Tonight’s singer was a teenager when she recorded this song. She sings about being honest with herself: she has been cheating herself, fighting herself, pretending, for too long. Now it’s time to testify.
Learn from Songs · Unit 6: The perfect aspect · B1
Testify
Amy Studt’s honest song about stopping lying to yourself: the present perfect continuous (I’ve been fighting myself for too long), for / since, the difference from the present perfect simple, and the verb testify, with Philo, Sophia, Marcos and Demetria.
SOPHIA
MARCOS
Testify? Like in a court?
SOPHIA
Exactly. To testify means to tell the truth publicly, as a witness. And her favourite tense is perfect for it: I’ve been doing something for too long.
DEMETRIA
The present perfect continuous!
Before you listen: the song
London, 2003
Amy Studt was born in 1986 and grew up in a family of musicians: her father was a violinist who led the London Symphony Orchestra. She taught herself piano, guitar and oboe and began writing songs at six. At twelve she was ill in bed for a long time, and used the time to write music.
She signed with Polydor Records as a teenager and released her first album, False Smiles, in 2003, when she was seventeen. Her single “Misfit” reached the UK top ten. “Testify” is on the same album, written with the songwriters Eliot Kennedy, Tim Woodcock and Gary Barlow of Take That.
In the song, she admits that she has been lying to herself and fighting herself for too long. Now she wants to stand up and tell the truth.
The first person you must be honest with is yourself.
Listen: what has she been doing?
PHILO
Listen once. What has she been doing for too long? What does she want to do now?
SOPHIA
Count the verbs with “I’ve been…”. Then answer Section A.
🎤 Listen to the song: “Testify” (Amy Studt, Eliot Kennedy, Gary Barlow and Tim Woodcock, 2003), sung by Amy Studt.Listen to the recording →
📜 Read the words while you listen: “Testify”, Amy Studt.Read the lyrics →
Present perfect continuous
MARCOS
I’ve been fighting myself for too long. She’s been crying. They’ve been waiting since nine.
SOPHIA
have / has been + -ing = an activity that started in the past and is still going on, or has just stopped with visible results: You look tired. Have you been running?
For and since
DEMETRIA
I’ve been waiting for two hours. I’ve been waiting since nine o’clock. for too long. How long have you been learning English?
SOPHIA
for + a period (two hours, three years, too long). since + a starting point (nine o’clock, Monday, 2020, I was a child). Question: How long have you been…?
Simple or continuous?
PHILO
I’ve been writing songs all day. (the activity) I’ve written three songs. (the result, how many)
SOPHIA
continuous = the activity, how long; simple = the result, how much / how many. State verbs (know, like, believe) use the simple: I’ve known her for years.
Sophia’s comparison: David and Nathan
PHILO
King David had done a terrible wrong, and for a long time he pretended to himself that nothing had happened. Then the prophet Nathan told him a story about a rich man who stole a poor man’s lamb. David was furious: that man deserves to die! And Nathan said: you are the man. And David finally said: I have sinned.
SOPHIA
And the oracle at Delphi had two words carved over the door: Know thyself. The Greeks thought it was the beginning of all wisdom.
Sophia’s summary
| Words and forms | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| have / has been + -ing | present perfect continuous | I’ve been fighting myself. |
| for + period | duration | for too long |
| since + starting point | from then until now | since nine o’clock |
| How long have you been…? | asking about duration | How long have you been waiting? |
| been + -ing vs have + past participle | activity vs result | I’ve been writing / I’ve written three. |
Practice
Listen to the song for Section A, then do the rest. Press “Check my answers” at the end. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Listen: the song
Listen to the song and choose the best answer.
1. What has the singer been doing for too long?
2. What does “testify” mean?
3. How old was Amy Studt when False Smiles came out?
4. What did her father do?
5. Which famous singer helped write the song?
6. Which single reached the UK top ten?
B · Grammar and vocabulary
Write the missing word or words.
7. I’ve been myself for too long. (fight)
8. She’s crying. Her eyes are red.
9. I’ve been waiting two hours.
10. I’ve been waiting nine o’clock.
11. How have you been learning English?
12. I’ve her for years. (know, state verb)
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
13. “I’ve been knowing him for years.”
14. “She’s been working here since 2020.”
15. “I’m waiting here for two hours.”
16. “I’ve written three letters this morning.”
Talk and write
Discussion and writing
How long? Ask a partner: How long have you been learning…, living…, playing…? Answer with for and since.
Discuss. 1. Why do people lie to themselves? 2. What helps you be honest with yourself? 3. Is it brave to testify, in a court or in life?
Write (100–120 words). Time to change. Write about a habit you have been trying to change. Use the present perfect continuous, for, since and one present perfect simple for a result.
Now play the gamebook: a frightened witness, and the truth.Play the gamebook →