Grammar › Verb Tenses › Present Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Continuous
The present perfect continuous (have/has been + verb-ing) links a past action to now, focusing on duration. Use it for:
- How long an action has been happening — I’ve been studying for two hours.
- A recent activity with a visible result now — You’re tired because you’ve been running.
Use for/since for duration. For a finished result or a quantity, use the present perfect instead (I’ve read three books).
How to form the present perfect continuous
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | subject + have/has + been + verb-ing | She has been working. |
| Negative | subject + haven’t/hasn’t + been + verb-ing | They haven’t been sleeping. |
| Question | Have/Has + subject + been + verb-ing? | Have you been waiting? |
Use have with I/you/we/they and has with he/she/it. Been never changes, and the main verb takes -ing.
When to use the present perfect continuous
1. How long, up to now
Often with for and since.
- I’ve been learning English for five years.
- She’s been living here since 2019.
2. A recent activity with a result you can see now
- My eyes hurt — I’ve been reading all day.
- He’s tired because he’s been working in the garden.
⚠️ Typical error:
You’ve run — you’re out of breath.→ For a recent activity explaining a result now, use the continuous: You’ve been running — you’re out of breath.
Common mistakes
1. Using it for a finished quantity. For a number or an amount, use the present perfect simple. I’ve been reading three books → I’ve read three books.
2. Using it with stative verbs. State verbs use the simple form. I’ve been knowing him for years → I’ve known him for years.
3. Leaving out ‘been’. The continuous always needs been. I have working all day → I have been working all day.
✏️ Practice: Present Perfect Continuous
1. I’m exhausted because I ___ all day.
2. How long ___ you ___ English?
3. Your hands are filthy! What ___ you ___?
4. I ___ three cups of coffee today.
5. We ___ each other since university.
6. He ___ five kilometres today — that’s why he’s tired.
7. We ___ waiting for ages!
8. They ___ sleeping well lately.
9. Choose the sentence with the same meaning as: ‘She started painting three hours ago and she’s still painting.’
10. The ground is wet — it ___.
11. Fill in the gap
My feet hurt because I ___ in new shoes all day. (walk)
Type three words.
12. Correct the mistake
I have working all day.
Type the whole corrected sentence.
13. Correct the mistake
I’ve been writing two essays this week.
Type the whole corrected sentence.
✏️ Practice: Fill in the gap
Type have/has been + the -ing form — or, where the sentence needs a finished quantity or a state verb, the simple present perfect instead. Twenty original sentences.
✏️ Practice: Put the words in order
Tap the words below to build each sentence in the right order. Twenty original sentences, mixing statements, negatives and questions.
✏️ Practice: Match the -ing form
Tap a base verb, then tap its correct -ing form. Watch the spelling: some double a letter, some drop an “e”, some change “ie” to “y”.
✏️ Practice: Beat the clock
15 seconds per question. Watch for missing ‘been’, have/has agreement, and the two traps: finished quantities and state verbs, which need the simple present perfect instead.
20 questions, 15 seconds each. The clock starts when you press Start.
✏️ Practice: Find the mistake
Each sentence has exactly one mistake. Tap the word you think is wrong. Twenty original sentences.
✏️ Level check: How well do you know it?
20 mixed questions — typing, word order, -ing spelling, multiple choice, and spot-the-mistake. One pass, then a breakdown of where you’re strong and where to go back and practise.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the present perfect and the present perfect continuous?
The present perfect simple focuses on the result or a completed quantity (I’ve written three emails). The present perfect continuous focuses on the activity and its duration (I’ve been writing emails all morning).
When do I use ‘for’ and ‘since’?
’For’ + a period of time (for two hours); ‘since’ + a starting point (since 9am).
Can I use it with stative verbs?
No. Verbs like know, love and want use the present perfect simple: I’ve known her for years, not I’ve been knowing.
Why can’t I say ‘I’ve been reading five books’?
The continuous describes the activity, not a number. For a quantity, use the simple: I’ve read five books.
👩🏫 For teachers
CEFR objectives for “Present Perfect Continuous”:
- Can form the present perfect continuous with have/has + been + -ing (CEFR B1).
- Can use it for duration up to now and for a recent activity with a present result.
- Can distinguish it from the present perfect simple and avoid it with stative verbs.
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