Present Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Continuous
The Present Perfect Continuous
tense to talk about action that started in the past and is continuing now. (also known as present perfect progressive)
FORMULA /
STRUCTURE
Subject + Have/Has + BEEN + Verb [fourth form (an-ing)]
Fourth form of verb is called Present Participle form and an –ing form.
Singular Subject = has
|
Plural subject = have
|
I = have
|
BASIC LEVEL
EXAMPLES
[‘ve = have] [‘s = has]
→ I’ve been playing cricket
for three hours. [I’ve = I have]
→ We have
been playing cricket since 2 o’clock.
→ You have
been playing cricket.
→ He’s
been playing cricket. [He’s = He has]
→ She has
been playing cricket.
→ It has
been raining for three hours.
→ They have
been playing cricket since 2 o’clock.
→ Yaqoob has been playing cricket.
NEGATIVE EXAMPLES
For negative we use [have not = haven’t]
[has not = hasn’t]
→ I have not
been playing cricket.
OR I haven’t been playing
cricket.
→ Yaqoob has not
been reading a book.
OR Yaqoob hasn’t been
reading a book.
→ You have not
been watching TV.
OR You haven’t been watching
TV.
INTERROGATIVE / QUESTION
For interrogative we use [have] [has]
→ Has Yaqoob been reading
a book?
→ Has Yaqoob not been reading
a book?
OR Hasn’t Yaqboob been reading a
book?
→ Have you been watching
TV?
→ Have you not been watching
TV?
OR Haven’t you been
watching TV?
(i) Usage of ‘since’ and ‘for’ start from Present Perfect
Tense. We also use Present Perfect Continuous with ‘since’ and ‘for’.
↷ They have been playing cricket since
morning.
↷ They have been playing cricket for five
hours.
(= They are still playing now.)
↷ He has been
playing the guitar since he was six.
↷ He has been
playing the guitar since he was in school.
↷ They've been playing cricket every Saturday since 2001.
↷ They've been playing cricket every Saturday for
ten years.
Usage of Since and For
We use frequently
‘since’ and ‘for’ for these tenses.
Present Perfect
|
Present Perfect
Continuous
|
Past Perfect
|
Past Perfect
Continuous
|
Future Perfect
|
Future Perfect
Continuous
|
'Since' and 'For'
We use 'since' with a fixed time (starting point) in the past (2004,
23rd April, last year). The fixed time can be another action, which is in the
past simple (since I was at school, since I arrived).
↷ I have known Aslam since 1992.
↷ She has been here since 2 pm.
↷ You have liked chocolate since you were a child.
We use 'for' with a period of time (2 hours, three years, six months).
↷ I have known Maria for ten years.
↷ He has worked here for six months.
↷ I have known you for a week.
We use how long in questions.
↷ How long have they been married? ~ Oh, for about four years.
↷ How long has Vicky had that camera? ~ Since Monday.
We can also use the present perfect with for and since
when something has stopped happening.
↷ He hasn't
visited us since July.
↷ You haven't
seen your uncle for ages.
INTERMEDIATE
LEVEL
(ii) How much, how
many, how long, recently, lately …
Present Perfect
|
Present Perfect Continuous
|
We normally use
the present perfect when we say
how much , how many |
We normally use
the present perfect continuous form when we
say how long. |
↷ The tailor has ironed seven bed sheets.
|
↷ The tailor has been ironing bed sheets since ten o'clock.
|
↷ She
has played at least seventeen music.
|
↷ She
has been playing music all day.
|
↷ How many driving
lessons have you had?
|
↷ How long have you
been learning to drive?
|
Describes a completed action
|
Describes continuity
|
↷ He has written an essay.
|
↷ He has been writing essay.
|
↷ I've read the book you recommended.
(= I've finished it,
so we can talk about it).
|
↷ I've been reading the book you recommended.
(= I'm enjoying it,
but I'm not finished).
|
how long in questions.
↷ How long have they been playing?
↷ How long have you been learning to drive?
Note also recently and lately.
These both mean 'in the last few days or weeks'.
↷ You haven't
been playing very well recently.
↷ What have you
been doing lately?
(iii) States verb and action verbs
[Reference: (Second
Edition) Oxford Practice Grammar by John Eastwood Unit 17]
We cannot normally use the
continuous form with a state verb.
↷ I've known the secret for a long time.
NOT I've been knowing the secret.
↷ My parents have
had this car for about ten years.
↷ We've never been
very happy here, I'm afraid.
Live and work (= have a job) can be continuous or simple, with no difference in meaning.
↷ We've been
living here since 1992.
OR
We've lived here since 1992.
↷ Sarah has been working for the company for three years now.
↷ Sarah has been working for the company for three years now.
OR
Sarah has worked for the company for three years now
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