I have been ing time. Present perfect continuous in English

The present perfect continuous/progressive is the present tense for activity up to now. It occurs recently or is periodically repeated at the current speech moment. This activity has just completed or is still in progress.

The present perfect continuous is formed as a personal present form have been+ present participle. It often grows together to ‘ ve/sbeen. Real long-term denial - havenot / haven't, hasnot / hasn’tt.

I’ve been playing football – IhereplayedVfootball

I’ve been reading that book – Iherereadthatbook

I’ve been thinking about your offer and I’m ready to accept it – IthoughtaboveyoursproposalAndreadyhisaccept

have/has been + -ing

has sb been doing sth	sb has been doing sth	sb hasn't been doing sth

Present perfect continuous meanings

• long/frequent recent activities

They’ve been going out a lot recently – LasttimeTheya lot ofhanging out

She’s been smoking too much recently – Shea lot ofsmokeslast thingtime

Sam has been talking on the phone for half an hour – SamspeaksByphonehalf an hour

• apparently effective actions

Shehasbeenwalkingallmourning – She's been up all morning

Whathaveyoubeendoing? – What did you do just now?

I'vebeenrepairingthecar – I was just fixing the car, see?

• Intrusive actions (increased anger/irritation)

Somebody has been giving away our plans – Who-Thatevery now and then it gives outourplans

I've been looking for you for the last half hour – Iyoualreadyhalf an hourlooking for

Tim'sbeenwatchingTVallday – Tim stays glued to the TV all day

Neighboring times

As a result of the fusion of the present perfect and the present continuous, the present perfect continuous emphasizes both the effectiveness and duration of an activity. With verbs live, work, teach, feel You can use the present perfect and the present continuous equally. However, as a longer tense than the perfect tense, the present perfect tense avoids other static verbs. Therefore, this tense is a dynamic version of the present perfect.

We have lived / been living here for 20 years – Wewe liveHereyears 20

Temporary instruction

• prepositions

for(optional, except negatives), since, howlong

They’ve been studying English for 3 years – TheylearnEnglish3 years

Sally’s been working here (for) 6 months – SallyworksHere6 months

What have you been doing since we last met? - HowYouwas studyingafterourlastmeetings?

John’s been looking for a job since he finished university – Johnlooking forworkWithgraduationuniversity

How longhave you been feeling so depressed? - For a long timeatYouthisdepression?

• adverbs (adverb phrases)

lately/of late/recently, all morning/day/night/year, long

She’s been working all day – Sheworksallday

I’ve been working really hard lately – LasttimeIallVwork

Have you been waiting long? - For a long timeYouyou're waiting?

English Joke

The new soda clerk was a mystery, until he himself revealed his shameful past quite unconsciously by the question he put to the girl who had just asked for an egg-shake.

"Light or dark?" he asked mechanically.

Present Perfect Continuous– time that is used to describe an action in a process that has occurred and continues to occur (or has just completed).

Keys to Understanding Time Present Perfect Continuous:

1. The action is in progress (hence the connection with the Continuous group).
2. The process began in the past and continues to the present (hence the connection with the Perfect group)

Examples.
I have been living in Kiev since 1975. - I (already) live in Kyiv since 1975.
I live and continue to live in Kyiv, the process has begun and continues!

How long have you been studying Spanish? - How long have you (already) been learning Spanish?

In these examples the word is very important already, which is invisibly present in designs Present Perfect Continuous. Those. the process continues from the past to the present.

Education Present Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect Continuous formed using an auxiliary verb to be in Present Perfect ( have been, has been) and forms – ing semantic verb.

Present Perfect Continuous Forms

Examples.

He has been playing football all day. - He plays football all day.
I’ve been waiting for you for two hours. - I'm waiting for you for two hours.

Using the Present Perfect Continuous

1. The action began in the past, continues to the present, and may continue in the future.

Example
I've been doing my work for three weeks. - I have been doing my work for three weeks now.
Those. I did and continue to do.

2. The action ended recently or just recently.

Example

I've been looking for you a whole hour. - I’ve been looking for you (already) for an hour.
I was looking for you, but now I found you, so I’m not looking for you anymore. The action has just ended.

