Sentences on the topic present perfect continuous tense. Present Perfect Continuous in English - what is it?

When learning English, students can take a long time to understand Perfect at times and Continuous in order to learn how to use them automatically. Therefore, you can imagine their feelings when they come to such a terrible topic as Perfect Continuous. This is two times at once, and not so simple at that! However, these fears are completely in vain, and now we will see this using the example of the Present Perfect Continuous tense (pronounced [present perfect continuus]).

Present Perfect Continuous Tense (also known as Present Perfect Progressive Tense) or present perfect continuous tense - time in English, used to express actions that began and either lasted up to a certain point in the past, or continue to last until now.

This time is used relatively rarely, since it is often replaced by Present Perfect, but it is still necessary to know it, because in certain situations it will not be possible to do without it. Moreover, the correct use of sentences in the Present Perfect Continuous will only confirm your high level of knowledge of the language, and therefore attract praise from native speakers. Let's look at how this time is formed and used.

The formation of the Present Perfect Continuous is similar to the formation of the Present Perfect and. To form this tense, two verbs are needed: auxiliary and semantic. The auxiliary verb is to be in the Present Perfect form. It has 2 perfect forms depending on person and number:

I	have been
He	has been

Semantic verbs are formed using Participle I or the present participle. To form it, you must add the ending –ing to the verb.

Infinitive / Infinitive	V+-ing
(to)blink	blinking
(to) strike	striking
(to) pressure	pressing
(to) blossom	blossoming
(to) heal	healing
(to)give	giving
(to) mumble	mumbling
(to) walk	walking
(to) compensate	compensating

Actually, that's all. By joining both parts, you get a verb in the Present Perfect Continuous Tense:

Present Perfect Continuous: sentence forms

We've sorted out the formation of verbs, now let's see how to make sentences with them in various forms.

Affirmative sentences with Present Perfect Continuous

The affirmative form of the Present Perfect Continuous is, as always, standard: the subject is used first, followed by the predicate, expressed by auxiliary and semantic verbs. Any minor member can complete the sentence. Table for clarity:

This example is used in Active Voice or Active Voice. If you want to use Passive Voice, you may have difficulties.

Firstly, to form the Passive Voice in the Present Perfect Continuous you need to try harder, because you will need to use 4 verbs in a row.
Secondly, even if you can easily cope with the first task, you will agree that phrases in Passive Voice a la “have been being understood” sound at least unusual.
Thirdly, Passive Voice is not used by native speakers these days, so even they will not be able to appreciate your efforts.

Yes, theoretically it is possible to construct a Continuous Passive, but in practice no one needs such proposals. In general, do not make English difficult for yourself or others and do not use the Continuous Passive. If you need to show that the action was not performed by a person/object, but was directed at it, use not the Continuous Passive, but the Passive Voice in the Present Perfect tense.

Negative sentences with Present Perfect Continuous

The negative form in Present Perfect Continuous Tense is formed by adding the negative particle not between have (has) and been:

Both in the affirmative and in negative forms possible abbreviations:

Full form

Short form

statement

I have been calculating.

She has been studying.

He hasn't been faking.

It has been blowing.

I've been calculating.

She's been studying.

He's been faking.

It's been blowing.

—

negation

We have not been skating.

You have not been judging.

They have not been watching.

She has not been cleaning.

We haven't been skating.

You haven't been judging.

They haven't been watching.

She hasn't been cleaning.

You may have noticed that has in an affirmative sentence is abbreviated in the same way as is. To understand what tense is used, keep the rules of education in mind. Present perfect long time in English it always requires after has the verb been. If both of these verbs are in a sentence, then the speaker is using this particular tense.

