Remember that:
♦ in the same way that there is a ‘simple’ and a ‘continuous’ form of the present and the past, there are also two forms of the present perfect (simple and continuous).
♦ the most important difference between the two forms is that with How long…? and for / since we normally use the continuous form with action verbs (e.g. learn, go, play, do, wait, etc) and the simple form is used with non-action verbs (e.g. be, know, have).
♦Two common verbs which can be used in either tense are live and work.
♦ Some typical mistakes:
– getting the form wrong, e.g. forgetting to include been:
e.g. How long have you learning English?
– using the present tense instead of the present perfect continuous:
e.g. I am learning English for a long time.
– using the continuous form of the present perfect with non-action verbs:
e.g. I’ve been knowing my best friend for fifteen years.
Remember:
We use the future simple (will + infinitive) when we talk about TIMETABLES
e.g. The lecture on genetics will begin at 9.00 . (is going to begin)
e.g. The show will end at 10 o’clock. (is going to end)
e.g. The train is late. It will arrive at 6 o’clock. (is going to arrive)
e.g. The doctor will visit his patients at 5.00. (is going to visit)