Simple Past Tense

The simple past is used to indicate an action completed in the past.

Dialog:

At the park :
A: Where did you go yesterday?
B: I went to Kandy.

A: How did you go there?
B: I went by bus.

A: With whom did you go there?
B: I went with my brother.

A: Why did you go there?
B: I went there to meet my friend.

A: How long did it take to go there?
B: It took about four and a half hours.

A: What did you buy there?
B: We bought apples and oranges.

A: How many days did you spend there?
B: I spent about three days.

A: When did you return from there?
B: We returned this morning.

A: I need to go now, see you later.
B: Bye.

English Grammar – Present Perfect Progressive

Form of Present Perfect Progressive

Positive: He has been speaking.
Negative: He has not been speaking.
Question: Has he been speaking?

Use of Present Perfect Progressive

Present Perfect Simple is used for actions that started in the past and stopped recently or are still going on. The focus is on the course or duration of the action (not on the result).

Action that is still going on

Action that started in the past and is still going on. We want to emphasize how long the action has already been going on.

Examples:

We have been successfully working in this field since 1990.

I have been working in this company for over five years now.

Action that stopped recently and has an influence on the present

Action that has been going on for a certain period of time and is the reason for a present situation.

Examples:

I am so tired – I have been working all night.

I have been trying to change the toner cartridge – now my fingers are dirty.