E8 M - Present perfect simple and progressive
E8 M - Present perfect simple and progressive
Mini-Beschreibung: Du unterscheidest einfache Resultat- und Erfahrungsaussagen von andauernden oder kürzlich fortlaufenden Handlungen. Du arbeitest zuerst auf Englisch: context → try → ask → hint → German help if needed. Zielgruppe: Englisch als erste Fremdsprache, Klasse 8, M-Niveau, Baden-Württemberg.

Media start – Look, think, speak: Look at the photo. What has happened? What have the people been doing? Make two guesses before you read any rule.
Viewing mission: Watch the BBC Learning English video once without stopping. Write down one clue for result and one clue for activity/duration. Watch a second time only if you need it.
I can ...
Am Ende kannst Du in klaren Alltagssituationen:
- Present perfect simple: über Ergebnisse und Erfahrungen sprechen, z. B. I have finished my homework. oder I have visited London.
- Present perfect progressive: andauernde oder kürzlich fortlaufende Handlungen ausdrücken, z. B. I have been waiting for twenty minutes.
- For und since: Dauer und Startpunkt passend angeben.
- Speaking: in einem längeren Dialog nach Erfahrungen und laufenden Aktivitäten fragen und Gründe nennen.
- Writing: einen kurzen strukturierten Bericht oder eine Nachricht mit beiden Formen schreiben.
- Fehleranalyse: typische Fehler selbst erkennen und verbessern.
Vorwissen: Quick check
Try first. Do not translate every sentence.
A. Complete mentally: I ___ finished the task. — She ___ been studying for an hour. — They ___ never tried surfing.
B. Ask yourself: Do you remember the past participle of go, see, write, do, take?
Hint: Present perfect simple = have/has + past participle. Present perfect progressive = have/has + been + verb-ing.
German help if needed: Beim Simple steht eher Ergebnis oder Erfahrung im Vordergrund. Beim Progressive steht eher die Aktivität oder Dauer im Vordergrund.
Input: Meaning before rules

Media task: Follow the line from the past to the present. Explain in one English sentence why the present matters.
Context 1: Result or experience
Maya is getting ready for a school presentation.
Maya: I have finished my slides. I have also found three good pictures. I have never given a presentation in English before, but I have practised a lot.
What matters now?
I have finished my slides. → The result is clear now: the slides are ready.
I have never given a presentation in English before. → Maya talks about an experience in her life up to now.
Form: subject + have/has + past participle
I/you/we/they have finished. He/she/it has finished.
Useful words: already, just, yet, ever, never.
Try: Complete: Leo ______ already ______ the email. Use send.
Hint: send – sent – sent.
German help if needed: Ergebnis jetzt oder Erfahrung bis jetzt → oft Present Perfect Simple.
Context 2: Activity or duration

Sam is tired and there is paint on his clothes.
Sam: I have been painting the wall for two hours. I have been working since four o'clock.
The activity started before now and is still continuing, or it has just stopped and you can see the effect.
Form: subject + have/has been + verb-ing
I/you/we/they have been working. He/she/it has been working.
Try: Nina ______ ______ ______ for forty minutes. Use run.
Hint: three parts: has + been + running.
German help if needed: Verlauf, Dauer oder sichtbare Folge einer gerade gelaufenen Aktivität → oft Present Perfect Progressive.
One choice, two meanings
Compare:
I have painted the wall. → Focus: result. The wall is painted.
I have been painting the wall. → Focus: activity/duration. The work may still be going on or has just stopped.
I have read three chapters. → Focus: number/result.
I have been reading for an hour. → Focus: duration/activity.
M-level rule: Ask one question first: Do I want to show a result/experience or an activity/duration?
For and since
for + period: for ten minutes, for two years, for a long time
since + starting point: since Monday, since 2025, since breakfast
Both forms can occur with for and since. The meaning of the verb and the focus decide.
I have known Ben for three years. → state, simple form.
I have been practising for three years. → activity, progressive form.
Important: Verbs such as know, like, believe, understand are normally not used in the progressive in these meanings at this level.
Present perfect or simple past?
Use the present perfect when the connection to now matters and no finished past time is given.
I have seen that film. I saw that film last Friday.
A finished time such as yesterday, last week, in 2024 normally points to the Simple Past.
Error alert: I have seen him yesterday. is not the normal standard form. Say: I saw him yesterday.
Listening and Viewing
Use only the sections you need. Do not try to understand every word.