Interrogative sentences with Present Perfect Continuous

The interrogative form is built based on the type of question:

For general issue you need to move the auxiliary verbs have and has to the beginning of the sentence. Been remains in its original place:

In an alternative question, some second member of the sentence is added for choice, which is supported by the conjunction or (or):

Special questions are identical to general questions, only they use a question word before have (has):

In a dividing question, you need to use an affirmative or negative sentence, followed by a short question:

Present Perfect Continuous: usage

Present Perfect Continuous Tense or present perfect continuous tense is used in the following situations:

To express an action that began in the past and is still ongoing. In this case, the speaker knows when the action began and how long it has already lasted. He cannot say when the action will end.
Typically, such sentences contain indicator words: recently (the other day), lately (recently), quite a while (for a long time / a long time ago), these ... weeks (how many weeks), all my life (all my life), all day (long) / this month / this year (all day, month, year); as well as time markers for (during) and since (since), which are used as hints for the use of this time:

In the same case, time can be used to ask a special question. Such a question usually begins with the words: how long (how long) or since when (from when):

Present Perfect Continuous Tense is also used in cases where an action began in the past and continued certain time and ended recently. This option emphasizes the duration of the action that led to some result in the present. Markers in such sentences may be omitted:

The Present Perfect Continuous is also used in cases where we mean that some action happened earlier. This conclusion is drawn from what is heard/seen. More often this option is used in a negative context:

The present perfect continuous tense is also used in a complex sentence that has a subordinate clause. Temporary markers for entering subordinate clauses here are limited to one word since (since). This subordinate clause used in Past Simple, and most importantly, it is built in the Present Perfect Continuous:

Don't forget that Continuous tenses are not used with state verbs or state verbs that express feelings, perception, mental activity, possession of something. In this case, instead of the Continuous tense, the Present Perfect is used:

However, there are exceptions here. The use of Present Perfect Continuous is possible if it is necessary to highlight an action, to give it a more pronounced shade. So, for example, in the Present Perfect Continuous you can find the verbs wish (to desire), want (to want) and mean (to gather):

Also pay attention to those verbs that are used in both the Present Perfect and the Present Perfect Continuous. Such verbs include words that themselves imply a continuous action. For example: live (live), sleep (sleep), study (learn), teach (teach), work (work), run (meaning “manage”):

If the situation continues to last for a certain period, but is temporary or will soon change, use the Present Perfect Continuous:

I’ve been studying here for 2 years but I’m going to transfer to another university soon.

I have been studying here for 2 years, but I am planning to transfer to another university soon.

It is worth noting that, despite the similarity of features not only with the Present Perfect tense, but also, in some way, with the Present Continuous, you cannot use sentences replacing the Present Continuous with the Present Perfect Continuous and vice versa. These times have different meaning and cannot be interchanged.

Present Perfect Continuous translation into Russian

Worth paying special attention Russian translation of Present Perfect Continuous. As you already know, this tense either indicates an action that lasted and ended, or an action that began and is still ongoing. Accordingly, based on the choice of one of the two mentioned cases, the translation is constructed. So, if we want to show that the action has already ended, when translating into Russian we use imperfective verbs in the past tense:

If the action is still ongoing, then the translation is carried out with verbs used in the same form, but in the present tense:

You can understand what tense is implied based on the context.

The present completed continuous tense, as you can see, is not as difficult as it looks at first glance. Since this time is limited to certain situations, it accordingly does not have a wide variety of uses. It is also quite simple to build, especially if you are already familiar with other times. So don't avoid the Present Perfect Continuous, use it correctly, and if you need to review any rules associated with it, come back to this page and re-read the examples. You can also consolidate your knowledge by going to the page

If you carefully study, you will notice that the main meaning of this time is to convey the connection of a certain process with the present moment. To put it simply, a couple present perfect & present perfect continuous very similar to present simple & present continuous. One tense in each pair serves to convey facts (results in the case of perfect simple), and the other indicates a process. But these “processes” are not alike.

present perfect continuous rules and examples

So let's consider present perfect continuous rules and examples. There are 3 main cases when you can (and even need) to use present perfect continuous .

rule	example	translation
To express a process that lasted for a period of time but has just ended. It is connected with the present, a certain result is visible.	I have been tidy ing up the house for three hours so I look tired.	I cleaned the house for three hours, so I look tired.
To express an action that began some time ago and is still ongoing at the time of speech.	Look! She has been read ing that book since yesterday.	Look! She has been reading that book since yesterday.
To convey an action that has occurred regularly over a long period of time and is still occurring.	Every morning he drinks the same coffee. He has been do ing this for five years.	Every morning he drinks the same coffee. He has been doing this for five years.

