How long have you been studying english

How many years (have you studied)/(have you been studying) English?

What are the differences between questions 1 and 2? If you were asked to choose only one over the other to use in an application form which one would you use? In case you say it depends on the situation then could you give me an example?

1- How many years have you studied English?

(A question taken from an application form to the English Language Institute at University of Florida) http://www.vivecampus.com/uflorida/documentos/ApplicationForm.pdf

2- How many years have you been studying English?

(A question taken from an instructions sheet for the IELTS applications form on the British Council’s website) http://www.britishcouncil.org/completingieltsapplicationform-2.pdf‎

2 Answers 2

“How many years have you been studying English” assumes that you are studying English now, and have been studying English continuously for [. ] years.

“How many years have you studied English” assumes that at some time you studied English for [. ] years. It leaves open the possibility that you studied English some time ago and are not studying English now.

The difference probably reflects the different sorts of student these two entities deal with. I imagine that most people taking the IELTS are current students or workers seeking validation of their proficiency, while the Institute offers training which in some cases is tailored to special groups—Brazilian immigration lawyers, for instance—who may need just ‘brush-up’ instruction in a particular area.

For you, these probably amount to the same thing, since you are studying English right now—this question qualifies as study!

Let’s not take the present out of the present perfect!

The question «How long. « assumes that the applicant is still studying English, no matter whether the application asks the question using the present perfect (Sentence 1) or the present perfect progressive (Sentence 2).

The present perfect often refers to a action or condition that started in the past and continues to the present. As such, it does not leave open the possibility that the situation is no longer true at the present time. This is especially true with the interrogative «How long. «

(1) How long have you been here?

I have been here five minutes.

(2) How long have you and Sam been friends?

—I have been friends with Sam for six years.

(3) How long have you lived in New York?

—I have lived in New York too long.

This construction does not leave open the possibility that the situation is no longer the case in the present. The same is true for

(4) How long have you studied English?

—I have studied English for six years.

Consider some alternative but illogical (and thus ungrammatical) possibilities:

(5a) How long have you studied English?

*—I have studied English for six years, but I am not studying it now/anymore.

This is as illogical and ungrammatical as

(5b) How long have you been here?

—I have been here five minutes, but I am not here now.

(5c) How long have you lived in New York?

*—I have lived in New York nine years, but I no longer live in New York.

(5d) How long have you eaten peanut butter?

*—I have eaten peanut butter for six years, but I have stopped eating it.

For (5abcd), the person answering the question can use the simple past or the past perfect if the situation is no longer true.

There are other contexts in which the present perfect can only refer to situations that began in the past and are still true at the time of the statement (I have lived in Chicago since 2010).

How long have you been teaching English?

‘How long have you been teaching?’

‘What did you do before you were a teacher?’

FAQs that are asked by many students of their teachers.

In my experience very few English language teachers have always worked in this area. Many have worked in teaching and education, but a lot of others have had very different jobs beforehand. Amongst my colleagues at EC Brighton, there are teachers who have had former careers in such diverse fields as catering, banking, landscape gardening and nursing, not forgetting a number of musicians, actors and other artists. I work closely with an ex-ballet dancer, another who used to manage a tattoo and piercing shop, and have I mentioned the rocket scientist? True! We have a teacher who works with us from time to time who used to be a rocket scientist. I do hope to work with a brain surgeon someday!

All of our teachers are well qualified in this, their current chosen career, and most of our teachers have travelled widely and have experience and an appreciation of the many cultures in this world, which helps them understand what it’s like to be a stranger in a foreign land and just how exciting, strange and sometimes difficult it can be. Especially when coming to study.

Now, what’s a teacher’s typical day at EC Brighton like? The first class begins at 9am, and teaching staff tend to get to school to prepare by around 8.30. We teachers have already planned what we’re going to do by Monday for the coming week, but flexibility is the key and planned lessons can change as the week progresses. Adapting to the needs of our students is more important than sticking to a rigid plan. And besides, we like to exchange ideas with each other and catch up over coffee; we’re a sociable bunch and get on well together.

But of course it’s not all work! Every Thursday it’s ‘Pub Night’, for the teachers and students to get together, and chat in relaxed surroundings of one of the many pubs in Brighton. oh and to have a few pints too!

Let’s face it, it’s Friday tomorrow!

By Tim, English teacher at EC Brighton English School

How long have you studied / been studying (perfect/continuous)

Aidasp

Member

Could you explain me the difference between this two questions?

jacinta

Senior Member

Crescent

Senior Member

Pero las respuestas para esas dos frases son las mismas! Pienso que eso es lo que es si dificil para los extranjeros!

jacinta

Senior Member

I´m sorry to disagree with you but the present perfect is not used for a completed action. It is just the opposite. It is used for an action that is not completed:

I have wanted a new jacket for so long now. I just can´t find the right one.
I have been wanting a new jacket for so long now.
These sentences say the same thing.

You will use the past perfect for a completed action.

I had wanted to visit Spain for years and finally I got to go last year.

Senior Member

I agree with jacinta.

Same difference between
(1) ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que estudias inglés?
(2) ¿Cuánto tiempo llevas estudiando inglés?

