this game for ten minutes. 	I've been waiting for my meal 	for nearly half an hour and I’m very hungry! 	I've been fixing the car. 	
That's why my hands are filthy. 	She's lived 	in Hong Kong all her life. 	Who's eaten my sandwich? 	
I can't see it anywhere. 	I've cut my hair.	Do you like it? 	I've been going to Thailand 	
 
on business for the last two years. 	I've waited long enough. 	I'm leaving. 	I've tried 	
to call him three times this morning. 	
She's been swimming. 
	That's why her hair is wet. 	I've been learning 	
 English since I was 8. 	You look tired. 	What have you been doing? 	He's been living 	
in Hong Kong for the past two years. 	I've been trying 	to call him all morning. 	I've been to Thailand 	
a couple of times on holiday. 	Who's been eating my sandwich? 	Look, it's half eaten! 	I've learned 	
how to use a computer in my current job. 	She's just swum 	600 metres. 	Oh dear what have you done? 	

I think I’ve broken it. 	He's been playing the guitar 	since he was 12. 	I've been cutting my hair. 	
That's why there's hair on my shirt. 	I’m sure I've played 	this game before. 	I've fixed the car. 	
So we can go for a drive this afternoon. 	He's played guitar 	at the school concert every year. 	We've been playing 	

Colour-coded answers with key

this game for ten minutes. 	I've been waiting for my meal 	for nearly half an hour and I’m very hungry! 	I've been fixing the car. 	
That's why my hands are filthy. 	She's lived 	in Hong Kong all her life. 	Who's eaten my sandwich? 	
I can't see it anywhere. 	I've cut my hair.	Do you like it? 	I've been going to Thailand 	
on business for the last two years. 	I've waited long enough. 	I'm leaving. 	I've tried 	
to call him three times this morning. 	
She's been swimming. 
	That's why her hair is wet. 	I've been learning 	
 English since I was 8. 	You look tired. 	What have you been doing? 	He's been living 	
in Hong Kong for the past two years. 	I've been trying 	to call him all morning. 	I've been to Thailand 	
a couple of times on holiday. 	Who's been eating my sandwich? 	Look, it's half eaten! 	I've learned 	
how to use a computer in my current job. 	She's just swum 	600 metres. 	Oh dear what have you done? 	
I think I’ve broken it. 	He's been playing the guitar 	since he was 12. 	I've been cutting my hair. 	
That's why there's hair on my shirt. 	I’m sure I've played 	this game before. 	I've fixed the car. 	
So we can go for a drive this afternoon. 	He's played guitar 	at the school concert every year. 	We've been playing 	

Scroll down for key…

Key

	Continuous – an unfinished action with emphasis on duration.	
	Continuous – a recent action finished or unfinished that explains some present situation.	
	Continuous – a repeated action in the period up until now (with no mention of the number of repetitions).	
	Simple – a completed action in the past (with some idea of the number of repetitions).	
	Simple – a (usually recent) completed action with a present result or relevance.	
	Simple or continuous with for and since with verbs such as live and work (be employed) where the continuous tense suggests a temporary situation and the simple tense suggests one that is more permanent.