[Grammar] He has been working/has worked in the same job for thirty years.

[naweewra]

Hello,

My reference grammar books says that sometimes both the present perfect and the present perfect continuous work in the sentence, "with a slight difference of emphasis". The sad thing is it doesn't say what that "slight difference of emphasis is". Can you help? The sentences given are:

a) Harry has been working the same job for 30 years.
b) Harry has worked the same job for thirty years.

Thank you.

Nawee

 

[FreeToyInside]

Hello,

My reference grammar books says that sometimes both the present perfect and the present perfect continuous work in the sentence, "with a slight difference of emphasis". The sad thing is it doesn't say what that "slight difference of emphasis is". Can you help? The sentences given are:

a) Harry has been working the same job for 30 years.
b) Harry has worked the same job for thirty years.

Thank you.

Nawee

I would guess that the emphasis they have in mind is that the progressive adds extra stress that he still does the same job, which is already conveyed by the use of the present perfect tense. To me, the difference feels so slight that it may just simply be due to one using the progressive tense and the other not.

That being said, the first sentence is what I would expect to hear most often in AE.

(not a teacher, just a language lover)

 

[Asdherel]

Hello,

My reference grammar books says that sometimes both the present perfect and the present perfect continuous work in the sentence, "with a slight difference of emphasis". The sad thing is it doesn't say what that "slight difference of emphasis is". Can you help? The sentences given are:

a) Harry has been working the same job for 30 years.
b) Harry has worked the same job for thirty years.

Thank you.

Nawee

What I've learnt is that the present perfect continuous form emphasises the duration of time (in your example, 30 years). The present perfect simple tense emphasises the action (work the same job). I hope that helps