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100 Present Perfect Continuous Examples

Published on January 22, 2022 | Updated on April 7, 2024

The present perfect continuous is also called present perfect progressive and it is used to talk about a finished activity in the recent past.

These are some examples of present perfect continuous sentences:

  • I have been playing soccer.
  • I have been preparing for the game.
  • The cat has been sleeping on the couch.
  • I have been searching for my lost keys everywhere.
  • She has been learning how to play the guitar.
  • He has been studying for the exam.

Now let’s learn more about present perfect continuous sentences so you can make the correctly



Present Perfect Continuous Uses

The activity is finished and we can see the results of it

  • I have been cleaning the car ( The car is clean)
  • I have been preparing dinner (The dinner is ready)

We use the present perfect continuous for a single activity that began at a point in the past and is still continuing.

  • I have been reading your book ( I’m still reading it)
  • I have been fixing the house (I am still doing it)

We use the present perfect continuous to talk about repeated activities which started at a particular time in the past and are still continuing up until now:

  • I have been visiting my brother every summer since 2001
  • I have been going to the gym every Tuesday night

Now that you know what the present perfect continuous is and when to use it, you have to take a closer look at all these examples.


Present Perfect Continuous Examples: Affirmative.

This is the structure for affirmative present perfect continuous:

StructureExample
SubjectWe
Have/HasHave
BeenBeen
Continuous form (Verb)Waiting
Complementfor the bus

These are some examples of affirmative sentences with the Present Perfect Continuous

  • I have been studying English
  • I have been running a lot
  • I have been practicing my French
  • She has been talking to me
  • She has been praying a lot
  • She has been doing exercises
  • He has been making progress
  • He has been selling the house
  • He has been doing his homework
  • We have been feeling tired
  • We have been feeling sick
  • We have been doing our best
  • You have been shopping in the Supermarket for two hours
  • You have been studying in the library
  • You have been writing for several hours

Present Perfect Continuous Examples: Negative

These are some examples of negative sentences with the Present Perfect Continuous

  • I have been doing anything wrong
  • I haven’t been training as it should
  • I haven’t been planning my lessons
  • She hasn’t been doing his part
  • She hasn’t been exercising lately
  • She hasn’t been feeling well
  • We haven’t been studying hard
  • We haven’t been making progress
  • We have not been helping
  • It hasn’t been raining
  • It hasn’t been snowing
  • It hasn’t been working

Present Perfect Continuous Examples: Questions

This is the first present perfect continuous questions set

  • What have you been thinking about a lot?
  • What have you been wanting to tell someone lately?
  • What have you been putting your energy into?
  • Which movie have you been wanting to watch for a while?
  • Which color have you been wearing a lot lately?
  • Where have you been eating lunch?
  • Why have you been losing weight?
  • Have you been spending a lot of money?

This is the second present perfect continuous questions set

  • What has been motivating you recently?
  • Have you been studying hard?
  • Have you been feeling okay?
  • Have you been watching videos online?
  • Have you been listening to a lot of music lately?
  • Have you been having fun with your friends?
  • What kinds movies have you been watching recently?
  • What have been reading lately?

This is the third present perfect continuous questions set

  • What has been happening in the news lately?
  • Have you been saving money for something special?
  • Have you been feeling well over the past few weeks?
  • Have you been playing any sports?
  • Have you been taking any classes?
  • Has the baby been sleeping at least 8 hours a day?
  • Have you been following a diet?
  • Have you been running lately?

This is the fourth present perfect continuous questions set

  • What have you been doing this week?
  • Have you been watching anime lately?
  • What have you been dreaming about lately?
  • What have you been doing with your free time recently?
  • Have you been getting enough exercise?
  • How long have you been learning English?
  • Have you been living in this town for long?
  • How long have you been living here?

This is the fifth present perfect continuous questions set

  • Have you been watching independent films?
  • Have you been traveling a lot ?
  • Have you been playing video games lately?
  • Have you been following your diet?
  • Have you been seeing someone?
  • What have you been studying?
  • What have you been doing this afternoon? 
  • What have you been working on?

These are some questions and answers that use the Present Perfect Continuous

  • What have you been doing?
  • I have been studying hard
  • Has she been doing exercises?
  • Yes, she has, look at the results
  • Has he been feeling dizzy lately?
  • Yes, he has
  • Have you been working as a teacher for the past three years?
  • Yes, I have been working in a community high school
  • Have you been waiting here for two hours?
  • I have been in this room since 9:00 AM
  • Why hasn’t she been taking her medicine?
  • She stopped because she has been feeling better

Present Perfect Continuous Examples: Since and For

These are some examples of sentences that include the present perfect continuous and the words since and for

  • I have been studying for three hours.
  • Maria hasn’t been feeling well for two weeks.
  • Linda hasn’t been visiting us since March.
  • He has been playing football for a long time.
  • She has been listening to music for 2 hours
  • I have been teaching in school since 2004

Present Perfect Continuous Examples: How Long

These are some present perfect continuous questions and the word How long

  • How long have you been waiting for me?
  • How long have you been doing exercises?
  • How long have you been training?

Check these questions and answers with how long

  • How long have you been practicing Tennis?
  • I started practicing Tennis in 2008
  • How long have you been studying French?
  • I started learning French when I was in high school
  • How long have you been waiting for me?
  • I have been here all night long
  • How long have you been preparing for the fight?
  • I have been training Muay Thai since last May

Present Perfect Continuous Exercises

These are some present perfect continuous exercises created with Wordwall

#1Present Perfect Progressive Sentences
#2Unscramble Present Perfect Progressive Sentences

Manuel Campos

Manuel Campos

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English