difference in meaning(ENGLISH)?

Question

What would be the difference between these sentences?
1a. I've been painting the living room
1b. I've painted the living room

2a. Who banged on the door
2b. Who was banging on the door

3a. Jim lives with his parents
3b. Jim is living with his parents

Answer 1

The ones with the "ing" ending imply that the action is still in process. You are not done paint the living room, the person just did the banging and Jim is still living with his parents. It places an emphasis on the action happening right now.

1a means the painting is happening right now (and is probably not complete yet). 1b could have been yesterday, last week, or last year - and the painting is done.

2a could mean who banged on the door two minutes ago, last week, or last year. 2b means they banged "right now" (or just a few seconds ago).

3 - the action of Jim living with his parents is still going on in both statements. 3a simply states it as a fact. 3b but saying it is the condition "right now" implies that it is temporary and will change.

Answer 2

1. The meaning is pretty much the same, but in the first one, you emphasize more on the time it took to do a certain action.
2. The second sentence implies that something happened just as that particular action was taking place.
3. The first one just states a fact. In the second one, the use of the present continuous mean the speaker is annoyed (so it's probably Jim's girlfriend ;oP)

Answer 3

Tout la bem, Paulihna?

1a. Present Continous Tense.
1b. Simple Past Tense.

2a, Please read "Who banged on the door?" and
2b. "Who was banging on the door?"

2a. Simple Present Tense.
2b. Present Continuous.

3a. Simple Present Tense.
3b Present Continuous.

Espere que isto lhe ajude.

Christmas Alegre!!!

Answer 4

The difference is mostly past and present tense.