Skip to content
EN
EnglishالعربيةБългарскиČeštinaDanskDeutschΕλληνικάEspañolSuomiFrançaisMagyarItaliano日本語한국어NorskNederlandsPolskiPortuguêsRomânăРусскийSlovenčinaСрпскиSvenskaไทยTürkçeУкраїнськаTiếng Việt简体中文
Get the app
English (UK) · Present Perfect

Present Perfect Continuous

The Present Perfect Continuous is used to describe actions or events that started in the past and are still continuing or have recently stopped, and we often focus on the duration or ongoing nature of the action. It is also used to express actions that have just finished but have a visible result in the present.

The Present Perfect Continuous is formed using the following structure:

  • Subject + have/has + been + present participle (verb + ing).

Basic structure of Present Perfect Continuous:

  • Affirmative: Subject + have/has + been + present participle → I have been eating, She has been working.
  • Negative: Subject + have/has + not + been + present participle → I have not been eating, She has not been working.
  • Question: Have/Has + subject + been + present participle? → Have you been eating? Has she been working?

The Present Perfect Continuous emphasizes the duration or ongoing action that has a connection to the present.

Try it yourself

I (to wait) outside for two hours. Now I feel sick.Show answer
I have been waiting outside for two hours. Now I feel sick.
My dad (to work) for a long time recently.Show answer
My dad has been working for a long time recently.
She (to study) so long for her exam.Show answer
She has been studying so long for her exam.
They (to ski) since lunch.Show answer
They have been skiing since lunch.
We (to play) football for the greater part of the day.Show answer
We have been playing football for the greater part of the day.
My grandparents (to live) in this house all their life.Show answer
My grandparents have been living in this house all their life.
I (to learn) English for nine years.Show answer
I have been learning English for nine years.
You (to read) this novel for weeks.Show answer
You have been reading this novel for weeks.
I (to drive) for nine hours.Show answer
I have been driving for nine hours.
My cat (to sleep) all day.Show answer
My cat has been sleeping all day.
‹ Present PerfectRelative Pronouns: who, which, whose, where ›