Present Perfect Continuous
Similar to the Present Perfect, the Present Perfect Continuous is a present tense that is used to talk about the past. We use the Present Perfect Continuous to talk about events from the past that still continue in the present or have effects on the present. What’s important in this tense is the duration of a given activity.
Affirmative sentences in Present Perfect Continuous
To form sentences in the Present Perfect Continuous we use have (or has in the third person singular), the Past Participle form of to be, and a main verb in the present participle (verb-ing).
Subject + have/has + been + verb-ing + the rest of the sentence
The only change in the third-person singular is to use has instead of have.
Negative sentences in Present Perfect Continuous
Negative sentences are formed by adding not between have/has and been.
Subject + have/has + not + been + verb-ing + the rest of the sentence
Questions in Present Perfect Continuous
Questions in the Present Perfect Continuous are formed by inversion of have/has.
Have/Has + subject + been + verb-ing + the rest of the sentence
The Usage of Present Perfect Continuous
We use the Present Perfect Continuous to talk about:
Adam has been working all morning.
She has been traveling so she’s very tanned.
I’ve been feeling a little down lately.
We have been cooking dinner since 5.
Other Present Tenses in English
