Face2Face Intermediate - Unit 3B

Grammar Focus: The Present Perfect Continuous

What does it look like?

Subject has/have been verb + -ing

I

They

She

have been ve been havent been has been s been hasnt been

swimming watching TV playing games singing working chatting to a friend

When do we use it?

We use the Present Perfect Continuous to talk about an action that started in the past and continues in the present.

We use it with these time words:

how long for since lately all day all morning all evening, etc.

Examples

Actions that started in the past and continue in the present:

How long have you been learning English? She has been waiting for you all morning (= and she's still waiting

now). I've been working on this project since eight o'clock this morning

(=and I still haven't finished it). They have been travelling for two hours (= and they're not home yet). Mark hasnt been feeling very well lately (=and hes still feeling ill ).

Verbs without continuous forms

With state verbs, we dont use continuous forms. We use the Present Perfect Simple.

Ive been a member of the Drama Club since October 2013. We've wanted to visit China for years. Hes had his laptop since last December. She's known Robert for eight months. I've always believed that UFOs and aliens exist. I've hated that music since I first heard it. He has loved Chinese food since he first tried it.

When we use the Present Perfect Continuous, the emphasis is on the ACTIVITY

itself and HOW LONG it has been happening:

When we use the Present Perfect Simple, the emphasis is on the RESULT of the

action: At last! The bus has arrived, so now I can go on it!

Where is she? What is she doing?

How long has she been reading / lying in the sun?

Where has she gone? (any guesses?)

What has she already done? (shes read a book, shes swum in the sea, shes got

dressed)

What has she just done? (Shes bought a cocktail.)

How long has she been on the beach? (state verb)