Features of using the present perfect continuous. Questions and denials

U consumption present perfect continuous very similar to the ordinary perfect tense. Just for present perfect continuous It is not the 3rd form of the semantic verb that is used, but the ing form. You probably noticed the ending –ing in each example. If you need to form a negative, use 'haven't been' And 'hasn't been'. Using the present perfect continuous in questions it is limited by the need to place the auxiliary verb before the subject. Please note the following examples.

(-) She hasn't been ask ing any questions for three days. – She doesn’t ask anything for 3 days.

(?) Has it been rain ing here? - Was it raining here?

How to train the difference between the present perfect and the present perfect continuous?

We hope this article is on the topic “ present perfect continuous rules and examples"helped you figure it out. We wish you success in conquering the heights of the English language and will be happy to provide assistance in learning it!

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Hello friends. The last tense from the Present group is the Present Perfect Continuous. Let's consider education and rules of use of the present perfect continuous. This is the longest of the present tenses and always consists of 3 words.

Unit 9 Present Perfect Continuous

Video version of the lesson:

It has been raining - It was raining(we translate into Russian in the past tense)

Let's consider the situation

The form of the verb in this tense is:
have (has)+been+ verb-ing is the present perfect continuous

Note that been is part of this time, and it does not disappear anywhere. Those. Present Perfect Continuous is formed using 3 words:
have (has) indicates present - present
been indicates perfect
verb ing indicates process (continuous)
Let's look at the table.

When is the Present Perfect Continuous used (situation 1)?

We use it for activities that have recently ended or just ended. At the same time, there is a connection with the present and a desire to show that the action lasted long enough.

Examples

It has been raining for 2 hours - It has been raining for 2 hours(We translate this into Russian)

Let's look at an example
It began raining two hours ago and it is still raining. — The rain started 2 hours ago and is still falling.
How long has it been raining? - How long has it been going on?
It has been raining for two hours. — It’s been going for 2 hours already.

When is the Present Perfect Continuous used (situation 2)?

We use this tense with words like
how long - how long
for - during
since - since such and such a time

An action that began in the past (we either know when it began, or we know exactly how long it has been going on) is still happening, or ended at the moment of speech.

Examples

You can use have/has been …-ing for actions that are repeated periodically over time.

Examples

Debbie is a very good tennis player. She 's been playing since she was eight.- Debbie is a very good tennis player. She has been playing tennis since she was 8 years old.

Every morning they meet in the same cafe. They 've been going there for years. — Every morning they meet in the same cafe. They've been going there for years.

So that you don't confuse Present perfect Continuous and Present Continuous, let's compare them.

The Present Perfect Continuous, like any Continuous, is associated with a period during which something happened or is still happening. Accordingly, it is translated into Russian either by the past or by the present.

How do you understand that it is necessary to apply this temporary form? - There is a connection with the present (it can be either in this sentence or in a closely related sentence) - It is known when the action began, lasting until the current moment - It is known how long the event took place up to the present.

Expression form: have (has)+been+ verb-ing The most common words used in a sentence with a given tense are since and for.

English tests for self-testing and consolidation of knowledge on the topic

ok-tests.ru/unit-9-blue/

The more examples with the Present Perfect Continuous you analyze, the faster you will “feel” and learn to use this tense.

Even more examples on the topic

We've been reading the whole day. We read all day.

I have been thinking about it recently. I've been thinking about this lately.

