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High Beginner

GRAMMAR

LESSON 9:

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Goal

I can use present perfect continuous tense.

Grammar Point

Read the grammar point with your tutor.

Use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about recent ongoing or repeated actions.

  • The form is have been + [present participle]. To make the present participle, add -ing to the dictionary form of the verb*.

*for verbs that end in -e, drop the ­-e and add –ing

*for most verbs that end in [consonant] + [vowel] + [consonant] (not w, x, or y), double the last consonant and add –ing

DICTIONARY FORM

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

study

studying

live

living

run

running

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ex

I have been taking English lessons recently.

ex

She has been living in Spain.

ex

We have been running at the gym.

  • In casual spoken and written English, have is usually contracted with subject pronouns. Please try to use contracted forms throughout this lesson.

FORMAL ENGLISH

CASUAL ENGLISH

I have

I’ve

you have

you’ve

he has

he’s

she has

she’s

it has

it’s

we have

we’ve

they have

they’ve

swipe to see full chart
ex

I’ve been taking English lessons recently.

ex

She’s been living in Spain.

ex

We’ve been running at the gym.

  • Use the present perfect continuous to ask questions about recent ongoing or repeated actions.

ex

Have you been taking English lessons recently?

ex

Where has she been living?

ex

What have you been doing?

  • Use short phrases to positively answer yes/no questions about recent ongoing or repeated actions.

POSITIVE ANSWERS

Yes, I have.

Yes, you have.

Yes, he has.

Yes, she has.

Yes, it has.

Yes, we have.

Yes, they have.

ex

Q: Have you been taking English lessons recently?
A: Yes, I have.

  • Use short phrases to negatively answer yes/no questions about recent ongoing or repeated actions too.

NEGATIVE ANSWERS

No, I haven’t.

No, you haven’t.

No, he hasn’t.

No, she hasn’t.

No, it hasn’t.

No, we haven’t.

No, they haven’t.

ex

Q: Have you been taking English lessons recently?
A: No, I haven’t.

  • Use for to explain how long something has been happening.

ex

I’ve been taking English lessons for seven years.

ex

We’ve been running at the gym for twenty minutes.

  • Use since to talk about the starting point of an action.

ex

I’ve been taking English lessons since 2013.

ex

We’ve been running at the gym since ten o’clock.

Be careful: You cannot use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about the total number of times that something was done. Use the present perfect tense** instead.

**for more information on the present perfect tense, please see Grammar High Beginner Lessons 10-12

Ive been taking online lessons twice.

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I’ve taken online lessons twice.

Be careful: You also cannot use the present perfect continuous tense with most stative verbs. Use the present perfect tense instead.

STATIVE VERBS

know

believe

understand

Ive been knowing my best friend for ten years.

Sorry, your browser does not support inline SVG.

I’ve known my best friend for ten years.

Sentence Builder

Build new sentences using the grammar point, the original sentences, and the words in parentheses. The form of some words may need to be changed.
Build new sentences using the grammar point, the original sentences, and the words in parentheses. The form of some words may need to be changed.
ex

They’ve been living abroad for three years.

(two months)
   They’ve been living abroad for two months   .
(2015)
   They’ve been living abroad since 2015   .
  • She’s been taking vitamins since last year.

(I)
                            .
(they)
                            .
  • He’s been sleeping all morning.

(exercise at the gym)
                            .
(relax)
                            .
  • No, I haven’t.

(she)
                            .
(we)
                            .
  • James has been talking on the phone since ten-thirty.

(thirty minutes)
                            .
(noon)
                            .
  • How long have you been playing tennis?

(study French)
                            ?
(work there)
                            ?

Practice

Make sentences using the grammar point, the words, and the picture clues. The form of some words may need to be changed.

ex

my children / play at the park / three o’clock

My children have been playing at the park since three o’clock.
ex

my children / play at the park / three o’clock

My children have been playing at the park since three o’clock.
  • I / study / eight-thirty

  • my son / sleep / ten hours

  • how long / you / do yoga

  • I / play the piano / twenty years

  • where / she / work

  • James / take a break / two-thirty

  • I / save money / last year

  • how long / she / study Japanese

  • what kind of music / you / listen to / recently

  • we / watch scary movies / a few hours

Q&A

PART 1
Answer the questions using the grammar point and your own information.
  • How long have you been studying English?
  • What have you been doing to relax recently (ex. exercise, read books)?
  • Have you been living in your home for a long time?
  • What is your hobby, and how long have you been doing it?
  • Who is your favorite sports team, and how long have you been cheering for them?
PART 2
Use the grammar point to ask your tutor some questions. You can use the ideas below or your own ideas.
how long / you / teach for RareJob Eikaiwa
what kind of music / you / listen to / recently
how long / you / live in your city