We have lived here for two years. or We have been living here for two years.
can anybody suggest a grammar link??
2007-05-04 15:33:44 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Grammatically, they are BOTH correct. And in a sentence like the one you mention, there is little if any significant difference in the meaning.
The tense names may help you to check this out further:
"have lived" - '(simple) present perfect' tense
"have been living" - 'present perfect continuous' tense
Below I will list pairs of links on these from three different grammar sites. Each goes into much more detail about the various ways these tenses are used, and I think you will find at least one of them explains in a way you find helpful.
In each case look for the discussion of uses with "for" or "since". These are not exactly the same as other uses of these forms.
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I DID notice that the last set ("learnenglish.de") suggest that it's better to use the continuous ("have been living") in a statement like yours. I understand their point, but it's not necessarily so. It depends on what you wish to EMPHASIZE.
In the example they provide ("I have been studying English for two years") the stress is on "ongoing activity" right up to the present, as opposed to "intermittent activity" over a period of time and perhaps ending sometime in the past. So it is more likely that "have been studying" is what someone would want to say.
But it is not exactly the same in YOUR sentence. And as long as it is clear what you mean when you say it (context is everything!) "have lived" is fine. No one will be confused.
Notice the big difference the context and the added time expression (with "for" or "since") makes
"I have lived here" all by itself suggests that you no longer do
"I have been living here" means that you still are.
BUT when you add "for two years" it usually means you still are. That's why it may end up making no difference which one you use.
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verb-tenses_present-perfect_u.htm
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verb-tenses_present-perfect-continuous.htm
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentperfectcontinuous.html
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentperfect.html
http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/tensepresperfcont.htm
http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/tensepresperfsim.htm
2007-05-05 04:00:19 · answer #1 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both are correct. The difference lies in the actual meaning that you want to express.
"We have lived here for two years." -- You lived there, but now, you don't.
"We have been living here for two years."--You started living there two years ago and until now you still live there.
2007-05-05 02:53:14 · answer #2 · answered by Rachel H 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
We lived here for two years. The simpler the better
2007-05-04 22:36:41 · answer #3 · answered by burning for you 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
we have lived here for two years.
2007-05-04 22:41:32 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Both sentences are correct. However, "...have been living here.." implies a bit more strongly that you are living here now and will be doing so into the foreseeable future.
2007-05-04 22:40:19 · answer #5 · answered by clicksqueek 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
we have lived here for two years sounds more correct.
2007-05-04 23:32:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
well the first one with "lived" means that you resided in that place for two years and but dont' live there anymore.
and the second one with "living" means that you have been in that place for two years and still living there.
2007-05-04 23:15:33 · answer #7 · answered by CC M 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
both are equally correct. English participles and gerunds allow this.
2007-05-04 22:38:29 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