ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: I have played it for 5 years, I have been playing this for 5 years,any difference?

Fandorin — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 20:14:08 GMT

You're welcome. You should use it only when the duration of action is pointed.

I had been working for a whole day when my brother came.
He has been teaching English since 1980.

Notice both of them can be used if the action, expressed by Perfect Continuous Tense, has finished right before general action, expressed in Simple Tense. But it's rarely used.

Re: I have played it for 5 years, I have been playing this for 5 years,any difference?

loveCZ — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 15:58:44 GMT

Oh thank you so much! Million Thanks! I am not going to forget what you have said,and keep improving my English

Re: I have played it for 5 years, I have been playing this for 5 years,any difference?

Fandorin — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:00:46 GMT

Hi, LoveCZ.

I have been playing CSS for 5 years already. I continue playing this up to now.
I have played CSS for 5 years already. It has meaning that you play it, because of already.Indeed, I 've just finished playing it and there is a possibility I don't play it anymore. Also you can stop playing it but it's obvious or has result that you played.

I had been playing AOM for seven years. It says that you played AOM but now you don't.

I ~~have been played AOM for 7 years already?~~ Wrong. Because have+been+PastParticiple is used to form Past Perfect Passive.

loveCZ

In fact, i am not clear about when to use have/has+been+past perfect. Can you tell me when to use it?

Don't mix them up.
Past Perfect Continuous: had+been+V-ing (Present Participle)
Present Perfect Continuous: have/has+ been+ V-ing (Present Participle)

I had been running for two hours and I was exhausted. Used for describing actions which continuing in the past up to the moment in the past we are talking about.

I've been watching TV for a whole day (I'm continuing to watch it). When the event started in the past and is going on now.

I have played it for 5 years, I have been playing this for 5 years,any difference?

loveCZ — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:58:23 GMT

Okay, suppose that I have been playing CSS for 5 years already and now i am still playing then which one should i say?

I have been playing CSS for 5 years already / I have played CSS for 5 years already? <--- do they have the same meaning?

Besides, suppose that i have played AOM for 7 years but not anymore in nowadays.Then can I say?

I have been played AOM for 7 years already?

In fact, i am not clear about when to use have/has+been+past perfect. Can you tell me when to use it?