Present perfect continuous
A Form
SUBJECT POSITIVE +been+ -ing verb NEGATIVE +been+ -ing verb
I/ We/ You/ They have ('ve) have not (haven't)
been waiting been waiting
He/ She/ It has ('s) has not (hasn't)
QUESTIONS SHORT ANSWERS
Have I/ you we/ they Yes, I/ we/ you/ they have.
No, I/ you/ we/ they haven't.
been waiting?
Has he/ she/ it Yes, he/ she/ it has.
No, he/ she/ it hasn't.
B Use
We use the present perfect continuous to talk about an action or situation that started in the past and is still
happening now. We often use for and since with the present perfect continuous:
I've been waiting in this queue for three hours!
It is different from the present perfect because we usually use the continuous for a temporary action or situation, not
for a situation that we think is permanent.
Compare
present continuous → present perfect continuous present simple → present perfect (permanent)
(temporary)
I'm training for the race. I've been training for it for six I live in Istambul. I've lived there for twenty years.
months.
'Are you waiting for the bus?' ' Yes, I've been waiting 'Do you know Alan?' 'Yes, I've known him all my life.'
for it for an hour/ since three o'clock'
We often use the present perfect continuous to explain a present situation, especially if it's the time of an anction is
important:
'They look tired.' 'Well, they've been studying for more than two hours'
'Your Spanish is good.' 'Thanks, I've been studying it for two years now'
Exercises:
1 Use the words below to write sentences. Use the present perfect continuous and short forms.
1 I/ drive/ for three hours I've been driving for three hours
2 We/ wait/ since two o'clock
3 Carola/ not/ sleep/ well
4 you/ revise/ for your exam?
5 They/ build / a new gym
6 How long/ he/ work there?
7 You/ not/ listen/ to me
2 Complete the conversations with the verbs from the box. Use short forms.
travel cook shop talk wait work
1 We haven't seen Michael for some time'. 'He's been travelling'.
2 'The kitchen is a bit untidy!' 'Mmmm, I ............................................................ all afternoon.'
3 'You look really tired.' 'I............................................................... all night.'
4 'The buses are terrible these days, aren't they?' 'Yes, I ........................................................... for forty
minutes.'
5 'Can I have some money for the cinema?' 'Sorry, I ........................................................ I haven't got any!.'
6 'You have been on the phone for hours!' 'I .................................................................... to my friends.'
3 Write sentences about the situations. Use the present perfect continuous and for/ since.
They started playing tennis at two o'clock. It's now five-fifty and they're still playing the same game! (since)
They've been playing tennis since two o'clock!
1 I started learning Chinese when I was fifteen. Now I'm seventeen. (for)
.......................................................................................................................................................................................
2 Our friends came to stay with us on Sunday, and they're still here. (since)
......................................................................................................................................................................................
3 It started raining yesterday afternoon and it still hasn't stopped. (since)
......................................................................................................................................................................................
4 Graham started looking for a new job six months ago. He still hasn't found one. (for)
......................................................................................................................................................................................