First viewing: Find one example with ever/never, one with for/since, and one present perfect progressive example.
Second viewing: Pause after an example and say whether the speaker focuses on result/experience or activity/duration.
Check: If you can explain your choice in one short sentence, you have understood the key contrast.
Datei:English Grammar — Present Perfect — Usage.webm
Optional OER viewing: This short Wikimedia Commons video reviews uses of the present perfect. Before watching, predict two uses. After watching, check only your predictions.
Datei:English Grammar — Present Perfect Continuous — Usage.webm
Optional OER viewing: Listen for the idea of an activity continuing over time. Write one own example, not a copied sentence.
Reading: The community project
Read first for meaning.
A fictional class has been preparing a small community exhibition. Priya has designed the poster and Ben has written the short English texts. They have already checked the opening time. Mia and Leon have been building a model since lunch, and they have been testing the lights for nearly an hour. Their teacher says the group has made good progress, but the students are still busy. They have not finished the model yet.
Reading task: Find two sentences that focus on a result and two that focus on an activity or duration. Then explain one choice in English.
Challenge: Why is have not finished ... yet simple and not progressive?
Hint: Think about the missing result.
Context vocabulary
| English | Meaning in context | German help if needed |
|---|---|---|
| result | what is complete or visible now | Ergebnis |
| experience | something that has happened in your life up to now | Erfahrung |
| activity | something someone is doing | Tätigkeit |
| duration | how long an activity continues | Dauer |
| recently | a short time ago, connected to now | kürzlich |
| progress | movement towards finishing a task | Fortschritt |
| since | from a starting point until now | seit einem Zeitpunkt |
| for | over a period of time | seit / für eine Dauer |
Pronunciation and fluency
In normal speech, short forms are common:
I've finished. She's been working. They've never tried it.
Speak in chunks: I've been waiting / for twenty minutes. Do not rush every word. Aim for clear rhythm and understandable speech, not accent-free speech.
Pair drill: Student A asks How long have you been ...? Student B gives a true or fictional answer. Then switch roles.
Privacy note: You may always use a fictional profile. Recordings are voluntary and stay private unless you explicitly agree otherwise.
Speaking: Ask, react, explain
Use fictional names if you prefer.
Round 1 – experiences: Ask three Have you ever ...? questions. Add one follow-up in the simple past when the answer is yes: When did you ...?
Round 2 – activities: Ask two How long have you been ...? questions.
Round 3 – informal discussion: Decide which sentence fits better and give a reason: I have cleaned my room. / I have been cleaning my room.
Useful language: I think the simple form fits because ... — The progressive is better here because ... — The result matters because ...
Writing: A short update
Write 90–120 words to a fictional exchange partner about a project, hobby or school week.
Include:
- one result with present perfect simple;
- one experience with ever or never;
- one activity with present perfect progressive;
- one phrase with for or since;
- one sentence in the simple past with a finished past time.
Structure: opening → what is done → what has been happening → one problem or next step → closing.
Self-check: Underline the auxiliary verb. Circle the past participle or been + -ing form. Then ask: Does the meaning match the form?
Mediation: Keep the meaning, not every word
Your German-speaking partner asks what an English school update means:
We have finished the poster, but we have been working on the model since lunch.
Explain the message in simple German without translating word for word. Then say in English which part is a result and which part is an activity.
Functional grammar lab

Look at the picture and imagine two moments:
Moment A: The cake is ready. → They have baked a cake.
Moment B: The work has continued for an hour and the cake is still in progress. → They have been baking for an hour.
Media challenge: Create one result sentence and one activity sentence for the image.

Experience challenge: Use the image as a prompt, not as a fact about the people. Create a fictional sentence: Alex has visited London twice. Then ask: Has Alex ever used a paper map in London?
Help ladder
Step 1 – English clue: Result or activity?
Step 2 – Form clue: have/has + past participle OR have/has been + -ing?
Step 3 – Example clue: I have written three messages. / I have been writing for an hour.
Step 4 – German help: Zählbares Ergebnis oder Erfahrung → eher Simple. Dauer, Verlauf oder gerade sichtbare Aktivität → eher Progressive.
Direct feedback and error analysis
Correct each sentence and name the reason.
She has been finish her homework. Feedback: after been, use verb-ing → She has been finishing ... But if the meaning is a completed result, better: She has finished her homework.
I have been knowing him for years. Feedback: know is normally a state verb here → I have known him for years.
