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Overview of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense in English

The Present Perfect Continuous tense is one of the very important grammatical topics in English. Let's explore the concept, structure, identifying signs, and exercises related to the Present Perfect Continuous tense in the article below!

present perfect continuous

I. What is the Present Perfect Continuous Tense?
II. Structure of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense
III. Usage of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense
IV. Identifying Signs of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense
V. Distinguishing Between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Tenses
VI. Exercises on the Present Perfect Continuous Tense
1. 1. Exercises
2. 2. Answer keys

I. What is the Present Perfect Continuous Tense?

The Present Perfect Continuous (also known as Present Perfect Progressive) is used to refer to actions or events that started in the past and are still continuing in the present or have recently finished but still have an impact on the present. The Present Perfect Continuous tense emphasizes the duration of the action that has occurred but does not result in a clear outcome.

Examples:

It has been raining for 2 hours.
We have been doing this work since 2018.

II. Structure of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The formula for the Present Perfect Continuous tense is divided into 3 forms as follows:

The present perfect progressive tense	Structure	Example
Affirmative	S + have/ has + been + V-ing	They have been working all day. He has been waiting here for 5 hours!
Negative	S + haven’t/ hasn’t + been + V-ing	They haven’t been studying all the morning. She hasn’t been cleaning her bed for 2 months.
Interrogative	Have/ Has + S + been + V-ing ? When/Where/Why/What/How + have/has + S + been + V-ing? Yes, S + have/has. No, S + haven’t (have not)/hasn’t (has not). S + Have/has + been + V-ing.	Have you been learning French for 2 months? Yes, I have Has she been running for 1 hour? No, she hasn’t. What have you been doing here for 2 hours? I have been fixing my bike.

III. Usage of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

There are 2 main uses of the Present Perfect Continuous tense in English:

To indicate an action that started in the past and continues to the present (emphasizing the "continuity" of the action). For example: Ms.Anna has been teaching English in my school for 15 years.
To indicate an action that has occurred and just recently finished, but the results of the action are still observable in the present (emphasizing the "result" of the action). For example: We have been filling out this unnecessary paperwork for hours, and it hasn't brought us any closer to a solution.

IV. Identifying Signs of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The Present Perfect Continuous tense often appears with specific and non-specific time markers such as: all day, all week, since, for, for a long time, in the past week, recently, lately, up until now, so far, almost every day this week, in recent years, etc. For example:

They have been studying for three hours.
I haven't been feeling so well lately.

However, the difference between "since" and "for" can be confusing for many students, so let’s follow the table below!

Since + specific time point / S + simple past tense	I have been playing soccer since i was young.
For + period of time	They have been playing video game all day.

V. Distinguishing Between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous Tenses

It can be easy to confuse the Present Perfect tense with the Present Perfect Continuous tense. Therefore, you should pay attention to the following signs to differentiate and use them correctly:

Present perfect

Present perfect continuous

Describe an action that has been completed.

Example: I have written an email to you.

Describe an action that is still ongoing up to the present.

Example: I have been writing some emails to you.

Focus on the result.

Example: You have cleaned the bathroom! It looks lovely!

Focus on the action.

Example: I have been cleaning the bathroom. It’s so dingy here.

Emphasize quantity (answer the question "How many/How much?")

Example: She has read ten books this summer.

Emphasize duration (answer the question "How long?")

Example: She has been reading that book all day.

Used with "for," "since," and "how" to describe a state that is ongoing.

Example: How long have you known each other? We have known each other since 2005.

Used with "for," "since," and "how" to describe an action that is ongoing or repeated.

Example: How long have they been playing tennis? They have been playing tennis for 2 hours.

Describe an action that has a more permanent nature.

Example: She has run a lot for 3 years. ➞ Hành động bền bỉ, thói quen lâu dài.

Emphasize an action that is temporary.

Example: She has been running a lot recently. ➞ hành động tạm thời gần đây cô ấy mới chạy nhiều, trước đó thì không.

VI. Exercises on the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

To better understand the usage of the Present Perfect Continuous tense, let’s complete the exercises below with PREP!

1. Exercises

Exercise 1: Conjugate the verbs in the Present Perfect Continuous tense in the sentences.
1. She ______ (work) here for five years.
2. I ______ (study) all day.
3. You ______ (eat) a lot recently.
4. We ______ (live) in London for six months.
5. He _____ (play) football, so he’s tired.

Exercise 2: Complete the questions below in the Present Perfect Continuous tense.

1. How long ……………………………………. for me? (you | wait)
2. What ……………………………… since he returned? (John | do)
3. Why …………………………….. meat lately? (you | not eat) There’s so much snow on
the road. …………………………………………….. all night? (it | snow)
4. Why ………………………………………………… for such a long time? (Sam and Mary | argue)
5. ……………………. my shampoo? There’s not much left. (you | use)

2. Answer keys

Exercise 1	Exercise 2
Has been working Have been studying Have been eating Have been living Has just played	Have you been waiting Has John been doing Have you not been eating Have Sam and Mary been arguing Have you been using

Learn more about other present tenses:

Present Simple Tense
Present Continuous Tense
Present Perfect Tense

This article summarizes the knowledge of the Present Perfect Continuous tense in English that you should know in order to easily conquer grammatical concepts. Keep following PREP for more interesting and useful English knowledge!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.