What is the difference between "I have worked here" and "I have been working here"?

Question

What is the difference between the following sentences? When can I use either?

I have worked here

and

I have been working here

Be careful, if you say: I have worked here since 2010/leaving school etc. That would mean you are still working "here". — Mari-Lou A, Nov 13 '13 at 09:39
See http://english.stackexchange.com/q/21846/8019 (possible duplicate) — Tim Lymington, Nov 13 '13 at 10:40

WS2 · Answer 1 · 2013-11-13T09:08:32.853

4

'I have worked here' tells me you have, at some stage in your life, worked 'here'.

'I have been working here', suggests you have very recently been, and probably still are, working 'here'.

edited Nov 13 '13 at 09:08

answered Nov 13 '13 at 07:39

WS2

@Mari-LouA Whilst that may be a valid comment about one or two I have answered, this one seems legitimate to ask. It is a fine point of grammar and not one necessarily easy to resolve with a grammar book. Besides I note you gave a comment yourself. And are we to try and second-guess people's ages? – WS2 Nov 22 '13 at 09:31
1

@Mari-LouA I think there are far worse examples than this one. Have you had an Irish association? Just interested you should say 'they would have commented "whenever" their their question was closed'. Touch of the Irish there! – WS2 Nov 22 '13 at 10:57
Deleted my comments. It's not relevant to the OP's question :) – Mari-Lou A Nov 22 '13 at 11:07

1 Answers1