We have visited them last Saturday. Feedback: last Saturday is a finished past time → We visited them last Saturday.
He have written three emails. Feedback: with he use has → He has written three emails.
Error detective: For every correction, decide whether the problem is form, meaning/focus, or time reference.
Transfer: Real situations
Choose the form that matches the communicative goal.
School project: Report what is finished and what is still in progress.
Sports club: Say how long you have been training and what you have achieved.
Part-time job simulation: Give a short work update: I have answered six messages. I have been preparing the display since 3 p.m.
Travel story: Talk about experiences first; then use the simple past for one finished trip with a clear date or time.
Can-do check
| I can ... | Yes | Almost | Not yet |
|---|---|---|---|
| choose simple for a result or experience | □ | □ | □ |
| choose progressive for an activity or duration | □ | □ | □ |
| use for and since correctly in clear contexts | □ | □ | □ |
| avoid present perfect with a finished past time such as yesterday | □ | □ | □ |
| explain my tense choice in simple English | □ | □ | □ |
| write a short update using both forms | □ | □ | □ |
If you tick Almost or Not yet, return to the matching context and use the Help ladder.
Responsible use of media and AI
Use only fictional profiles or information you are allowed to share. Do not post private recordings or personal social-media data. Audio or video recordings are voluntary and can remain on your own device.
If your teacher allows an AI tool, use it only for a small check, for example: Which tense is used here, and why? Check the answer against the rule and context in this aiMOOC. Do not let AI replace your own text. Do not send personal data, recordings or unpublished classmates' work to external AI services without permission.
Interaktive Aufgaben
Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen
Which sentence focuses on a finished result now? (I have cleaned my room.) (!I have been cleaning my room for an hour.) (!I cleaned my room yesterday.) (!I am cleaning my room now.)
Which sentence focuses on duration? (She has been practising for two hours.) (!She has practised three songs.) (!She practised yesterday.) (!She practises every Tuesday.)
Which form is correct for an experience up to now? (Have you ever visited Edinburgh?) (!Did you ever visited Edinburgh?) (!Have you ever been visit Edinburgh?) (!Are you ever visited Edinburgh?)
Which sentence uses since correctly? (We have lived here since 2022.) (!We have lived here since three years.) (!We lived here since three years.) (!We are living here since 2022.)
Which sentence uses for correctly? (I have been waiting for twenty minutes.) (!I have been waiting since twenty minutes.) (!I waited for twenty minutes since now.) (!I am waiting since twenty minutes.)
Which sentence fits a finished past time? (I saw the film last Friday.) (!I have seen the film last Friday.) (!I have been seeing the film last Friday.) (!I have see the film last Friday.)
Which sentence is correct with the state verb know? (I have known her for years.) (!I have been knowing her for years.) (!I am knowing her since years.) (!I have knew her for years.)
Which sentence counts a result? (They have written five emails.) (!They have been writing for an hour.) (!They are writing right now.) (!They wrote while I was calling.)
Which sentence describes a recent activity with a visible effect? (He is tired because he has been running.) (!He is tired because he has run yesterday.) (!He has been ran for an hour.) (!He has running for an hour.)
Which question asks about the duration of an activity? (How long have you been studying English?) (!When did you study English yesterday?) (!How many tests do you write?) (!Are you study English now?)
Memory
| result | present perfect simple |
| duration | present perfect progressive |
| starting point | since |
| period of time | for |
| finished past time | simple past |
| life experience | ever |
Drag and Drop
| Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu. | Thema |
|---|---|
| finished result | present perfect simple |
| ongoing activity | present perfect progressive |
| starting point | since |
| period | for |
| finished past event | simple past |
...
Kreuzworträtsel
| result | What is complete or visible now? |
| duration | What word means how long something continues? |
| since | Which word introduces a starting point? |
| participle | Which verb form follows have or has in the simple form? |
| progressive | Which aspect highlights an activity or its duration? |
| experience | What can ever and never ask about in your life up to now? |
LearningApps
Lückentext
Offene Aufgaben
Leicht
- Picture prompt: Wähle eines der Commons-Bilder aus dem aiMOOC und schreibe dazu je einen Satz mit Present Perfect Simple und Progressive.
- Experience questions: Formuliere vier harmlose Fragen mit Have you ever ...? für fiktive oder freiwillige Antworten.
- For or since: Erstelle sechs eigene Zeitangaben und sortiere sie in for und since.
- Error cards: Schreibe drei fehlerhafte Beispielsätze und notiere auf der Rückseite die Korrektur samt kurzem Grund.
