Present Perfect Continuous, Form

The present perfect continuous is made up of two elements: 1. the present perfect of the verb 'to be' (have/has been), and 2. the present participle of the main verb (base+ing). Subject She has/have been has been base+ing swimming

Affirmative She has been / She's been Negative She hasn't been Interrogative Has she been Interrogative negative Hasn't she been running? running? running running

Example: to live, present perfect continuous

Affirmative I have been living You have been living He, she, it has been living We have been living You have been living They have been living Negative I haven't been living You haven't been living He hasn't been living We haven't been living You haven't been living They haven't been living Interrogative Have I been living? Have you been living? Has she been living? Have we been living? Have you been living? Have they been living?

Present perfect continuous, function

The present perfect continuous refers to an unspecified time between 'before now' and 'now'. The speaker is thinking about something that started but perhaps did not finish in that period of time. He/she is interested in the process as well as the result, and this process may still be going on, or may have just finished.

Examples
1. Actions that started in the past and continue in the present.

She has been waiting for you all day (=and she's still waiting now). I've been working on this report since eight o'clock this morning (=and I still haven't finished it). They have been travelling since last October (=and they're not home yet). 2. Actions that have just finished, but we are interested in the results:

She has been cooking since last night (=and the food on the table looks delicious). It's been raining (= and the streets are still wet). Someone's been eating my chips (= half of them have gone).

Verbs without continuous forms

With verbs not normally used in the continuous form, use the present perfect simple. See list of these verbs under 'Present Continuous':

I've wanted to visit China for years. She's known Robert since she was a child. I've hated that music since I first heard it. I've heard a lot about you recently. We've understood everything we've heard this morning.

Exceptions in Spelling
Exceptions in spelling when adding ing Example

final e is dropped (but: ee is not changed)

come coming (but: agree agreeing)

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled

sit sitting

l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British English) travel travelling

final ie becomes y

lie lying

Signal Words of Present Perfect Progressive

all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?, the whole week

Exercise on Present Perfect Progressive

Positive Sentences
Write positive sentences in present perfect progressive. 1. Albert / squash / play 2. Hannah / the match / watch 3. we / in the park / wait 4. you / a song / sing 5. I / a magazine / read

6. it / rain / all day 7. Phil and Greg / a race / run 8. she / her teeth / brush 9. the Millers / in London / live / for three years 10. we / on the lake / sail

Exercise on Present Perfect Progressive

Negative Sentences
Write negative sentences in present perfect progressive. 1. we / not / in the mountains / walk 2. Beatrice / not / in Boston / teach 3. Ricky / not / the car / wash 4. she / not / a poem / write 5. we / not / tea / drink 6. we / not / our rooms / clean 7. the children / not / on the floor / sleep 8. Jeff and Linda / not / cycle 9. Christine / not / her home / decorate 10. the cat / not / on the chair / lie / all day

Exercise on Present Perfect Progressive

Questions
Write questions in present perfect progressive. 1. she / on the phone / talk 2. his brother / dinner / cook 3. Jane and Mary / badminton / play 4. Sue / in the gym / exercise

5. Robert / the room / paint 6. they / trees / plant 7. Henry / in the garage / work 8. they / in the lake / swim 9. how long / Boris / English / learn 10. how long / you / for me / wait

Exercise on Present Perfect Progressive

Put the verbs into the correct form (present perfect progressive). 1. He (work) 2. I (wait) 3. Mary (live)
has been w or

in this company since 1985.

for you since two o'clock. in Germany since 1992. tennis for five hours. English? the motorway for more than an hour. without electricity for two weeks. for ten minutes yet, but there's a commercial break already. in the garden? in the garden for more than an hour.

4. Why is he so tired? He (play) 5. How long (learn / you) 6. We (look for) 7. I (live) 8. The film (run / not) 9. How long (work / she) 10. She (not / be)

Present Perfect / Present Perfect Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses. Robin: I think the waiter (forget) over half an hour and nobody (take) us. We (wait) our order yet. here for

Michele: I think you're right. He (walk)

by us at least twenty times. He

probably thinks we (order, already)

Robin: Look at that couple over there, they (be, only) ten minutes and they already have their food.

here for five or

Michele: He must realize we (order, not) here for over half an hour staring at him.

yet! We (sit)

Robin: I don't know if he (notice, even) from table to table taking orders and serving food.

us. He (run)

Michele: That's true, and he (look, not)

in our direction once.

Present Continuous / Present Perfect Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses. 1. It (rain) the beach. all week. I hope it stops by Saturday because I want to go to

2. Sid: Where is Gary? Sarah: He (study, at the library) Wednesday. In fact, he (review) week. for his German test on for the test every day for the last

3. You look really great! (You, exercise)

at the fitness center ?

4. Frank, where have you been? We (wait)

for you since 1 PM.

5. Tim: What is that sound? Nancy: A car alarm (ring) (drive) than twenty minutes. somewhere down the street. It for more

me crazy - I wish it would stop! It (ring)

6. Joseph's English (improve, really) (watch)

, isn't it? He his

American television programs and (study)

grammar every day since he first arrived in San Diego. Soon he will be totally fluent.

7. Dan: You look a little tired. (You, get) Michelle: Yes, I (sleep) (feel)

enough sleep lately?

relatively well. I just look tired because I

a little sick for the last week.

Dan: I hope you feel better soon. Michelle: Thanks. I (take, currently) better in a couple of days. some medicine, so I should feel

Present Continuous / Present Perfect Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses.

Mr. Smith: So tell me a little bit about yourself, Mr. Harris. I would like to find out a little bit more about your background.

Mr. Harris: I (work)

in the insurance industry for over ten years. I

worked for Met Life for six years and World Insurance for four and a half. During that time, I heard many good things about Hollings Life Insurance and that's why I (apply) for the new sales position.

Mr. Smith: Tell me a little about your hobbies and interests.

Mr. Harris: In my spare time, I hike in the mountains outside of town, volunteer at the Sierra Club and play tennis. In fact, I (compete) tournament this weekend. in a tennis

Mr. Smith: Really, how long (you, play)

tennis ?

Mr. Harris: I (play)

since high school. I love the sport.

Mr. Smith: Great! We like dedication here at Hollings Life. You mentioned you volunteer at the Sierra Club. I (work, currently) turtle project. We (try) with them on the sea

to create a wildlife sanctuary near the bay.

Mr. Harris: Do you know Frank Harris? He's my brother. He (work,

presently)

on the same project.

Mr. Smith: I know Frank quite well. Any brother of Frank's would be a welcome addition to Hollings Life. Just one more thing, we (look) who is fluent in Spanish; many of our clients are from Mexico. for somebody

Mr. Harris: No problem. I (study)

Spanish since elementary school.

Mr. Smith: Sounds like you are the perfect candidate.