Lesson 28

COSTACHE RELI-CĂTĂLINA
Present Perfect Continuous
The present perfect continuous (also called present perfect
progressive) is a verb tense which is used to show that an action
started in the past and has continued up to the present moment.
The present perfect continuous usually emphasizes duration, or
the amount of time that an action has been taking place.

E.G. Recently, I have been feeling really tired.

Lisa has not been practicing her English.
 Folosim prezentul perfect continuu pentru a descrie acțiuni care au
început în trecut și continuă în prezent (și, probabil, vor continua și în
viitorul apropiat).
I have been living in France for five years.
Am început să locuiesc în Franța acum 5 ani. Locuiesc în Franța acum.
Using the Present Perfect Continuous
• puts emphasis on the duration or course of an action (not the
result)
Example: She has been writing for two hours.
• action that recently stopped or is still going on.
Example: I have been living here since 2001.
• finished action that influenced the present.
Example: I have been working all afternoon.

Signal words: all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?, the whole
week
Form
The Present Perfect Continuous uses two auxiliary verbs together
with a main verb.
• The first auxiliary (have) is conjugated in the Present Simple: have,
has
• The second auxiliary (be) is invariable in past participle form: been
• The main verb is invariable in present participle form: -ing
• For negative sentences we insert not after the first auxiliary verb.
• For question sentences, we exchange the subject and first auxiliary
verb.
 I / You / We / They have
've
Pozitiv
has
He / She / It
's
in France for five
years.
I / You / We / They have not
haven't
been living
Negativ
has not
He / She / It hasn't

Have I / You / We / They

in France for five
Forma interogativă
years?
Has He / She / It
Verbs without continuous forms

With verbs not normally used in the continuous form, use the simple
present perfect instead (verbs such as: know, hate, hear, understand,
want).

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.
For/ Since/ How long?
We often use for and since with perfect tenses:
We use for to talk about a period of time: three hours, two months, one decade.
We use since to talk about a point in past time: 9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday.

1. I have been studying for three hours.

2. I have been watching TV since 7pm.
3. Tara hasn't been feeling well for two weeks.
4. Tara hasn't been visiting us since March.
5. He has been playing football for a long time.
6. He has been living in Bangkok since he left school
for since
a period of time a point in past time
------------ -•----------
30 minutes 10.00am
four days Friday
3 months March
2 years 2010
3 centuries 1700
ages I left school
ever the beginning of time
etc etc
Exercise
s
Reading
Vocabulary