Unit 20

Duration from the past until now

Objective: To learn about expressing an activity that started in the past and continues
till now.
Present Perfect continuous tense
Usage:
Actions that started in the past and continue in the present.
Examples:
We have been waiting for you all day.

Structures:
S =Subject; M.V =Main Verb; O.W =Other Words
Use have for I/ We/ You/ They/ John and Anwar
Use has for He/ She/ It/ John

Positive statement:

S + has/ have + been + M.V ing + O.W
Examples:
Dravid has been playing Cricket for the past 15 years.
I have been working here since 2007.

Negative statement:

S + has/ have + not + been + M.V ing + O.W
S + hasnt/ havent + been + M.V ing + O.W
Examples:
Krishna and Radha have been singing from the morning.
Joshua has been subscribing for the magazine since childhood.

Yes/ No Positive question:

Has/ have + S + been + M.V ing + O.W?
Examples:
Has Mayo been eating non vegetarian food?
Have they been conducting the interview for five hours?

Yes/ No Negative question:

Has/ have + S + not + been + M.V ing + O.W?
Hasnt/ havent + S + been + M.V ing + O.W?
Examples:
Havent Jill and Joe been doing the project for three weeks?
Has Matt not been learning Spanish?

Wh Positive question:

Wh + has/ have + S + been + M.V ing + O.W?
Examples:
Why have they been scolding him for such a long time?
Where have you been studying since 1999?

Wh(y) Negative question:

Why + has/ have + S + not + been + M.V ing + O.W?
Why + hasnt/ havent + S + been + M.V ing + O.W?
Examples:
Why have we not been practising for the past two days?
Why hasnt Botham been coming here since last week?