Present Perfect Continuous

The present perfect continuous emphasizes the duration of an action that started in the past and continues to the present (or has just stopped).

Formation

Affirmative

have/has + been + verb-ing

Subject	Have/Has + Been + Verb-ing
I / You / We / They	have been working
He / She / It	has been working

Examples:

I have been waiting for an hour.
She has been studying all day.
They have been living here since 2015.

Negative

have/has + not + been + verb-ing

I haven’t been sleeping well.
She hasn’t been feeling well.
They haven’t been working hard.

Questions

Have/Has + subject + been + verb-ing?

Have you been waiting long?
Has she been crying?
How long have you been learning English?

When to Use Present Perfect Continuous

1. Duration Until Now

Actions that started in the past and continue now:

I have been learning English for 5 years.
She has been working here since January.
How long have you been living in Berlin?

Common words: for, since, all day, all week, how long

2. Recent Continuous Activity (with visible results)

Action recently stopped, result visible now:

You’re wet! Have you been swimming?
Your eyes are red. Have you been crying?
I’m tired. I have been working all day.
Why are you so dirty? – I have been gardening.

3. Temporary Situations

Ongoing but temporary:

I have been staying with friends while my flat is being renovated.
She has been working extra hours this month.

Present Perfect Simple vs. Continuous

Focus on Completion vs. Duration

Present Perfect Simple	Present Perfect Continuous
Focus on result/completion	Focus on activity/duration
How many/much?	How long?
Completed action	Ongoing or recent activity

Examples:

Completion:

I have read the book. (finished)
She has written 3 emails. (completed 3)

Duration:

I have been reading all morning. (activity)
She has been writing emails for hours. (duration)

Specific Numbers vs. Duration

I have written 5 reports. (number = simple)
I have been writing reports all day. (duration = continuous)
She has called 3 times. (number = simple)
She has been calling all morning. (duration = continuous)

Permanent vs. Temporary

I have lived here all my life. (permanent)
I have been living here for a few months. (temporary)
She has worked here for 10 years. (permanent, still works)
She has been working on this project. (temporary focus)

Verbs Not Used in Continuous

Stative verbs are not usually used in continuous form:

I have known him for years. (not ~~have been knowing~~)
She has loved music since childhood. (not ~~has been loving~~)
We have had this car for 5 years. (not ~~have been having~~)

Correct:

I have known him since 2010.
She has always loved dancing.
They have owned this house for 20 years.

Common Time Expressions

Expression	Example
for + duration	for 2 hours, for a week
since + point	since Monday, since 2020
all day/week/month	I’ve been working all day.
lately, recently	She’s been feeling tired lately.
how long	How long have you been waiting?

Practice

Choose the correct form:

“I ___ (wait) for you for 30 minutes!” → I have been waiting for you for 30 minutes!
“She ___ (write) three books so far.” → She has written three books so far. (number = simple)
“How long ___ you ___ (learn) German?” → How long have you been learning German?
“I ___ (know) her since we were children.” → I have known her since we were children. (stative verb)

Learning Goals