I've been working late

[EngLearner]

Sarah and John live together. Sarah leaves her car parked at work and takes a taxi home. When she's already home, John returns from work. He first checks the garage and then finds Sarah in the kitchen where she's having a late supper. The following dialog takes place between them:

John: "Sarah, I didn't see your car in the garage."
Sarah: "I've been working late because my boss gave me some extra tasks, so I felt pretty tired and decided to take a taxi home instead of driving myself."

Is the present perfect continuous "have been working" used correctly in the dialog I made up?

 

[teechar]

No. I would say "I had to work late", and I would omit "myself" at the end.

 

[EngLearner]

If I rewrite the dialog making what Sarah says in the original version into two separate sentences:

John: "Sarah, I didn't see your car in the garage."
Sarah: "I've been working late. My boss gave me some extra tasks, so I felt pretty tired and decided to take a taxi home instead of driving."

Does the present perfect continuous work with that change?

 

[jutfrank]

No. How do you suppose making two sentences changes this?

Why are you trying to use a present tense here? From the context you offer, it seems Sarah sees her working late as a thing of the past, so she'd use a past tense. She's home now having dinner. Work is in the past for her.

 

[EngLearner]

John: "Sarah, I didn't see your car in the garage."
Sarah: "I worked/was working late because my boss gave me some extra tasks, so I felt pretty tired and decided to take a taxi home instead of driving myself."

Would it be correct for her to use either the simple past "worked" or the past continuous "was working" in this case?

 

[jutfrank]

Does she have a particular reason to use the continuous aspect? If so, what is it?

What's wrong with teechar's superior alternative had to?

 

[EngLearner]

Does she have a particular reason to use the continuous aspect? If so, what is it?

The past continuous "was working" emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action. It was a long process.

What's wrong with teechar's superior alternative had to?

There's nothing wrong with teechar's alternative. However, the simple past "worked" simply states the fact that Sarah worked late without emphasizing the ongoing nature of the action.

 

[jutfrank]

Well, if Sarah wants to emphasise the ongoing nature of the action, then okay.