Standard
- Mini dialogue: Schreibe einen Dialog mit mindestens acht Sprecherwechseln über ein Schulprojekt. Nutze beide Present-Perfect-Formen.
- Audio note: Nimm freiwillig eine private 45–60-Sekunden-Audionachricht zu einem fiktiven Projekt auf. Achte auf klare Chunks und verständliche Aussprache.
- Project update: Verfasse einen 100-Wörter-Bericht mit mindestens zwei Ergebnissen und zwei laufenden Aktivitäten.
- Media comparison: Nutze zwei Bilder aus dem aiMOOC und erkläre auf Englisch, warum das eine eher zu einem Resultatsatz und das andere eher zu einem Verlaufssatz passt.
Schwer
- Interview simulation: Führe ein fiktives Interview über Erfahrungen und aktuelle Projekte. Nutze Present Perfect für Erfahrungen und Simple Past für konkrete Nachfragen zu abgeschlossenen Zeitpunkten.
- Grammar coach: Erkläre einem Lernpartner in höchstens 90 Sekunden den Unterschied zwischen I have painted the wall und I have been painting the wall.
- Workplace email: Schreibe eine kurze berufliche E-Mail zu einem fiktiven Praktikumsprojekt mit erledigten Aufgaben, laufenden Tätigkeiten und einem nächsten Schritt.
- Transfer story: Schreibe eine kurze Geschichte, in der Present Perfect Simple, Present Perfect Progressive und Simple Past sinnvoll wechseln. Markiere anschließend den Grund für jeden Tempuswechsel.


Lernkontrolle
- Meaning first: Du erhältst vier Situationen ohne Verben. Entscheide, ob Ergebnis, Erfahrung, Verlauf oder Dauer im Fokus steht, und bilde anschließend passende Sätze.
- Contrast explanation: Erkläre den Bedeutungsunterschied zwischen She has written three pages und She has been writing for an hour und erfinde je einen passenden Kontext.
- Time reference: Überarbeite einen kurzen Text, in dem Present Perfect und Simple Past falsch gemischt sind. Begründe jede Änderung mit dem Zeitbezug.
- Dialogue transfer: Ergänze einen Dialog so, dass zuerst nach einer Erfahrung und danach nach einem konkreten vergangenen Zeitpunkt gefragt wird.
- Project report: Verfasse einen kurzen Statusbericht mit mindestens zwei fertigen Ergebnissen und zwei noch laufenden Aktivitäten. Begründe danach zwei deiner Tempusentscheidungen.
- Error diagnosis: Sortiere sechs Fehler in die Kategorien Form, Bedeutung/Fokus und Zeitreferenz und korrigiere sie.
Lernnachweis
Für einen Lernnachweis solltest Du zeigen, dass Du:
- den Bedeutungsunterschied zwischen Ergebnis/Erfahrung und Aktivität/Dauer erkennst;
- Present Perfect Simple und Progressive korrekt bildest;
- for und since in klaren Kontexten passend verwendest;
- bei einem abgeschlossenen vergangenen Zeitpunkt zum Simple Past wechselst;
- typische Fehler erklären und verbessern kannst;
- in einem Dialog und einem kurzen Text beide Present-Perfect-Formen kommunikativ sinnvoll einsetzt;
- Deine Entscheidungen mit einfachen englischen Begründungen erklären kannst.
Medien und Quellenhinweise
Die eingebetteten Wikimedia-Commons-Dateien sind auf ihren jeweiligen Dateiseiten mit freien Lizenzen dokumentiert. Die eingebetteten YouTube-Videos stammen vom offiziellen Kanal BBC Learning English; sie werden als externe Streaming-Medien eingebettet und sind nicht automatisch OER.
Verwendete Commons-Medien:
– Kontextimpuls zu waiting
– Zeitbezug Vergangenheit–Gegenwart
– Kontrast Resultat/Verlauf
– Handlung im Prozess
– fiktiver Erfahrungskontext- Datei:English Grammar — Present Perfect — Usage.webm – OER-Grammatikvideo
- Datei:English Grammar — Present Perfect Continuous — Usage.webm – OER-Grammatikvideo zur Verlaufsform
OERs zum Thema
Folgekurs
Als nächstes passt ein Kurs zu E8 M - Present perfect and simple past in context, in dem Du die Wahl zwischen Present Perfect und Simple Past in längeren Berichten, Interviews und Geschichten vertiefst.
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