Diamondrg  +  282275 Tue, 17 Oct 06 06:04 PM In his 'English Grammar in Use' Raymond Murphy says: (1) Ann's clothes are covered in paint. She has been painting the ceiling. "Has been painting is the present perfect continuous. We are interested in the activity. It does not matter whether something has been finished or not. In this example, the activity (painting the ceiling) has not been finished."   (2) The ceiling was white. Now it is blue. She has painted the ceiling. "Has painted is the present perfect simple. Here, the important thing is that something has been finished. 'Has painted' is a completed action. We are interested in the result of the activity (the painted ceiling), not in the activity itself." Well, Ann's clothes being covered in paint is also a result of her painting. How can one distinguish between them? Would it be wrong  if it were 'Ann's clothes are covered in paint. He has painted the ceiling'? or You are out breath. Have you run? (Instead of 'have you been running')  Diamondrg Joined on Fri, Dec 2 2005 Contributing Member 1,043 Grammar, Present Perfect, English Grammar

	Marius Hancu  +  282279 Tue, 17 Oct 06 06:08 PM Search (top right Search box) with Present Perfect Continuous and you will find many related threads. Read several of them first. The previous activity is described by the continuous, and this is the concern here. Marius Hancu Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006 Veteran Member 11,673 Present Perfect

	Pastsimple  +  282294 Tue, 17 Oct 06 06:34 PM  Diamondrg wrote:   Would it be wrong  if it were 'Ann's clothes are covered in paint. He has painted the ceiling'? or You are out breath. Have you run? (Instead of 'have you been running')  Some ideas from a non-native speaker: Yes, it would be wrong. Neither is correct. She's painted the ceiling. --> The ceiling is now painted. [painting starts ---->----->----- painting ends ]  [ceiling now painted] Her clothes are covered in paint, she's been painting the ceiling. --> Her clothes got dirty during her painting. [painting starts ---->----->----- painting ends (?)] On this time scale, where exactly  did her clothes get dirty? Food for thought: If Ann enters the living room in dirty clothes, you look at her clothes with disgust and she says "I've been painting the ceiling in the bedroom", do you know whether she finished it? Pastsimple Joined on Thu, Feb 16 2006 Czech Republic, Europe Full Member 328 If you are a native speaker and find any grammar or stylistic mistakes in my posts, don't hesitate to tell me! I will really appreciate that. Present Perfect

	Diamondrg  +  282362 Tue, 17 Oct 06 08:43 PM it would be out of breath. a typo. You are out of breath. Have you been running? Is he still running? Diamondrg Present Perfect

	Marius Hancu  +  282365 Tue, 17 Oct 06 08:57 PM  Diamondrg wrote: You are out of breath. Have you been running? Is he still running? No, because then the question doesn't make sense: you see the person in front of you (as you see he's out of breath), thus you know if he's still running or not. Marius Hancu Present Perfect

	Diamondrg  +  282377 Tue, 17 Oct 06 09:23 PM  Marius Hancu wrote:  Diamondrg wrote: You are out of breath. Have you been running? Is he still running? No, because then the question doesn't make sense: you see the person in front of you (as you see he's out of breath), thus you know if he's still running or not. Who has been sitting in my place? Does this make no sense, either? Diamondrg Present Perfect

	Marius Hancu  +  282385 Tue, 17 Oct 06 09:50 PM  Marius Hancu wrote:  Diamondrg wrote: You are out of breath. Have you been running? Is he still running? No, because then the question doesn't make sense: you see the person in front of you (as you see he's out of breath), thus you know if he's still running or not. I realize now the question has some sense when talking to the person over the phone, and hearing his/her heavy breathing Marius Hancu Present Perfect

	Marius Hancu  +  282386 Tue, 17 Oct 06 09:54 PM  Diamondrg wrote:  Marius Hancu wrote:  Diamondrg wrote: You are out of breath. Have you been running? Is he still running? No, because then the question doesn't make sense: you see the person in front of you (as you see he's out of breath), thus you know if he's still running or not. Who has been sitting in my place? Does this make no sense, either? This makes sense: you see (now) the things which have been disturbed by his/her presence at your desk, etc. Marius Hancu Present Perfect

	CalifJim  +  282464 Wed, 18 Oct 06 03:13 AM Would it be wrong  if it were 'Ann's clothes are covered in paint. [She] has painted the ceiling'? No, not wrong, but the sentences seem less related to one another now, compared to the other choice.  In the quoted version above, I imagine Ann's clothes in a heap in a corner, ready to be laundered.  Ann herself may be miles away. In the other version (has been painting) I imagine Ann wearing the clothes and holding a paint brush.  Go figure.  CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,385 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Present Perfect