Tenses:
ESL Guide on Present Perfect Continuous (Progressive) Tenses
What is the present perfect continuous tense?
The present perfect continuous tense (sometimes called the present perfect progressive) is an English tense that is commonly used to express ongoing actions that began in the past and that continue into the present. A common use of the tense is to express the duration of an action.
The present perfect continuous tense expresses ongoing actions that began in the past and that continue into the present.
subject + have been + present participle
subject + has been + present participle
Past Continuous
- I was running on the track.
- He was studying in the library.
- We were working in the backyard.
- The hamburgers were cooking on the grill.
Present Perfect
- I have run on the track.
- He has studied in the library.
- We have worked in the backyard.
- The hamburgers have cooked enough.
Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been running on the track.
- He has been studying in the library.
- We have been working in the backyard.
- They have been cooking for a while.
When is the present perfect continuous tense used?
Frequently, the present perfect continuous tense is used to express the duration of an action (that continues). The verb tense is often followed by a time related expression. When not used to express the specific duration of an action, the tense expresses action in a general sense, meaning recently or lately.
Past Continuous
- I was helping Alison.
- You were yelling.
- James was working outside.
- We were writing letters.
- They were studying quietly.
Present Perfect Continuous
(duration)
- I have been helping Alison for an hour.
- You have been yelling for five minutes.
- James has been working outside all day.
- We have been writing letters since noon.
- They have been studying quietly since lunch.
Present Perfect Continuous
(general)
- I have been helping Alison recently.
- You have been yelling a lot lately.
- James has been working outside lately.
- We have been writing letters recently.
- They have been studying quietly of late.
What are examples of present perfect continuous negative statements?
Negative statements in the present perfect continuous tense are formed in the following manner:
Subject + have/has + not + been + present participle of main verb
Present Perfect Continuous Statement
- I have been using your car.
- You have been doing the right problem.
- He has been working at the store lately.
- She has been playing in the backyard all day.
- It has been raining at my house.
- We have been eating at home lately.
- They have been planning a party all week.
Present Perfect Continuous Negative
- I have not been using your car.
- You have not been doing the right problem.
- He has not been working at the store lately.
- She has not been playing in the backyard all day.
- It hasn’t been raining at my house.
- We haven’t been eating at home lately.
- They haven’t been planning a party all week.
What are examples of present perfect continuous questions?
Present perfect continuous questions are formed in the following manner:
Have + subject + been + present participle of main verb. (All subjects except 3rd Person Singular)
Has + subject + been + present participle of main verb. (3rd Person Singular subjects)
Present Perfect Continuous Question
- Have I been talking too loud?
- Have you been doing your homework?
- Has he been having fun?
- Has she been keeping busy?
- Has it been raining long?
- Have we been working quietly?
- Have they been moving the books?
Present Perfect Continuous Statement
- Yes, you have been talking too loud.
- Yes, I have been doing my homework.
- Yes, he has been having fun.
- Yes, she has been keeping busy.
- Yes, it has been raining a while.
- Yes, we have been working quietly.
- Yes, they have been moving the books.
What are good examples of the present perfect continuous tense?
More Examples of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense
- I have been cooking for five hours.
- James has been working outside all day.
- They have been studying quietly since lunch.
- He has not been working at the store lately.
- We have not been drinking enough water.
- It hasn’t been raining at my house.
- We haven’t been eating beef lately.
- Have you been doing your exercises this week?
- Has it been raining very long?
