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
Table of Contents
- Present Perfect Continuous Uses
- Present Perfect Continuous Examples: Affirmative.
- Present Perfect Continuous Examples: Negative
- Present Perfect Continuous Examples: Questions
- Present Perfect Continuous Examples: Since and For
- Present Perfect Continuous Examples: How Long
- Present Perfect Continuous Exercises
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:
| Structure | Example |
| Subject | We |
| Have/Has | Have |
| Been | Been |
| Continuous form (Verb) | Waiting |
| Complement | for 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
