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Concourse 2

Present perfect progressive vs. present perfect simple

These two tenses often cause problems.

read Task 1: Look at the words in red in this short conversation.
Paul: Hello, John.  I haven't seen you for ages.  What have you been doing since we last met?
John: Oh, I'm still in Paris but I've given up my job and I've been studying at the Sorbonne since last October.
Paul: Sounds good.  But how on earth can you afford it?
John: Well, it hasn't been easy but my family have been helping me out and Mary's been promoted She's been working at the foreign desk since May.
Some verbs are in the progressive form and some in the simple form.  Which is which?
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