou1FSou1
1052
1052
marked as duplicate by Janus Bahs Jacquet, tchrist♦ Mar 24 at 16:15
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
marked as duplicate by Janus Bahs Jacquet, tchrist♦ Mar 24 at 16:15
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
Have been crying is not present continuous; it’s perfect continuous, just like have cried is simple perfect. Have been crying does not mean is crying.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Mar 24 at 12:06
add a comment |
Have been crying is not present continuous; it’s perfect continuous, just like have cried is simple perfect. Have been crying does not mean is crying.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Mar 24 at 12:06
Have been crying is not present continuous; it’s perfect continuous, just like have cried is simple perfect. Have been crying does not mean is crying.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Mar 24 at 12:06
Have been crying is not present continuous; it’s perfect continuous, just like have cried is simple perfect. Have been crying does not mean is crying.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Mar 24 at 12:06
add a comment |
1 Answer
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If the action referred to by the lexical verb in question (e.g. cry, swim, paint) refers to something that does not have a goal or end-point but is an atelic process or activity, then when that verb is coupled with the perfect we use the continuous:
You're all wet. You look as if you have been swimming.
We wouldn't say:
You're all wet. You look as if you have swum. No
at least not with the past participle swum all by itself like that. You would need to add something that creates a sense of completion:
I've never seen a person who looked as wet as you do. You look as if you have swum across the Atlantic Ocean.
P.S. That the action has ceased does not mean that it had a goal, a pre-determined end-point, to begin with. There is a difference, for example, between swim and swim across. That you have stopped swimming does not mean that you have reached a goal; you have merely ceased the activity.
answered Mar 24 at 12:35
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
If the action referred to by the lexical verb in question (e.g. cry, swim, paint) refers to something that does not have a goal or end-point but is an atelic process or activity, then when that verb is coupled with the perfect we use the continuous:
You're all wet. You look as if you have been swimming.
We wouldn't say:
You're all wet. You look as if you have swum. No
at least not with the past participle swum all by itself like that. You would need to add something that creates a sense of completion:
I've never seen a person who looked as wet as you do. You look as if you have swum across the Atlantic Ocean.
P.S. That the action has ceased does not mean that it had a goal, a pre-determined end-point, to begin with. There is a difference, for example, between swim and swim across. That you have stopped swimming does not mean that you have reached a goal; you have merely ceased the activity.
answered Mar 24 at 12:35
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
add a comment |
If the action referred to by the lexical verb in question (e.g. cry, swim, paint) refers to something that does not have a goal or end-point but is an atelic process or activity, then when that verb is coupled with the perfect we use the continuous:
You're all wet. You look as if you have been swimming.
We wouldn't say:
You're all wet. You look as if you have swum. No
at least not with the past participle swum all by itself like that. You would need to add something that creates a sense of completion:
I've never seen a person who looked as wet as you do. You look as if you have swum across the Atlantic Ocean.
P.S. That the action has ceased does not mean that it had a goal, a pre-determined end-point, to begin with. There is a difference, for example, between swim and swim across. That you have stopped swimming does not mean that you have reached a goal; you have merely ceased the activity.
answered Mar 24 at 12:35
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
add a comment |
If the action referred to by the lexical verb in question (e.g. cry, swim, paint) refers to something that does not have a goal or end-point but is an atelic process or activity, then when that verb is coupled with the perfect we use the continuous:
You're all wet. You look as if you have been swimming.
We wouldn't say:
You're all wet. You look as if you have swum. No
at least not with the past participle swum all by itself like that. You would need to add something that creates a sense of completion:
I've never seen a person who looked as wet as you do. You look as if you have swum across the Atlantic Ocean.
P.S. That the action has ceased does not mean that it had a goal, a pre-determined end-point, to begin with. There is a difference, for example, between swim and swim across. That you have stopped swimming does not mean that you have reached a goal; you have merely ceased the activity.
answered Mar 24 at 12:35
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
If the action referred to by the lexical verb in question (e.g. cry, swim, paint) refers to something that does not have a goal or end-point but is an atelic process or activity, then when that verb is coupled with the perfect we use the continuous:
You're all wet. You look as if you have been swimming.
We wouldn't say:
You're all wet. You look as if you have swum. No
at least not with the past participle swum all by itself like that. You would need to add something that creates a sense of completion:
I've never seen a person who looked as wet as you do. You look as if you have swum across the Atlantic Ocean.
P.S. That the action has ceased does not mean that it had a goal, a pre-determined end-point, to begin with. There is a difference, for example, between swim and swim across. That you have stopped swimming does not mean that you have reached a goal; you have merely ceased the activity.
answered Mar 24 at 12:35
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
edited Mar 24 at 13:29
answered Mar 24 at 12:35
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
answered Mar 24 at 12:35
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
answered Mar 24 at 12:35
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
17.9k22248
add a comment |
add a comment |
Have been crying is not present continuous; it’s perfect continuous, just like have cried is simple perfect. Have been crying does not mean is crying.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Mar 24 at 12:06