PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

This tense relates past activities to the present. It implies that either the activity is likely to continue in the future, or that the activity was in progress for some length of time, or both.

 

Form

Affirmative: (subject + aux. verb ‘have’ + been + verb+ing)

Negative: (subject + aux. verb ‘have’ + not + been + verb+ing)

Question: (aux. verb ‘have’ + subject + been + verb+ing)

 

  AFFIRMATIVE                            NEGATIVE                                    QUESTION

I have been dancing.              I haven’t been dancing.                  Have I been dancing?

 

Usages

1st To communicate an incomplete and ongoing activity, when we want to say how long it has continued – I’ve been dieting for the last twenty years. (And am likely to continue doing so)

 

2nd To describe a recently finished, uninterrupted activity which has a present result –

I’m tired because I’ve been chopping logs all day. (I.e. the work lasted some time and was intensive.)

 

Typical student errors/mistakes

Using verbs that don’t take the continuous form. (e.g. like, prefer, believe)

I’ve been knowing her for three months.(incorrect)

I've known her for there months. (Correct)

 

Comparison of present perfect with present perfect continuous.

With the present perfect continuous, the emphasis is on the action/activity NOT the

result/completed action.

 

What have you been doing today?

I’ve been cleaning the car.

What have you done today?

I’ve cleaned the car.

 

Note that we do not use the present perfect continuous to communicate the number of things we have done; for this we use the present perfect.

 

I’ve written six letters since breakfast.

I’ve been writing letters since breakfast.

I’ve marked twenty tests since lunchtime.

I’ve been marking tests since lunchtime.