Present perfect continuous

Verb tenses

1. The present perfect continuous

They've been playing all afternoon.

He's been practicing for two hours.

2. How is the present perfect continuous built?

• Affirmative form

  Subject	Auxiliary	Been	Verb (-ing)	Examples
  I	have 've	been	waiting	I have been waiting for two hours.
  You				You have been waiting for two hours.
  He	has 's			He has been waiting for two hours.
  She				She has been waiting for two hours.
  It				It has been waiting for two hours.
  We	have 've			We have been waiting for two hours.
  You				You have been waiting for two hours.
  They				They have been waiting for two hours.

• Negative form

  Subject	AuxiliarY	Been	Verb (-ing)	Examples
  I	have not haven't	been	waiting	I haven't been waiting for two hours.
  You				You haven't been waiting for two hours.
  He	has not hasn't			He hasn't been waiting for two hours.
  She				She hasn't been waiting for two hours.
  It				It hasn't been waiting for two hours.
  We	have not haven't			We haven't been waiting for two hours.
  You				You haven't been waiting for two hours.
  They				They haven't been waiting for two hours.

• Interrogative form

  AuxiliarY	Subject	Been	Verb (-ing)	Examples
  Have	I	been	waiting?	Have I been waiting for two hours?
  	you			Have you been waiting for two hours?
  Has	he			Has he been waiting for two hours?
  	she			Has she been waiting for two hours?
  	it			Has she been waiting for two hours?
  Have	we			Have we been waiting for two hours?
  	you			Have you been waiting for two hours?
  	they			Have they been waiting for two hours?

Interrogative sentences in the present perfect continuous also have their own short answers.

- Have they been training until now?

- Yes, they have.

3. How is the present perfect continuous used?

The present perfect continuous is used for:

• An action that began in the past and still continues in the present.
  
  

  I've been trying to sleep for half an hour.

  In this example the boy started trying to sleep an hour ago and he is still trying in the present.

  

  The turkey's been cooking for a good while.
• An action that began in the past and has just ended. Usually you can see a result in the present.
  
  

  I'm tired. I've been correcting exams.

  In this example, she has just finished correcting, so the action has recently ended. Also, there is a result in the present which is that she is tired.

  

  She's been picking cherries.

  In this example, the result is the basket with cherries and the action of picking them has just ended.

Remember!