The Center <has run> <has been running> successfully for many years.

[Michaelll]

These are sentences from Martin Hewings' famous grammar book, Advanced Grammar in Use. These are from Unit 6, exercise 1, 2.
He claims that both the present perfect and the present perfect continuous are possible in all of these sentences. Is it true? Are the present perfect options also possible in those sentences? As for me, I'd think they're all crying out for the continuous form.

1a. Martina Gonzalez has stayed in a rented flat since returning to Buenos Aires.
2a. Martina Gonzalez has been staying in a rented flat since returning to Buenos Aires.

1b. All day, the police have stopped motorists to question them about the accident.
2b. All day, the police have been stopping motorists to question them about the accident.

1c. I have read this book on astrophysics for hours and I'm still only on page six.
2c. I have been reading this book on astrophysics for hours and I'm still only on page six.

1d. Dr Fletcher has given the same lecture to students for the last ten years.
2d. Dr Fletcher has been giving the same lecture to students for the last ten years.

1e. The Center has run successfully for many years.
2e. The Center has been running successfully for many years.

 

[Barque]

1c isn't natural. 1e doesn't sound very natural either though it's possible. All the others are possible and sound all right.

I'd think they're all crying out for the continuous form.

That depends on context. Without context, both forms sound fine (except for 1c and 1e).

 

[Michaelll]

1c isn't natural. 1e doesn't sound very natural either though it's possible. All the others are possible and sound all right.

Thanks. Then, why do you think he claims that 1c and 1e are "also possible"?

 

[Barque]

I don't know. That's his opinion.

You don't seem to agree with him either.

 

[Tarheel]

Your use of "claims" suggests disagreement. (The word "says" is more neutral.)

I prefer present continuous in all of them and consider it mandatory in a couple of them.

 

[Michaelll]

You don't seem to agree with him either.

I'm just a learner and I make mistakes all the time.

By the way, is there any significant difference between 1d and 2d?
Some of my friends in Belarus said that the difference between the two is that the 'has given' sentence means that the action is finished while the 'has been giving' sentence means that the action isn't finished. Is it true?

1d. Dr Fletcher has given the same lecture to students for the last ten years.
2d. Dr Fletcher has been giving the same lecture to students for the last ten years.

 

[Barque]

is there any significant difference between 1d and 2d?

The difference depends on context--the surrounding situation and words.

A: Dr. Fletcher put this point across very differently a couple of years ago.
B: I don't think so. He's given the same lecture for the last ten years, without changing a word of his script.

A: Dr. Fletcher needs to update a few points in his standard lecture.
B: Yes, he's been giving the same lecture for the last ten years. He really needs to do something about it.

Some of my friends in Belarus said that the difference between the two is that the 'has given' sentence means that the action is finished while the 'has been giving' sentence means that the action isn't finished. Is it true?

No. Neither of them, by themselves, mean that he's going to stop giving lectures.

 

[Michaelll]

By the way, is there any significant difference between 1d and 2d?
Some of my friends in Belarus said that the difference between the two is that the 'has given' sentence means that the action is finished while the 'has been giving' sentence means that the action isn't finished. Is it true?

No. Neither of them, by themselves, mean that he's going to stop giving lectures.

Does it apply to every one of those in the present perfect?
For instance, doesn't 1b mean that the police have already stopped stopping () them?

1b. All day, the police have stopped motorists to question them about the accident.

 

[Barque]

For instance, doesn't 1b mean that the police have already stopped stopping () them?

They may or may not have.

 

[Michaelll]

They may or may not have.

The same applies to the present perfect continuous? Or in this case, it would definitely mean they're still stopping them?

1a. All day, the police have been stopping motorists to question them about the accident.

 

[Barque]

No, neither does this say whether they have stopped stopping them or not.

These two sentences only talk about what the police have been doing, not about whether they have finished doing it.

 

[5jj]

The same applies to the present perfect continuous? Or in this case, it would definitely mean they're still stopping them?

Use the question form for questions:

Does the same apply to the present perfect continuous? Or in this case, it would it definitely mean they're still stopping them?

 

[Michaelll]

No, neither does this say whether they have stopped stopping them or not.

These two sentences only talk about what the police have been doing, not about whether they have finished doing it.

Got it, thank you. In this regard the two forms are the same.

All day, the police have stopped motorists to question them about the accident. (They may or may not have finished stopping them)
All day, the police have been stopping motorists to question them about the accident. (They may or may not have finished stopping them)

 

[Tarheel]

The same applies to the present perfect continuous? Or in this case, it would definitely mean they're still stopping them?

1a. All day, the police have been stopping motorists to question them about the accident.

That strongly suggests to me that they are still doing it.

 

[Michaelll]

All day, the police have been stopping motorists to question them about the accident. (They may or may not have finished stopping them)

That strongly suggests to me that they are still doing it.

And this one?

• All day, the police have stopped motorists to question them about the accident.

 

[Barque]

No, without context, that doesn't say anything about whether they've stopped either.

We need context to determine that.

All day, the police have stopped motorists to question them about the accident.

Was this said at 4 pm? If so, it might continue. It might not.
Was this said just after midnight? If so, it's stopped, for that day at least.
Did the speaker say this at 4 pm and did he also say "And they're going to keep doing it till 1 am"? If so, it's going to continue.

 

[Michaelll]

1b. All day, the police have been stopping motorists to question them about the accident.

That strongly suggests to me that they are still doing it.

2b. All day, the police have stopped motorists to question them about the accident.

No, without context, that doesn't say anything about whether they've stopped either.

So it appears that the perfect continuous form puts more emphasis (than the perfect simple) that the action is still going on, doesn't it?

 

[Barque]

No, not necessarily. That comes from the context.

Some specific sentences in the continuous tense may suggest strongly that the action will still go on (the meaning of the words themselves may provide some context), but there's no rule that it always emphasises that the action will go on.

 

[Michaelll]

No, not necessarily. That comes from the context.

Some specific sentences in the continuous tense may suggest strongly that the action will still go on (the meaning of the words themselves may provide some context), but there's no rule that it always emphasizes that the action will go on.

Let me clarify: neither the perfect simple form nor the perfect continuous form put more or less emphasis on whether the action 1) has ceased, 2) is still going on, 3) will continue, correct? = Neither of them tell us whether the action is finished or not, even if it's the perfect simple and even if Tarheel says 2b (the perfect continuous) strongly suggests to him that the action is still going on, correct?

1b. All day, the police have stopped motorists to question them about the accident.
2b. All day, the police have been stopping motorists to question them about the accident.

 

[Barque]

neither the perfect simple form nor the perfect continuous form put more or less emphasis on whether the action 1) has ceased, 2) is still going on, 3) will continue, correct?

It depends on the sentence and the context. Some sentences might give you a stronger indication than others. I've said this above.

even if Tarheel says 2b (the perfect continuous) strongly suggests to him that the action is still going on,

Tarheel was talking about that specific sentence. I don't think he was making a generalisation.