We’ve been dancing since 10 o’clock. We've been dancing since 10 o'clock.

I’ve been studying it all term. I've been studying this all semester.

I've been practicing it all week. I've been practicing this all week.

How long have I been sleeping? How long do I sleep?

How long have you been writing? How long have you been writing?

What is the most important thing in studying times? Don't be afraid of them! After all, they don't bite. Try to speak more English, and then you yourself will notice that you don’t even think about where to use this or that tense.
The Present Perfect Continuous tense is pronounced (present perfect continuus), English transcription. In this article you will learn how sentences are constructed in the present perfect continuous. Start studying!

The text below will help you become familiar with commonly used tenses in English.

Jimmy and Peter are best friends. They have been spending time together since they were young boys. Every evening, they get dressed and walk to the market. They have been walking together to the market every evening for the past 10 years.
Lately, Jimmy has not been feeling well. Peter has been walking to the market alone each evening. Then he visits Jimmy at home. He has been bringing Jimmy products every evening for 2 weeks. He hopes Jimmy feels better as soon as possible.

Education Present Perfect Continuous

The Present Perfect Continuous is formed according to the formula:

subject + have/has/haven’t/hasn’t + been + present participle of main verb
Subject + have/has + been + past participle of semantic verb. Just and already stands between have/has And past participle.

Examples of sentences with the present perfect continuous tense:

— Jim has been changing tires all morning - Jim changed tires all morning.
— My dog has been trying to open the door – My dog is trying to open the door.
— I've been training since 2003 – I have been training since 2003.

Cases of using the Present Perfect Continuous

The Present Perfect Cont. used in several cases. Below are examples with explanations:

1. Actions that began in the past and continue at the present moment

Example:

— He's been building a shed in the garden since 5 o’clock – He has been building a shed in the garden since 5 o’clock (He started at 5 and is still building it).
— They have been talking on the phone since 9 o’clock this morning – They have been talking on the phone since 9 am.

2. Past actions of a certain duration that have a visible result or effect in the present

Example:

— She has been running– She was running (visible result – she was tired).
- No has been walking all morning - He walked all morning (The result is visible - his legs hurt).
— I feel dizzy because I have been lying in the sun for too long – I’m dizzy because I’ve been lying in the sun for too long.
— Have you been drinking beer? I can smell it – Did you drink beer? I smell beer (An action that recently ended).

When we use the Present Perfect Continuous for actions that have recently completed, we often use the adverb just.

Example:

— You have got dirt all over your pants.
— Oh, I have just been fixing the lorry.

Often used lately/recently with Present Perfect Progressive.

Example:

- I'm so hungry. I haven't been eating well lately.

3. Anger, irritation, explanations, criticism

Example:

— Someone has been reading my diary again! – Someone read my diary again!
—Who' s been drinking my orange juice? – Who drank my orange juice!

4. Emphasis on duration, usually with words (for, since, how long)

Example:

— How long have you been teaching Italian? — How long have you been teaching Italian?
—We have been calling to you since this morning - We have been calling you since this morning.

Note : live, work, feel can be used with and Present Perfect Progressive, since the meaning does not change:

-I' we've been living/I' we lived in England for a year.

Also words work and live, which describe temporary or permanent situations, native speakers use +for/since for a long time, and present perfect continuous for a short time:

— You have worked on Wall Street for 30 years (present perfect).
— You have been working on Wall Street for a week (present perfect cont.).

Companion words (time markers) Present Perfect Continuous

Indicator words, also called signal words, are great for recognizing the present perfect continuous tense in English. Let's look at sentences with auxiliary words in the present perfect continuous below.
How long, for, since, for ages, all day, the whole week, for 4 years, since 1993, lately.

Example:

— I haven’t been playing handball since 2013– I haven’t played handball since 2013.
— The cat hasn’t been eating all day– The cat hasn’t eaten all day.
— My parents haven’t been traveling for ages“My parents haven’t traveled for ages.”