Difference between Present Perfect Continuous and Present Continuous

The difference is that Present Continuous there is no connection with the past, but Present Perfect Continuous began in the past and continues to the present.

Difference between Present Perfect Continuous and Present Perfect

Present Perfect Continuous shows how long the action takes place, and Present Perfect- how many times.
For Present Perfect Continuous the process is important, and for Present Perfect- result!

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Using the Present Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect Continuous (present perfect continuous tense) is used in two main meanings, that is, it means:

An action that started in the past lasted for some time and is still going on . The words used are for(during) or since(since, since):
For example, for two weeks, for five minutes, for an hour, since yesterday, since 5 o’clock, since Wednesday.

I've been living in London for two years. — I have been living in London for two years.
I came to live in London, lived for a while and still live.

It is raining since morning. — It has been raining since morning.
The rain started in the morning, rained for a while and is still raining.

Please note that in this meaning the Present Perfect Continuous is translated into Russian as a verb that answers questions what am I doing? what is he doing? what are they doing? what are we doing?

An action that began in the past, continued for a period of time and has just ended, and the result of this action obvious . We can see, hear, feel that something recently happened. The words are often used lately And recently(recently, recently).

I ran. That's why I'm very tired. - I have been running. So I am very tired.
I ran for a while, but now I’m done, and as a result I feel tired.

It was raining. The sidewalk is wet. - It has been raining. The pavement is wet.
It rained for some time, but stopped, and as a result we see a wet sidewalk.

Look, in this meaning, Present Perfect Continuous is translated into Russian as a verb that answers questions what did you do? what did you do? what they were doing?

Education Present Perfect Continuous

An auxiliary verb is used to form the Present Perfect Continuous have / has + been+ verb with -ing ending.

have / has + been + verb-ing

Statement

I have been work ing since morning. — I've been working since the morning.
We have been work ing since morning. — We have been working since the morning.
You have been work ing since morning. — You have been working since the morning. (You've been working since the morning.)
They have been work ing since morning. — They have been working since the morning.
He has been work ing since morning. — He has been working since the morning.
She has been work ing since morning. — She has been working since the morning.

Please note that the auxiliary verb has used only in 3 l. units h.(with pronouns he,she, it). How to add to a verb -ing ending, read .

Negation

Negation is formed using a particle not which is placed after the auxiliary verb have / has:

I have not been work ing since morning. — I haven’t worked since the morning.
We have not been work ing since morning. — We don’t work in the morning.
You have not been work ing since morning. — You haven’t been working since the morning. (You haven't worked since the morning.)
They have not been work ing since morning. — They haven’t worked since the morning.
He has not been work ing since morning. — He hasn’t been working since the morning.
She has not been work ing since morning. — She hasn’t been working since the morning.

Auxiliary have / has in negative form is abbreviated as follows:

have not = haven’t (I have not been working = I haven’t been working)

has not = hasn’t (He hasn’t been working = He hasn’t been working)

Present Perfect Continuous (Present Perfect Progressive) – present continuous perfect tense. Present Perfect Continuous not very popular in English language for three reasons:

1. Long form.
2. Narrow aspect of use.
3. Interchangeability. In some cases Present Perfect Continuous can be easily replaced with Present Perfect without changing the meaning of the sentence.

But this does not mean that our article should be closed and forgotten about its existence Present Perfect Continuous. Scope of use Present Perfect Continuous quite narrow, but this tense has its place in the English language, and it is sometimes impossible to replace it with another. Moreover, in speech Present Perfect Continuous sounds very impressive if you use it correctly.

How is the Present Perfect Continuous formed?

Statement

The peculiarity of this time is that it combines two aspects - Perfect And Continuous. Present Perfect Continuous formed with an auxiliary verb to be V Present Perfect – have been(or has been for pronouns he, she, it and nouns in singular). The main verb is verb + ending -ing.

I/We/You/They + have been + verb- ing	He/She/It + has been + verb- ing
I have been read ing . - I am reading. We have been wait ing . - We expect. You have been play ing . - You're playing. They have been work ing . - They work.	He has been runn ing . - He is running. She has been laugh ing . - She is laughing. It has been work ing . - It works.

Negation

A particle appears in negation not, which must be placed between have (has) And been.

