LoginPresent Perfect Continuous
This detailed lesson dives into the Present Perfect Continuous Tense in English, featuring examples and a quiz to help test your knowledge.
What Is Present Perfect Continuous Tense?
The Present Perfect Continuous* (also called Present Perfect Progressive) emphasizes ongoing or recently finished actions that have a connection to the present.
Present Perfect Continuous: Structure
The present perfect continuous is formed using the present perfect of the verb 'to be' (have been/has been), and the present participle form of the main verb (verb + -ing).
When we use the present perfect continuous tense in speaking, we often contract the auxiliary verb 'have.'
I have been waiting for an hour. → I've been waiting for an hour.
She has been reading that book all day. → She's been reading that book all day.
Present Perfect Continuous: Negation
To form negative sentences in this tense, 'not' is added between the auxiliary verbs 'have' and 'been.'
It has been raining. → It has not been raining.
We have been playing in the park. → We have not been playing in the park.
In negative sentences, we can contract the negative marker 'not.' See the examples:
It has not been raining. → It hasn't been raining.
We have not been playing in the park. → We haven't been playing in the park.
Present Perfect Continuous: Questions
To form yes/no questions, we invert the subject and 'have.' Look at these example sentences with the present perfect continuous tense:
They have been talking to her. → Have they been talking to her?
He has been doing his homework. → Has he been doing his homework?
To form wh- questions, add the proper wh-word at the beginning of the sentence and invert the subject and the auxiliary 'have.'
I have been living in London. → Where have you been living?
Here, 'in London' is the answer to the question; therefore, it is omitted.
She's been writing emails. → What has she been doing?
Present Perfect Continuous: Uses
The present perfect continuous tense is used to talk about:
Recently-Finished Past Actions
Still-ongoing Past Actions
Temporary Actions
Temporary States
Recently-Finished Past Actions
We use the 'present perfect continuous tense' to talk about actions that have stopped recently, but still have an impact in the present. It means the result is still obvious. In this case, the focus is on the process, not just the result. For example:
I'm tired because I've been running.
Why are you wet? Has it been raining?
Still-ongoing Past Actions
We use the 'present perfect continuous tense' to talk about an action that started in the past and is still continuing in the present. Remember, in this case we are concerned with the 'duration' of the action, so we do not use time expressions to show when the action was performed, but use expression with for or since to show how long the action has been continuing for. Check out the examples.
She has been waiting for you all day.
It means she's still waiting now.
I've been working on this report since eight o'clock this morning
It means the speaker still hasn't finished it.
'For' and 'Since'
We use 'since' with a fixed point in time in the past (e.g., 2004, April 23rd, last year) or a past action (e.g., since I was at school, since his arrival). On the other hand, 'for' is used with a period of time (e.g., 2 hours, three years, six months). Take a look at the following examples.
I have been studying for three hours.
Joe hasn't been visiting us since December.
Temporary Actions
We can use the 'present perfect continuous tense' to talk about ongoing actions that are likely to change or have an impact on the future. For example:
They have been studying at the library; they must be here soon.
She has been playing in the mud, she will take a shower before leaving.
Development
The 'present perfect continuous tense' is used to refer to new developments that you believe to be temporary and likely to change again. Check out the following examples:
They have been making a lot of money over the month.
You have been gaining weight throughout your pregnancy.
Temporary States
While normally stative verbs are not used in the continuous tenses, some of them like 'feel,' 'enjoy,' 'expect,' 'imagine,' and 'live,' can be used progressively to show a temporary state. For example:
I've been feeling really tired for the past week.
She's been having a lot of problems lately.
'Have' can only be used progressively when it means 'to experience.'
Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Continuous
While both tenses refer to actions that started in the past, their main difference is that the present perfect tense normally focuses on the result of the action, and the present perfect continuous focuses on the ongoing process of the activity. Let's compare these examples:
I've painted the living room! It looks beautiful!
Here the tense of the sentence is present perfect, therefore the focus is on the result, showing that the action is finished.
I've been painting the living room. It's been three hours!
Here the tense of the sentence is present perfect continuous, it shows that the action is ongoing and not finished.
Review
The structure of the present perfect continuous tense is as follows:
structure | subject + have/has + been + verb in the -ing form |
|---|---|
affirmative | Their mother has been cooking all day. |
negative | Their mother has not been cooking all day. |
contraction | Their mother's not been cooking all day./ Their mother hasn't been cooking all day. |
yes/no question | Has their mother been cooking all day? |
-wh question | Who has been cooking all day? |
The present continuous tense is mainly used when we are:
talking about recently finished past actions.
talking about actions which started in the past and are still continuing even now.
temporary actions and states
Quiz:
Which sentence uses the Present Perfect Continuous incorrectly?
She's been studying for her exam since morning.
They've been washing the dishes already.
We've been waiting for the bus for 30 minutes.
He's been jogging every day this week.
Sort the words to make a grammatically correct negative sentence in the present perfect continuous tense.
Which question is grammatically correct?
How long you have been studying English?
How long have been you studying English?
How long have you studying English?
How long have you been studying English?
Match each sentence with the usage case of the present perfect continuous tense.
Complete each sentence with the correct form of the verb in parentheses and the correct duration marker.
She
(work) on her novel
March.
Why are your hands so dirty?
(you/garden)?
We
(not exercise) regularly
the gym closed.
The children
(play) outside
hours.
How long
(he/study) English?
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