Very little, if any.

guixols

Senior Member

«I´m sorry to disagree with you but the present perfect is not used for a completed action.»

So how would you explain the following:

«I’ve written to her three times. She never answers, so I’m going to stop wasting my time.»

«I’ve been to St. Louis once, and that was enough for me.»

The actions referred to are past actions completed.

geostan

Senior Member

I´m sorry to disagree with you but the present perfect is not used for a completed action. It is just the opposite. It is used for an action that is not completed:

I have wanted a new jacket for so long now. I just can´t find the right one.
I have been wanting a new jacket for so long now.
These sentences say the same thing.

You will use the past perfect for a completed action.

I had wanted to visit Spain for years and finally I got to go last year.

Not quite. The present perfect may be used for a completed action.

I have seen them three times this morning. The difference between this and I saw them three times this morning is that in the first instance it’s still morning, but in both cases the actions are completed.

There is a discussion in the French-English forum that is going on right now that discusses this problem.

jacinta

Senior Member

I have written to her three times.

That includes right now. I just wrote to her. I´m talking about a problem I have today. If I don´t hear from her, I´m going to stop writing. This incident is on-going.

I had written to her three times.
This happened last year. She never wrote back so I stopped writing to her. All in the past. A finished incident.

geostan

Senior Member

I have written to her three times.

That includes right now. I just wrote to her. I´m talking about a problem I have today. If I don´t hear from her, I´m going to stop writing. This incident is on-going.

I had written to her three times.
This happened last year. She never wrote back so I stopped writing to her. All in the past. A finished incident.

You’re confusing the action of writing with the intention of continuing to write.
I have written to her three times. The three times are over. You may continue to write, but that is not implied in the statement.

Your second example would be: I wrote to her three times. The past perfect tense is completely unnecessary. It is used to indicate a past action prior to another past action, as in:

I told him that I had written to her three times the previous year.

jacinta

Senior Member

I´m not confusing anything. I am simply saying that when you use the present perfect, you are referring to the present day, regardless of whether or not you have completed the action.
Does this make sense? That´s why it is called the present perfect.

I have written her. As of today, I have written her.

geostan

Senior Member

I´m not confusing anything. I am simply saying that when you use the present perfect, you are referring to the present day, regardless of whether or not you have completed the action.
Does this make sense? That´s why it is called the present perfect.

I have written her. As of today, I have written her.

«I´m sorry to disagree with you but the present perfect is not used for a completed action. It is just the opposite. It is used for an action that is not completed:»

The above is what you said in #4. Now you are saying that the action may or may not have been completed.

I know that the resultant state is in the present, but that is not the issue.

jacinta

Senior Member

Okay, you´ve made me work!!

Here is the textbook explanation of the present perfect and past perfect tenses. You´re right in that I said the action is not completed. I´m not going to try to explain myself but will use the book instead:

«The present perfect tense expresses time subsequent to that of the past tense and continuing to the present period of time, when it is completed. The present perfect tense, which is sometimes called the perfect, indicates that the action is complete (perfect) at the time represented— the time of speaking (present).»

«The past perfect tense, which is also called the pluperfect, indicates that the action was completed at some time in the past. It is formed by the use of the auxiliary verb had (past), to which the past participle of the main verb is added.
The past perfect tense is a secondary tense in which the past time that is represented has been completed as of some past time.»

Exerpted from «The Writer´s Manual» by Archibald C. Jordan. (I don´t like this book but it´s all I have at the moment!!)

geostan

Senior Member

Okay, you´ve made me work!!

Here is the textbook explanation of the present perfect and past perfect tenses. You´re right in that I said the action is not completed. I´m not going to try to explain myself but will use the book instead:

«The present perfect tense expresses time subsequent to that of the past tense and continuing to the present period of time, when it is completed. The present perfect tense, which is sometimes called the perfect, indicates that the action is complete (perfect) at the time represented— the time of speaking (present).»

«The past perfect tense, which is also called the pluperfect, indicates that the action was completed at some time in the past. It is formed by the use of the auxiliary verb had (past), to which the past participle of the main verb is added.
The past perfect tense is a secondary tense in which the past time that is represented has been completed as of some past time.»

Exerpted from «The Writer´s Manual» by Archibald C. Jordan. (I don´t like this book but it´s all I have at the moment!!)

I don’t care for his explanation. He makes no distinction between the present perfect and the present perfect progressive or continuous. And his definition could suit the simple past as well.

When you say «I did something» you are speaking in the present about something that has been completed.

If you type in «present perfect continuous» in Google, you’ll come up with a number of sites that explain this tense. While they aren’t perfect, the explanations are clearer than Mr. Jordan’s.

Crescent

Senior Member

Oh, my.
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cause such a. discussion between the two of you.
To be honest, I had no idea until now that the present perfect tense is what we call simply the perfect tense, and the past perfect is the pluperfect.

jacinta

Senior Member

I don’t care for his explanation. He makes no distinction between the present perfect and the present perfect progressive or continuous. And his definition could suit the simple past as well.