I/We/You/They + have not been + verb- ing	He/She/It + has not been + verb- ing
I have not been read ing . - I do not read. We have not been wait ing . - We don't expect it. You have not been play ing . -You're not playing. They have not been work ing . - They do not work.	He has not been runn ing . - He doesn't run. She has not been laugh ing . - She doesn't laugh. It has not been work ing . - It doesn't work.

We can use shortened forms for the verb have (has). In an affirmative sentence have/has combined with the pronoun:

• You've been playing.
• She's been laughing.

In a negative sentence have/has merges with not:

• We haven't been waiting.
• Hasn't been running.

Question

In an interrogative sentence have/has comes first, and been remains with the main verb. Thus, it turns out that in first place we have have (has), after it the subject, then been and the main verb closes this long chain.

Have + I/we/you/they + been verb- ing	Has + he/she/it + been verb- ing
Have I been read ing ? - I am reading? Have we been wait ing ? - We expect? Have you been play ing ? - You're playing? Have they been work ing ? - They work?	Has he been runn ing ? - He is running? Has she been laugh ing ? - She is laughing? Has it been work ing ? - It works?

To make it convenient for you to study this time, we have divided all its functions into three blocks: green (for entry-level), yellow (for intermediate), red (for high).

Using the Present Perfect Continuous

First level

Time Present Perfect Continuous looks like it at the same time Present Perfect, and on Present Continuous. This time has two main functions: one contains the meaning of the aspect Continuous, the second – aspect Perfect.

1. We use Present Perfect Continuous, if the action began in the past, lasted for some time and is still ongoing in the present. This function shows long action, she got it from the aspect Continuous.

   As a rule, the proposal indicates the duration of the action, but without clear time boundaries. That is, we can know when the action began and how long it lasted, but we do not know when it will end. To show time we use the following words and expressions: lately(lately, recently) recently(recently, the other day), quite a while(pretty long), all day(all day), as well as prepositions for(during) and since(beginning with).

   Tom has been watching TV all day. - Volume looks TV all day. (Tom started watching TV in the morning, watched it all day and is still watching it now)

   It has been raining for 3 hours. - Rain goes within three hours. (the rain started three hours ago, continued for three hours and is still raining now)

   Since this function shows the duration, the question is Present Perfect Continuous usually starts with expressions how long(how long, what time) and since when(since when, starting from what moment).

   – How long has she been learning French? – How long she teaches French?
   –She has been learning French for seven years. - She teaches French during seven years old

   – Since when have you been learning German? – Since when You you teach German?
   – I have been learning German since yesterday. - I I teach German with yesterday.

   Pay attention to the translation. We are talking about an action that continues to last in the present, so when translated into Russian the verb will be in the present tense.

2. We use Present Perfect Continuous, if the action ended recently and its result is now visible. This function comes from the aspect Perfect. But using Perfect Continuous, we emphasize that the action lasted for some time in the past.
   

   Your clothes are dirty. What have you been doing? -Your clothes are dirty. What you did? (now it’s dirty, which means before that he did something where he could get dirty)

   I 've been talking to Sandy about the problem and she agrees with me. - I talked with Sandy about this issue and she agrees with me. (in the present Sandy agrees with me because we discussed this issue in the past)

   In this function, the duration may or may not be specified.

   We are very tired. We have been walking in the mountains. - We are very tired. We walked in the mountains.

   We are very tired. We have been walking in the mountains since early morning. - We are very tired. We walked in the mountains c early morning.

   Pay attention to the translation. In this function we are talking about an action that has already ended, so when translated into Russian the verb will be in the past tense.

Where else is the Present Perfect Continuous found?

Average level

1. With verbs like work, live, feel, teach, are used as Present Perfect, so Present Perfect Continuous no difference in meaning. These verbs imply that the action takes a long period of time, that is, it becomes a permanent state.
   

   I 've worked here for 20 years. =I 've been working here for 20 years. - I Working here for 20 years.

   Her family has lived in Moscow since 1781. = Her family has been living in Moscow since 1781. – Her family lives in Moscow since 1781.

   If you want to emphasize that the situation is temporary, use Present Perfect Continuous.

2. (state verbs) are most often not used in Present Perfect Continuous. But, as is often the case in English, there are exceptions. If we want to emotionally highlight some action, we can use Present Perfect Continuous. Very often verbs are used in this function mean(to gather, to intend), want(want), wish(to desire), other stative verbs are less common.
   

