Present Perfect Continuous
Actions that started earlier and continue now: “She has been working.”
Practice Present Perfect Continuous freeThe lesson
When do we use it?
- Actions that started in the past and are still continuing: I have been studying for two hours.
- Recent actions with a visible result: Her eyes are red. She has been crying.
- Focus on how long: They have been living here since 2019.
How do we form it?
have / has + been + verb-ing
| Subject | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / you / we / they | I have been working | I haven't been working | Have you been working? |
| he / she / it | She has been working | She hasn't been working | Has she been working? |
Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous
- Perfect: I have read three chapters. (the result)
- Perfect continuous: I have been reading all morning. (the activity and its duration)
Time words
for, since, all day, all morning, lately, recently, how long...?
Common Present Perfect Continuous mistakes
She has working all day.
She has been working all day.
Use has / have + been + -ing.
They has been waiting for an hour.
They have been waiting for an hour.
Use have with I, you, we and they.
I have been learning English since two years.
I have been learning English for two years.
Use for with a length of time.
He has been knowing her for years.
He has known her for years.
Stative verbs like know are not used in the continuous.
Did you been running?
Have you been running?
Put have / has before the subject to make a question.
Practice questions like these
Pick the right form. In the app you get instant checking, hints and your score.
1.They for the bus for twenty minutes.
- are waiting
- have waiting
- has been waiting
- have been waiting
2.It all morning, so the roads are wet.
- has been raining
- is raining
- have been raining
- has raining
3.He the guitar since he was ten; that's why he plays so well.
- has been play
- has been playing
- is playing
- plays