If you type in «present perfect continuous» in Google, you’ll come up with a number of sites that explain this tense. While they aren’t perfect, the explanations are clearer than Mr. Jordan’s.

jacinta

Senior Member

Oh, my.
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cause such a. discussion between the two of you.
To be honest, I had no idea until now that the present perfect tense is what we call simply the perfect tense, and the past perfect is the pluperfect.

Senior Member

Oh, my.
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cause such a. discussion between the two of you.
To be honest, I had no idea until now that the present perfect tense is what we call simply the perfect tense, and the past perfect is the pluperfect.

jacinta

Senior Member

Crescent

Senior Member

Senior Member

There is no such thing as a continuous tense in Spanish. The idea of a continuous tense is conveyed by verbal periphrasis.

Estar + gerundio
Llevar + gerundio
Ir + gerundio
Seguir + gerundio
etc.

Crescent

Senior Member

There is no such thing as a continuous tense in Spanish. The idea of a continuous tense is conveyed by verbal periphrasis.

Estar + gerundio
Llevar + gerundio
Ir + gerundio
Seguir + gerundio
etc.

geostan

Senior Member

There is no such thing as a continuous tense in Spanish. The idea of a continuous tense is conveyed by verbal periphrasis.

Estar + gerundio
Llevar + gerundio
Ir + gerundio
Seguir + gerundio
etc.

Just as in English:

to be + present participle

guixols

Senior Member

— We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important.

“I have written to her three times. ”

(But: “I wrote her three times last month.”)

— You can use the Present Perfect to describe your experience. It is like saying, «I have the experience of. »

“I have been to St. Louis once…”

— We often use the Present Perfect to talk about change that has happened over a period of time.

“You’ve lost weight since I last saw you.”

— We often use the Present Perfect to list the accomplishments of individuals and humanity. You cannot mention a specific time.

“Scientists have cloned animals.”

— We often use the Present Perfect to say that an action which we expected has not happened. Using the Present Perfect suggests that we are still waiting for the action.

“He hasn’t called me in a week.”

— We also use the Present Perfect to talk about several different actions which occurred in the past at different times. Present Perfect suggests the process is not complete and more actions are possible.

“I have studied three foreign languages over the last two years.”

(Explanations courtesy of The English Page)

As for Spanish, they use haber, not estar. «He/has/ha/hemos/habéis/han trabajado.»

Phil’s English Tips

This Blog is aimed at providing useful tips for people learning English as a second language, specifically Japanese learners of English.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

How long have you been studying English?

Today’s lesson is about the Present Perfect continuous. We use it to talk about actions that started in the past and continued to the present. It is formed using:

I have been walking all day.

He has been talking non-stop for 2 hours!

So you’ll often hear it in a question like:

A: How long have you been living in Japan?

B: I have been living here for about 5 years.

The pronounciation in casual English is:

A: How long’ve you been living in Japan?

B: I ‘ve been living in Japan for about 5 years.

BE Careful!

We can also use the present perfect which is:

has/have + past participle

I’ve lived in Japan for about 5 years.

These have about the same meaning. But to me, have been living seems more temporary whereas have lived seems more permanent -I don’t have any plans to leave.

So, onto today’s question:

A: How long ‘ve you guys been studying English?

B: I ‘ve been studying it OFF AND ON for 10 years.

C: I ‘ve been studying it SERIOUSLY for about 6 months.

Let’s look at these two useful expressions:

OFF AND ON means you start something and then stop, then start again, etc.

They’ve been dating OFF AND ON for 3 years.

Meaning they date, they break up, they get back together, break up, date, etc.

SERIOUSLY means you are focusing on it, it’s like 真面目に (まじめに ) in Japanese.

I’ve been thinking about that problem seriously and I think I have a solution.

Have a nice day,

2 comments:

Thanks for the catch yeah I mixed up the two headings

How long have you been learning English?

So, I will try to answar this question because I think I am in a intermetiate level on English skills, maybe not, who knows?
I have studied English from 5th grade until 8th grade, twice a week in meetings of 45 minutes.
When I was in high school I only studied English in the second year, I have made a technological high school.
After high school I stay without study English for 14 years, even in the college I didn’t study English.
In 2010 I got six months in a English school, after made a level test I beggin on the third period. But staying in a class with people with half of your age is not easy, so I left this class after six months.
And now, in 2013, I have been studying hardly since February by myself with material that I found on the websites like Duolingo.com. In the end of September I found LEO and I am here since though.

@Lynne, I do this text without any search on google in about 15 minutes. Thank you for reading.

Comments

Very good post. Well done. I’ll do more than read it.

First things first, I’m not sure what you mean by «I beggin on the third period.»

The rest is really good:-

So, I will try to answer this question because I think I am at an intermediate level, or maybe not. Who knows?

I studied English from the 5th until the 8th grade, for 45 minutes twice a week. When I was at high school I only studied English in the second year, until I went to technological high school.

And now, in 2013, I have been studying hard since February by myself with material that I found on websites like Duolingo. At the end of September I found LEO and I have been here since.

@Lynne, I wrote this text without any help from Google in about 15 minutes.