Present Perfect Progressive (Continuous)
We use the present perfect progressive, in general, to talk about situations which started in the past and are still going on, or which have just stopped and have present results.
Before this, learn: Present PerfectPresent Progressive (Continuous)
1.Structures
1.1Structures of Sentences
To form the present perfect progressive tense, follow these basic rules:
S = Subject
3 p.s. = third person singular (he / she / it)
hasn't = has not
haven't = have not
QW = question word
Ving = main Verb+ing
| Structure | Examples | |
|---|---|---|
| + Affirmative | S + have / has(3 p.s.) + been + Ving + ... | I have been waiting for John all day long. He has been waiting for John all day long. |
| - Negative | S + haven't / hasn't(3 p.s.) + been + Ving +... | No! We haven't been living here for 10 years! We have been living here for 15 years already! |
| ? Question | (QW) + have / has(3 p.s.) + S + been + Ving +...? | What have you been doing here for such a long time? Has he been waiting for a long time? |
Test yourself
2.Use
2.1Action Which Began in the Past and Is Still Continuing
We use the present perfect progressive when we wish to emphasize that an activity has been in progress throughout a period.
| Example |
|---|
| She is very tired. She's been typing letters all day. |
| I've been swimming here since I arrived. |
| He's been cleaning the room for 30 minutes already. |
| I've been polishing the car since I got here. |
Test yourself
2.2Verbs for Action Which Began in the Past and Is Still Continuing. Either Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Progressive.
An action which began in the past and is still continuing or has only just finished can, with certain verbs, be expressed by either the present perfect simple or the present perfect progressive. Verbs which can be used in this way include expect, hope, learn, lie, live, look, rain, sleep, sit, snow, stand, stay, study, teach, wait, want, work etc.
However, we can say that we always emphasize the duration or focus on the process with the progressive form.
| Present Perfect Progressive | Present Perfect Simple |
|---|---|
| We've been living here for 15 years already! | We've lived here for 15 years. |
| I've been working for him for 15 years! | I've worked for him for 15 years. |
| He's been waiting for you all day long! Hurry up! | He's waited for you all day long! Hurry up! |
| He has been sleeping for ten hours. | He has slept for ten hours. |
| It has been snowing for a long time. | It has snowed for a long time. |
Test yourself
2.3Recently Finished Actions / Drawing Conclusions
We use the present perfect progressive form for recently finished actions to show that we have come to a conclusion based on direct or indirect evidence.
| Finished Action/Conclusion | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Have you been crying? | Your eyes are red. |
| Someone's been smoking in here. | This room stinks. |
| Has someone been using it? | My shampoo bottle is half empty. |
| You have been working hard. | You look exhausted. |
Test yourself
3.Frequently asked questions
When do you use the present perfect continuous (present perfect progressive)?
Use the present perfect continuous for an activity that started in the past and is still going on, to stress how long it has lasted. For example: "She has been typing letters all day" and "It has been snowing for three days now." It is also used for an activity that has only just stopped and has a result you can see now: "Your eyes are red. Have you been crying?" Present perfect continuous and present perfect progressive are two names for the same tense.
How do you form the present perfect continuous: "She has been working" or "She has working"?
Say "She has been working": the present perfect continuous is have or has, then been, then the main verb with -ing. Use has with he, she and it, and have with I, you, we and they: "I have been waiting", not "I has been waiting". Don't leave out been ("He has cleaning") or the -ing ("He has been clean"). Negatives use haven't or hasn't: "They haven't been talking." Questions put have or has before the subject: "Has he been waiting long?"
"I am waiting for two hours" or "I have been waiting for two hours": present continuous or present perfect continuous?
Say "I have been waiting for two hours": to say how long an activity has lasted up to now, use the present perfect continuous. The present continuous ("I am waiting") only describes the moment now, so it doesn't go with for or since. Use for with a length of time and since with the starting point: "for two hours" or "since ten o'clock", not "since two hours". Questions work the same way: ask "How long have you been learning English?", not "How long are you learning English?"
"You look tired. Have you been running?" Why use the present perfect continuous for present results?
The present perfect continuous names a recent activity that explains what you can see now: "Have you been running?" guesses why someone looks tired. The activity is finished or has just paused, but its effects are still visible, so it connects the past with now. For example: "Someone has been smoking in here" (the room smells of smoke) and "The ground is wet. It has been raining."
Is it correct to say "I have been knowing him for years" in the present perfect continuous?
No, say "I have known him for years": know is a stative verb, so it is not normally used in the present perfect continuous. Verbs for states, such as know, believe, belong and understand, use the present perfect simple for a situation that started in the past and continues now: "This house has belonged to my family since 1950", not "has been belonging". Activity verbs such as work, wait and live can take the continuous: "I have been working here for years."