   We 've been wishing to visit India for ages. - We we want have been visiting India for many years now.

   He 's been thinking it's over. - He is ponders. = He's been working on it for a long time ponders.

Complex cases of using the Present Perfect Continuous

High level

1. Present Perfect Continuous used together with Past Simple V complex sentences with the union since. In a subordinate clause that begins with since, we use Past Simple, it is the starting point for the action in the main clause. And in the main sentence it will be Present Perfect Continuous.
   

   Silvia has been playing tennis since she was ten. – Sylvia plays tennis since then, How to her turned ten. (she has been playing tennis since she was ten)

2. We use Present Perfect Continuous when we draw a conclusion from what we saw or heard, in most cases with a tinge of dissatisfaction or criticism.
   

   Who has been messing around with my papers?! How should I work now?! - Who rummaged in my papers?! How can I work now?!

   He has been eating chocolate though he knows that he is allergic to it! - He ate chocolate, although he knows he is allergic!

   Present Perfect Continuous shows outrage over an action that happened once, while Present Continuous implies dissatisfaction with an action that is constantly repeated.

Present Perfect Continuous- a time with a terrifying name and a long form of formation. But appearances are deceiving; it has only 2 main functions in language: to show a long-term action and an action with a result. The remaining functions can be considered derivatives. If you suddenly forget how it is formed Present Perfect Continuous, you can always look in the table. And in order not to forget anything, take the test.

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Test

Present Perfect Continuous - present continuous perfect tense in English

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Education Present Perfect Continuous
(have/has been + …-ing)

Present Perfect Continuous (Present Perfect Progressive) is formed with the help to be in the shape of ( have been, has been) and the present participle form of the semantic verb: I have been working.
When adding endings to verbs -ing sometimes there are changes in their spelling, for example have/hav ing. More about .

Affirmative form		Negative form		Interrogative form
I	have been working	I	have not been working	Have	I	been working?
he she it	has been working	he she it	has not been working	Has	he she it
we you they	have been working	we you they	have not been working	Have	we you they

Abbreviated forms:

‘ve= have
's=has
haven't= have not
hasn't= has not

Using the Present Perfect Continuous

1. An action that began in the past, continued for some period before the present, and which is still ongoing at the present time. The period of time during which the action lasted is always indicated or implied: marker words ( for … hours/weeks/years – for … hours/weeks/years, since 10 o’clock – since 10 o’clock, since morning – since morning, since 2005 – since 2005). Often the Present Perfect Continuous is translated with an adverb already.

Examples: I have been working since 9 o'clock in the morning. – I work from 9 o’clock in the morning.
She has been living in Venice for 2 years. – She has been living in Venice (for) 2 years.

2. The action is ordinary, constant, i.e. happening in general, but indicating how long the action takes (used with marker words). If it is not indicated how long the action takes, then instead of the Present Perfect Continuous, use (action that was performed at the time of speech) or (usual, constant action).

Examples: It has been snowing for 2 days. – Snowing(already) 2 days. (indicating how long the action takes - within 2 days)
It is snowing. - Snowing. (without specifying how long the action takes)
She has been studying French for 10 years. – She has been studying French (for) 10 years. (indicating how long the action takes place - within 10 years)
She is studying French. – She is learning French. (without specifying how long the action takes)

3. Sometimes the Present Perfect can be used instead of the Present Perfect Continuous. If the speaker wants to emphasize the duration of an action, the Present Perfect Continuous is used, and if the speaker wants to emphasize the fact of the action, the Present Perfect is used.

Examples: I have been working there since 1997. -I have been working here since 1997. (the goal is to emphasize the duration of action)
I have worked there since 1997. – I have been working here since 1997. (the goal is to emphasize the fact of the action)

4. Used in interrogative sentences with question words ( since when - from what time, since when, how long - how long, how much time), if we are talking about the period that precedes the moment of speech.

Examples:How long have you been sitting here? – How long have you been sitting here?

5. Not used with verbs that do not have the Continuous form ( to be, to have, to love, to hate). Instead of the Present Perfect Continuous, the Present Perfect is used. More about .

Examples: How long have you known her? – How long have you known her?