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Unit 03 Grammar
CH3
Dynamic and stative meanings
Present perfect: simple and progressive
Dynamic and Stative verbs
 A Dynamic verb expresses an action like running, eating, and sleeping.
I run fast.
I am eating lunch.
 A Stative verb express a state; something that just is.
He is tall.
I own a car.
 Some words can be either active or stative. (e.g. have, think, look)
I am having lunch. (active – I am eating lunch.)
I have a car. (stative – I own a car.)
Past Perfect Tense – Simple Form (the past of the past)
The simple past tense expresses a completed action that happened in the past.
(Subj + HAD + Verb-past participle + Obj) - [past participle = -ed]
I had eaten lunch when my friend called me.(eating at home happened before the friend
calls)**
I had worked at home before I worked in this office. (working at home happened before
working in the office)**
**Note: In both cases, the past perfect event (event A) happens before a simple past event (event
B) so event A can be seen as the past of event B, or as I put it, the past past.
Present Perfect Continuous
The Present Perfect Continuous* expresses an action that started in the past and continues until
now. The Present Perfect Continuous is never used for Non-action verbs (Stative verbs).
I have been watching TV for an hour.
He has been eating lunch here for 15 years.
*Note: Continuous can mean one event that happens 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, OR an event
that happens regularly, like eating lunch every day.
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Present Perfect and Simple Past
The Present Perfect may indicate a past action.**
I have eaten lunch.
The Present Perfect may indicate a continuous* state or an unfinished action that started in the
past and is still true.
I have known him since we were children.
She has lived here for 20 years
I have worked here for 10 years.
I have eaten lunch here (, every work day,) for 15 years.
**Note: Although the Present Perfect may seem similar to the Simple Past, there are some
differences.
I have eaten lunch. = I ate lunch.
However, for formal use, the Present Perfect expresses an action that happened in the past, but
we don't know when. For the Simple Past, we know the time something happened.
I have eaten lunch. (unknown time)
I ate lunch at 12:30.(known time)
*Note: Continuous can mean one event that happens 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, OR an event
that happens regularly, like eating lunch every day.
Ask ourselves, “is this a State or an Action. If it is an Action, did it happen in the past, or is it
still going on?”
Present Perfect Progressive Examples
I have been living in Taiwan for 12 years. (continuous)
I have been teaching for over 20 years. (repeated action)
I have been watching TV for an hour now. (Continuous)
I have been taking notes in class for too many years. (repeated action)
I have been eating stinky tofu since I was a child. (repeated)
I have been breathing on my own since I was born. (continuous)
Present Perfect Simple Examples – (State is a condition)
I have eaten too much chocolate. (action in past)
I have a stomach ache. (State, but not Present Perfect)
I have had a stomach ache for a week. (state)
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I have lived in Rome. (action in past)
I have been short all of my life. (state)