the perfect continuous

Hello
Thank you for the lucid explanation every time.
Now I'd like to ask about the perfect tense.

If you want to talk about the action which began in the past and is still continuing,you will use the present perfect continuous. However, sometimes the present perfect simple seems to be used for the same situation.

Would you take a look at the following sentences?
1) It has been raining hard since last night.
2) It has rained hard since last night.
Instead of 1) do you use 2)?

Here is another sentence: the sentence using the past perfect.
3) Mary was angry because she had waited for Jim for 2 hours.
Does 3) make sense? Or should I express like 4)?

4) Mary was angry because she had been waiting for Jim for 2 hours.

Could I have some comment? :)
Thank you.

[Tdol]

Would you take a look at the following sentences?
1) It has been raining hard since last night.
2) It has rained hard since last night.
Instead of 1) do you use 2)?

They are both correct- the progressive form just gives a bit more emphasis on the fact that it is still raining.

The same if true of 3&4, though when it comes to waiting, we almost always go for the progressive to stress our impatience.

[blacknomi]

They are both correct- the progressive form just gives a bit more emphasis on the fact that it is still raining.

The present perfect form gives an image that it is either still raining hard or raining in very small light drops. :D


Lina, do you see the slight difference now?