Present Perfect Continuous sentence forms

There are three sentence forms in English that are very simple. Let's look at the examples in the tables.

Affirmative form of the sentence Present Perfect Continuous (Positive or Affirmative sentences)

Who? Who?	Form of verb	Examples
I (i)	have + been + verb + ing	I have been preparing for the final examination
He/She/It (he, she, it)	have + been + verb + ing	He has been sailing She has been sleeping It has been working
You (you, you)	have + been + verb + ing	You have been searching
We (we)	have + been + verb + ing	We have been trying
They (they)	have + been + verb + ing	They have been swimming

Shortened form of affirmative sentences:

— I've been waiting for an opportunity for 2 years.
— He's been teaching Ron how to play marbles.

Negative form of the sentence Present Perfect Continuous (Negative sentences)

Who? Who?	Form of verb	Examples
I (i)		I have not been sailing
He/She/It (he, she, it)	has + not + been + verb + ing	He has not been building She has not been sleeping It has not been eating
You (you, you)	has + not + been + verb + ing	You have not been searching
We (we)	has + not + been + verb + ing	We have not been living
We (we)	has + not + been + verb + ing	They have not been swimming

Short form of negative sentences:

— She hasn't been singing since she was very young.

Interrogative form of the sentence Present Perfect Continuous (Interrogative sentences)

Verb To have	Who? Who?	Form of verb	Examples
Have	I (i)	been + verb + ing	Have I been sailing?
Has	He/She/It (he, she, it)	been + verb + ing	Has he been washed? Has she been sleeping? Has it been working?
Have	You (you, you)	been + verb + ing	Have you been searching?
Have	We (we)	been + verb + ing	Have you been crying?
Have	They (they)	been + verb + ing	Have they been swimming?

Short interrogative-negative form:

— Has he not been sitting?
— Hasn't has he been sitting?

+Bonus rules and pronunciation of adverbs just/already

Some verbs are not used in the Present Perfect Continuous, then comes to the rescue. The most simple examples with verbs know/be:

— WRONG: I’ve been being here for a minute.
- CORRECT: I've been here for a minute.
— WRONG: I’ve been knowing him for many years.
- CORRECT: I've known him for many years.

Take note: already

Already can be placed at the end of affirmative or interrogative sentences:

- They have already been staying there for forty minutes.
-Have they already been staying there for forty minutes?
— They have been staying there for forty minutes already.
— Have they been staying there for forty minutes already?

Pronunciation of adverbs just/already

In sentences with already/just, it is usually not emphasized by have/has or already/just. The emphasis is on the subject and the present participle:

— The fish has already been cooking for 20 minutes.

But we can emphasize already and just if we want to emphasize that something happened recently:

— The fish must be ready by now. It's already been cooking for 20 minutes.

Don't forget that the present participle is formed using -ing endings. However there are a few exceptions:

Ending - e at the end of the word is not saved, but - ee, —oe, —ye are saved without changes:

—Com e– Coming.
—Agr ee– agreeing.

The final consonant is doubled in words when the verb ends in consonant + vowel + consonant. However -w, -y, -x are not doubled:

—Si t– sitting
— Mi x– mixing

-L as a final consonant after a vowel is always doubled in British, but not in American:

— Marvel ll ing (British)
— Marveling (American)

—ie changes to - y:

-T ie–t y ing

Differences between Present Perfect Continuous and Present Perfect

Many people ask how to distinguish it from the present perfect continuous or vice versa. But in fact, if you look at examples and situations, the incomprehensible becomes clear.

Let's look at the difference between and Present Perfect Continuous.

We use the Present Perfect tense with action verbs to emphasize completed events in the recent past. The present perfect continuous tense is used when we talk about long-term situations that began in the past and are still ongoing.

Compare:

— I've read that huge book you gave me. I finished reading it yesterday - I read this huge book that you gave me. I finished reading it yesterday.
— I've been reading that huge book you gave me. I’ve got another 100 pages to read – I’m reading this book that you gave me. I still have 100 pages to read.

