PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

This tense is used commonly to indicate that actions that had started in the past are still going on in the
present. Sometimes can be translated to Spanish as Llevo + gerundio

FORM
To build this tense we use the auxiliary verb to have been and the main verb ending in -ing.

To have been+ main verb+ing

Examples:

I have been watching. You have been doing. He has been playing. They have been drinking.
He estado viendo. T has estado haciendo. l ha estado jugando. Ellos han estado bebiendo.

STRUCTURE
AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES
SUBJECT + TO HAVE BEEN + VERB+ING
Examples:

Ive been playing since I was 5 years old. They have been eating healthy lately.
Llevo jugando desde que tena 5 aos. Han estado comiendo sano ltimamente.

NEGATIVE SENTENCES
SUBJECT + TO HAVE NOT BEEN + PAST PARTICIPLE
Examples:

I have not been playing since I was 5 years old. They havent been eating healthy lately.
No llevo jugando desde que tenia 5 aos. No han estado comiendo sano ltimamente.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
TO HAVE + SUBJECT + BEEN + VERB+ING?
Examples:

Have you been playing since you are 5 years old? Have they been eating healthy lately?
Llevas jugando desde que tenas 5 aos? Han estado comiendo sano ltimamente?

USES
- We use it to talk about an action that started in the past and is still going on or it just ended. It
usually comes with the prepositions for and since and the time expressions lately or
recently.
Examples:

Ive been studying English since 3rd grade. She has been working too much recently.
Llevo estudiando ingls desde 3er grado. Ha estado trabajando demasiado recientemente.

It has been snowing for days. They havent been going to class lately.
Lleva nevando desde hace das. No han estado yendo a clase ltimamente.