Present perfect and past perfect
Present perfect continuous
affirmative, negative, yes/no, wh- questionsb1
Present perfect continuous
Grammar contents
- I've been studying all day.
- I hate this weather. It's been raining all week!
- She hasn't been working here for very long.
- ‘Why is your hair wet? Have you been swimming in the lake?’
We form the present perfect continuous with:
Subject + have + been + -ing form.
| Positive and negative | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | have | been | -ing form | |
| + |
|
have | been | studying. |
| - | haven't | |||
| + | He/She/It | has | ||
| - | hasn't | |||
| + |
|
have | ||
| - | haven't | |||
In spoken and informal written English we usually use short forms (I've been studying, he's been studying, etc.)
We form yes/no questions with:
Have + subject + been + -ing form?
| Yes/no questions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Have | subject | been | -ing form |
| Have |
|
been |
|
| Has | he/she/it | ||
| Have |
|
||
We form short answers with have.
- ‘Has he been studying?’ ‘Yes, he has.’
- ‘Have you been waiting long?’ ‘No, I haven't.’
We form wh-questions with:
Question word + have + subject + been + -ing form?
| Wh- questions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question word | have | subject | been | -ing form |
|
have |
|
been |
|
| has | he/she/it | |||
| have |
|
|||
We use the present perfect continuous to talk about an action or activity that started in the past and continues now or has only just stopped.
- I hate this weather! It's been raining all week (= and it is still raining).
- I need a break. I've been studying all day (= and I have just stopped).
We use the present perfect continuous to talk about a current situation that started in the past. We often use it to ask or answer the question How long …? We can use it with for + a period of time or since + a point in time.
- I've been working here for eight years.
- ‘How long has he been playing basketball?’ ‘Since he was twelve years old.’
We use the present perfect continuous to give reasons for current situations.
- ‘Why is your hair wet?’ ‘I've been swimming in the lake.’
- ‘Why is she tired?’ ‘She's been working hard all day.’
We don't usually use the present perfect continuous with state verbs like be, have and know.
- I've known Jack for five years.I've been knowing Jack for five years.
Grammar contentsView all
Present perfect and past perfect
Quantifiers, possessives and demonstratives