[Grammar] have/had/have been/had been

[mamen]

My dear teachers,
What's the difference among the four sentences?

I have worked.

I have been working.

I had worked.

I had been working.

I hope you could give me a general rule on this.

Thanks in advance...

 

[emsr2d2]

My dear teachers,
What's the difference among the four sentences?

I have worked.

I have been working.

I had worked.

I had been working.

I hope you could give me a general rule on this.

Thanks in advance...

What do you think is the difference in meaning? When do you think you would use each different tense?

 

[mamen]

What do you think is the difference in meaning?:up: When do you think you would use each different tense?:up:

Could you please answer both the questions that you've given? thanks in advance....

 

[emsr2d2]

Could you please answer both the questions that you've given? thanks in advance....

I could answer them but we like learners to have a go themselves first!

 

[w.garabrant]

Mamen - you can read up on verb forms (verb tenses) and then offer your own analysis. Here's the first result I got when I searched:

removed link, see below

Enjoy!

ooooops! I got an error message when I tried to post my reply:

To be able to post links or images your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 5 posts.

Please remove links from your message, then you will be able to submit your post.

Just google "Verb Tenses" and you'll find your information right away :up:

 

[mamen]

I could answer them but we like learners to have a go themselves first!

I have worked. (this means that I am not working now?)

I have been working.(this means that I started working before and until now?)

I had worked.:?:

I had been working.:?:

 

[5jj]

I have worked. (this means that I am not working now?
I have been working.(this means that I started working before and until now?)

Context is very important:

I have worked in France and Germany, but never in Russia. At present I am working in Spain.

I have worked in Spain for ten years. I enjoy working here.

I have been working for eight hours. Another two hours, and I shall have to stop.

Sorry about my appearance; I have been working in the garden all day. This is my first cup of tea since breakfast.

 

[Barb_D]

The ones with "had" are past perfect and past perfect progressive, respectively.

You use it when something else happened after that, but also in the past.

I had worked there for six months before I got my full-time job here.

To emphasize duration, I had been working there only six months before I got my first promotion.

Google these terms:
Present perfect
Present perfect progressive
Past perfect
Past perfect progressive

 

[mamen]

Context is very important:

I have worked in France and Germany, but never in Russia. At present I am working in Spain.

I have worked in Spain for ten years. I enjoy working here.

I have been working for eight hours. Another two hours, and I shall have to stop.

Sorry about my appearance; I have been working in the garden all day. This is my first cup of tea since breakfast.

My dear teacher,
I know that context is very important but these:

1. I have worked.

2. I have been working.

3. I had worked.

4. I had been working.

are the sentences that I got from the book..

 

[5jj]

I know that context is very important but these:

1. I have worked.[...] are the sentences that I got from the book..

Barb gave a sound general answer, but it is impossible to say exactly what meanings these forms convey without specific context.

Take Barb's advice and google the terms. Then come back here with more specific questions if you are unclear about anything.