"have had" vs "have been having" a headache

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Sep 2, 2005
Member Type
Other
Hi,

Is it possible to use 'have been having a headache'
in any situation?

Please take a look at the following exchange:

A goes to the doctor for his headache problem.
A: Dr. I have a headache.
Dr: Do you have it now?
A: Yes. It is very severe. I cannot work.
Dr: Do you have it every day?
A: Yes, I have it all the time. The whole day.
Dr: Since when do you have this problem?
A1: I have been having this problem since a year ago.
A2: I have it for a year.
Now, in A1, can A say "I have been having this headache
for a year"? Or, should he say "I have had this headache for a year"?

If the headache is not constant, but on and off, does it
make any difference in what A should say?
Such as,
A3: I have been having heaches for a year.
A4: I have had headaches for a year.
Thanks
 

BobK

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Location
Spencers Wood, near Reading, UK
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Hi,

Is it possible to use 'have been having a headache'
in any situation?

Please take a look at the following exchange:

A goes to the doctor for his headache problem.
A: Dr. I have a headache. :tick:
Dr: Do you have it now? :tick:
A: Yes. It is very severe. I cannot work. :tick:
Dr: Do you have/get it every day? :tick:
A: Yes, I have it all the time. The whole day. :tick:
Dr: [Since] When did you start having/How long have you had this problem?
A1: I have been having this problem for a year [ago].
A2: I have it for a year.:cross:

Now, in A1, can A say "I have been having these headaches
for a year"? Or, should he say "I have had these headaches for a year"?
(unless it really is constant).


If the headache is not constant, but on and off, does it
make any difference in what A should say?
Such as,
A3: I have been having headaches for a year. Better than -
A4: I have had headaches for a year.
Thanks

Good try :up:

b
 

user_gary

Key Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Member Type
Student or Learner
I have been having headachs for a year.

I think, in other words, it could be said as, "I have been headches for a year". Because I learned that "have been having" coincides with "have been", so there is no need to write "having", as in the case of "I have known him for 3 years" instead of "I have been knowing him for three years".

Please help me.
 

BobK

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Location
Spencers Wood, near Reading, UK
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
I have been having headachs for a year.

I think, in other words, it could be said as, "I have been headches for a year". Because I learned that "have been having" coincides with "have been", so there is no need to write "having", as in the case of "I have known him for 3 years" instead of "I have been knowing him for three years".

Please help me.

:down:

The state of knowing has been constant ever since they were introduced -> I have known him for 3 years. But when the action is not constant, it's right to use the present perfect progressive -> I have been seeing the same doctor for 20 years. This means that every time you see a doctor (maybe only once or twice a year) it's the same one.

So, in the headaches example it would be right to say 'I have been having these headaches [off and on] for a year'. The present perfect in contexts like this, implies constant pain: 'I've had this headache for a week now'. I'm not sure what a doctor would think if you said 'I've had these headaches for a year' (he/she might assume that the headaches weren't continuous, but saying 'I've been having...' makes it clear that they haven't been.)


b
 
Joined
Sep 2, 2005
Member Type
Other
:down:

The state of knowing has been constant ever since they were introduced -> I have known him for 3 years. But when the action is not constant, it's right to use the present perfect progressive -> I have been seeing the same doctor for 20 years. This means that every time you see a doctor (maybe only once or twice a year) it's the same one.

[...]
b

Bobk, I liked this explanation. I had not quite thought of it like this.

The word "knowing" came up in a conversation and I was reminded of
your explanation. Here is the conversation:

A: Does he know it?
B: He must be knowing it.

Is it correct to use "knowing" in this context? Or should B say
something like "I think he knows it."

Thanks
 

Casiopea

VIP Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2003
Member Type
Other
A: Does he know it?
B: He must be knowing it. :cross:

B: He must know it. :tick:
B: I think he knows it. :tick:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top