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Present Perfect Continuous

Subject + have / has + been + continuous form verb phrase

If you do not know and understand the 'present perfect' click on the link for the lesson.

The present perfect continuous tense is used for ongoing / frequent experiences or actions. To use the present perfect continuous tense the action must:

​

  • be frequent or ongoing

  • started in the past

  • will continue in the future

Explain

Past

Now

Future

go to Spain

I + have + been + going to Spain

​

I have been going to Spain.

​

I have been going to Spain for 10 years.

​

I have been going to Spain every 2 years.

  • The action is frequent

  • It started in the past

  • It will happen in the future

Past

Now

Future

play football

I + have + been + playing football

​

I have been playing football.

​

I have been playing football every week for 5 years.

​

I have been playing football near my house for 5 years.

  • The action is ongoing

  • It started in the past

  • It will continue in the future

Past

Now

Future

read this book

I + have + been + reading this book

​

I have been reading this book.

​

I have been reading this book for an hour.

​

I have been reading this book since 1pm.

  • The action is ongoing

  • It started in the past

  • It will continue in the future

Past

Now

Future

think about studying German

I + have + been + thinking about studying German

​

I have been thinking about studying German.

​

I have been thinking about studying German for ages.

​

I have been thinking about studying German since June.

​

I have been thinking about studying German at a school near me.

  • The action is ongoing

  • It started in the past

  • It will continue in the future

Past

Now

Future

watch French film

I + have + been + watching French films

​

I have been watching French films.

  • The action is frequent

  • It started in the past

  • It will continue in the future

​

This example is not correct because the action is not frequent or ongoing.

​

The correct sentence for this timeline is:

​

I have watched French films.

Past

Now

Future

wear a blue suit

I + have + been + wearing a blue suit

​

I have been wearing a blue suit.

  • The action is ongoing

  • It started in the past

  • It will continue in the future

​

This example is not correct because the action is not frequent or ongoing and it is finished.

​

The correct sentences for this timeline are:

​

I wore a blue suit.

​

I was wearing a blue suit.

Verbs

Vocabulary

Practice

Past

Now

Future

play cricket

every summer

for 8 years

I have been playing cricket every summer for 8 years.

Past

Now

Future

cycle

in Spain

every few years

for a while

Answer - David

David as been cycling in Spain every few years for a while.

Past

Now

Future

jog

around the park

for half an hour

Answer - My sister

My sister has been jogging around the park for half an hour.

lifting weights / in the gym / been / for a long time / He / has

Answer

He has been lifting weights in the gym for a long time.

this / I've / since I moved here / to / gym / going / been

Answer

I've been going to this gym since I moved here.

Present Present Continuous - Negative

Subject + have / has + notbeen + continuous form verb phrase

Past

Now

Future

go to Spain

I have not been going to Spain for ages.

​

I have not been going to Spain since I was 23 years-old.

We use the Present Perfect Continuous Negative when:

​

  • the action used to happen regularly / ongoing

  • it has not happened for some time

​

You could also say:

​

I used to go to Spain.

NOTE: Because the action has happened in the past we naturally add the time or duration that you have not done the action.

Past

Now

Future

listen to the radio

I have not been listening to the radio for a while.

The event was frequent / ongoing but does not happen now. 

​

You can also say:

​

I used to listen to the radio.

Past

Now

Future

go to Spain

I have not been going to Spain.

This is unnatural. The event has not happened at all so you can not use the negative present perfect continuous.

​

It would be better to say:

​

I have not been to Spain.

​

This is the present perfect tense.

Practice

Past

Now

Future

play hockey

for 10 years

I + have + not + been playing hockey

​

I have not been playing hockey.

 

I have not been played hockey for 10 years.

Past

Now

Future

run around the park

for ages

I + have + not + been running around the park.

​

I have not been running around the park for ages.

going / been / the gym / I / not / to / while / have / for a

Answer

I have not been going to the gym for a while.

since the injury / He / not / lifting / heavy weights / has / been

Answer

He has not been lifting heavy weights since the injury.

moved to London / cycling / She / not / been / since / she / has

Answer

She has not been cycling since she moved to London.

Present Present Continuous - Questions(?)

Have / Has + subjectbeen + continuous form verb phrase

You ask a question in the present perfect continuous form to ask about the past. You want to know if an action in the past or ongoing was frequent or how long it was going on for.

???

Past

Now

Future

go to Spain

Have you been going to Spain for long?

In this example, the speaker knows the subject has been before. They want to know if the subject has been going to Spain frequently.

​

They are asking about frequency rather than duration. This is because 'going to Spain' is something you do frequently. 

???

Past

Now

Future

watch TV

Have you been watching TV for long?

In this example, the speaker knows the subject is watching TV (ongoing). They want to know if the subject has been watching TV for long.

​

They are asking about duration rather than frequency . This is because 'watching TV' is something you do for a duration. 

Ending the questions

It is important to end present perfect continuous questions with either:

​

  • for long

  • for a while

  • often (for frequency events)

  • a lot (for frequency events)

Practice

???

Past

Now

Future

go to the gym

Answer

Have you been going to the gym for long?

???

Past

Now

Future

cycle in Italy

Answer

Have you been cycling in Italy often?

???

Past

Now

Future

jog along the beach

Answer

Have you been jogging along the beach a lot?

???

Past

Now

Future

jog

Answer

Have you been jogging for long?

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