I've read– indicates that the action is completed.
I've been reading– Present Perfect Cont., unfinished action. I'm still reading the book. Continuing activities.

More explanations on the comparison between and Present Perfect Continuous HERE.
Below you will find tasks comparing these two times.

General Table Present Perfect Continuous

Types of offers	PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Affirmative sentence	I/you/we/they have + been+ V-ing He/she/it has + been+ V-ing
Negative sentence	I/you/we/they have not + been+ V-ing He/she/it has not + been+V-ing
Interrogative sentence	Have I/you/we/they + been+V- ing? Has he/she/it + been+V- ing?
Special question	WH + have I/you/we/they + been+V- ing WH+ has+he/she/it+ been+V- ing W.H.- why, when, where etc.

Exercises on Present Perfect Continuous

To consolidate the material you have covered, do the exercises below using the Present Perfect Continuous Tense:

Exercise 1. Put the verbs into the Present Perfect Continuous (Progressive).

1. I (feel) sleepy all week.

2. It (rain) continuously for the past three weeks.

3. We (look) for that document all day.

4. Someone (wash) clothes in the sink and they are still there.

5. Kathy and Jack (argue) for half an hour.

Answers:

1.Have been feeling
2. Has been raining
3.Have been looking
4. Has been washed
5. Have been arguing

Exercise 2. Present Perfect or Present Perfect Continuous.

1. Harry’s skin hurts because he (sit) on the beach for six hours.

2. It (snow). The garden's all white.

3. She (not clean) the staff room yet.

4. They (already/repair) the roof.

5. I can’t find her anywhere; I (look) for her for about 13 minutes.

7. I (wash) the windows, I (sweep) up the leaves, but I (not wash) the dishes yet.

8. What do you (do)? You're covered in flour.

9. Have you got any plaster? I (chop) potatoes for lunch and I (cut) my finger.

10. I think the waiter (forget) us. We (wait) here for over two hours.

Answers:

1. Has been sitting
2. Has been snowing
3. Has not been cleaned
4. Have already repaired
5.Have been looking
6. Have decided, have been thinking
7. Have washed, have been swept, haven’t washed
8. Have you been doing
9. Have been chopping, I’ve cut
10. Has forgotten, have been waiting

Exercise 3. Open the parentheses.

1. I (cycle) and my legs are tired.

2. Who (eat) my biscuits?

3. He must be exhausted. He (train) all morning.

4. They (travel) for months.

5. I (read) that magazine you tape me. I'll give it back tomorrow.

6. Rick (play) tennis since he was a child.

7. I've very tired. We (walk) too fast.

8. You (drink). You can't drive.

9. I (teach) in this school for 10 years.

10. How long have you (exercise)?

Answers:

1.Have been cycling
2. has been eating
3.has been training
4. have been traveling
5. Gave been reading
6. has been playing
7. have been walking
8. have been drinking
9. have been teaching
10. have you been exercising

Exercise 4. Open the parentheses. Put the verb in the appropriate tense.

1. How long have you (know) Terry?

2. My arms are hurting. I (iron) all evening.

3. You look awful. What (do) all day?

4. He (learn) German words for hours, but he still doesn’t remember all of them.

5. We (not seen) Diana recently.

6. They (cook) all day, but they (finish) yet.

7. My husband is so irresponsible. He (feed) the dog the whole day.

8. I (be) on this island for five months now.

9. I never (read) such a good book.

10. Sarah is very happy because she (move) to a bigger house.

Answers:

1. have known
2. have been ironing
3. have been doing
4. has been learning
5. haven’t seen
6. have been cooking, haven’t finished
7. has not been fed
8. have been
9. have never read
10.has moved

Make 5 sentences using the Present Perfect Continuous. And share them in the comments.

To consolidate the material, watch the dialogue on how this tense is used in everyday life.