Present Perfect Continuous: Use & Formation

English Grammar Lesson and Exercises on the Present Perfect Continuous.


The present perfect continuous
a. Use
b. Formation

a. Use

The Present Perfect Continuous tense is used to express continuous, ongoing actions which have already been completed at the time of speaking or writing.

In the following example, the verb in the Present Perfect Continuous tense is underlined.
e.g. The bus has been waiting for one hour.

The use of the Present Perfect Continuous tense in this example indicates that, at the time of speaking or writing, the bus has completed one hour of continuous waiting.

b. Formation

The Present Perfect Continuous tense of any English verb is formed from the Present Perfect of to be, followed by the present participle of the verb. For instance, the Present Perfect Continuous tense of the verb to work is conjugated as follows:

 I have been working
 you have been working
 he has been working
 she has been working
 it has been working
 we have been working
 they have been working

Grammar Exercise

Thus, it can be seen that the Present Perfect Continuous tense has two auxiliaries. The first auxiliary is have or has, and the second auxiliary is been.

Paying attention to the spelling of the present participles, fill in the blanks using the correct forms of the verbs shown in brackets. For example:
      I ________________ all night. (to work)
      I have been working all night.

      She ___________________ the trumpet. (to practise)
      She has been practising the trumpet.