The Present Perfect Continuous (also sometimes called the Present Perfect Progressive) focuses on the duration of an action that started in the past and continues to the present or has recently stopped. It emphasizes the ongoing nature of the activity.
The structure of the Present Perfect Continuous is:
have/has + been + verb-ing
- have: Used with I, you, we, they
- has: Used with he, she, it
Examples:
- I have been studying English for five years.
- She has been working at that company since 2010.
- They have been playing football all afternoon.
When do we use the Present Perfect Continuous?
We use the Present Perfect Continuous in the following situations:
1. Actions Continuing Up to Now (Emphasis on Duration):
This is the most common use. We talk about an activity that started in the past and is still happening now. We emphasize how long the activity has been going on.
- Signal words: for, since, how long
| Example | Explanation |
| I have been waiting for you for an hour. | The speaker started waiting an hour ago and is still waiting. |
| She has been living in London since 2015. | She started living in London in 2015 and continues to live there. |
| How long have you been learning Spanish? | Asking about the duration of learning Spanish, which started in the past and continues now. |
2. Actions That Have Recently Stopped (With Present Result):
We use this tense to explain a present situation by referring to a recently finished activity. The result of the activity is visible or noticeable in the present.
| Example | Explanation |
| I’m tired because I have been running. | The speaker is tired now because they were recently running. The running may have just stopped. |
| The ground is wet. It has been raining. | The ground is wet now because it recently rained. The rain has stopped, but the effect is still visible. |
| Why are your hands so dirty? I have been repairing the car. | Present state is that his hands are dirty due to his recent action which is repairing the car. |
3. Repeated Actions Over a Period of Time:
Although the Present Perfect Simple is more common for repeated actions, the Present Perfect Continuous can be used to emphasize the activity itself, rather than the result or number of times.
| Example | Explanation |
| She has been calling me every day for the last week. | Emphasizes the repeated action of calling over the past week. |
| They have been visiting different countries as part of their research. | Focuses on the continuous activity of visiting countries during their research. |
Present Perfect Continuous vs. Present Perfect Simple
This is a common point of confusion. Here’s a table to help you distinguish between the two:
| Feature | Present Perfect Continuous | Present Perfect Simple |
| Focus | Duration of the action; the process. Emphasis on the ongoing activity. | Result or completion of the action. Emphasis on the achievement or how many times. |
| Typical Use | Actions continuing to the present, actions recently stopped with present results, repeated actions (emphasizing the activity). | Completed actions at an unspecified time in the past, experiences, results relevant to the present, actions that happened a specific number of times. |
| Example (Continuous) | I have been reading this book for two hours. (Focus on the process of reading.) | I have read this book. (Focus on the completion of reading the book.) |
| Example (Result) | My eyes are tired because I have been watching TV. (Focus on the activity causing the tiredness.) | I have watched three episodes of that show. (Focus on the number of episodes watched.) |
Verbs Not Normally Used in Continuous Tenses
Some verbs, often called “stative verbs,” describe states, not actions. They are not typically used in continuous tenses, including the Present Perfect Continuous. Common examples include:
- know
- believe
- understand
- like
- hate
- want
- need
- have (when it means “possess”)
Instead of the Present Perfect Continuous, use the Present Perfect Simple with these verbs:
- Incorrect: I have been knowing him for years.
- Correct: I have known him for years.
- Incorrect: She has been wanting a new car for a long time.
- Correct: She has wanted a new car for a long time.
Negative Form:
To make the Present Perfect Continuous negative, insert “not” after “have/has”:
have/has + not + been + verb-ing
- I have not been feeling well lately.
- She hasn’t been working very hard recently.
- They haven’t been playing football because of the rain.
Question Form:
To form a question, invert “have/has” with the subject:
Have/Has + subject + been + verb-ing?
- Have you been sleeping well?
- Has he been studying for the exam?
- What have you been doing?
- How long have you been waiting?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using Stative Verbs: Remember not to use verbs like know, understand, want in the Present Perfect Continuous.
- Confusing with Present Perfect Simple: Pay attention to whether you want to emphasize the duration of the activity or the result or completion.
- Forgetting “been”: Don’t leave out “been”! It’s a crucial part of the structure. “I have studying…” is incorrect.