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We use the present perfect continuous/progressive to talk about an action or situations which began in the
past and are still happening or have just stopped. It is often used with how long, for and since.
E.g.: The journalist has been working very hard this week.
I. Put the verbs in brackets in either the Present Perfect Simple or the Present Perfect Continuous.
1. I ………………………………………… (take) a French course for 5 months and the teacher says I am a fast learner.
2. A) Someone ………………………………………… (leave) the ladder outside, look. I expect that’s Brain. He
………………………………………… (clean) windows. And I don’t think he ………………………………………… (finish) yet.
3. Jessy ………………………………………… (take) driving lessons and next week she is going to take a driving test.
4. I ………………………………………… (live) in Sue’s flat and when I find a new house, I will move.
5. Please don’t go in. I ………………………………………… just ………………………………………… (sweep) the flour.
6. I ………………………………………… (eat) 8 chocolates up to now.
7. A- Are you hungry? B- No, I’m not. I ………………………………………… (eat) chocolates all day.
8. The young children ………………………………………… (make) a snowman all morning.
9. I ………………………………………… (break) my arms twice within 2 years.
10. I’m tired. I ………………………………………… (play) tennis all afternoon.
1) I (have had/ have been) having some family problems lately.
2) She (has loved / has been) loving chocolate since she was a child.
4) (Have you studied / have you been studying) hard this semester?
5) How long (have you been/ have you been being) in town.
6) I (have read/ have been reading) this book all afternoon.
IV. Complete the sentences by means of the present perfect continuous:
A) He …………………………………………………… (try) to find a better job.
B) Where has Susan been? I …………………………………………………… (look) for her for the last two hours.
C) They …………………………………………………… (live) here since they got married.
D) We …………………………………………………… (work) together for many years.
E) She …………………………………………………… (learn) French for three years now.
F) How long …………………………………………………… you …………………………………………………… (wait) for us?
G) I …………………………………………………… (take) a shower since three days ago.
H) …………………………………………………… you …………………………………………………… (eat) properly these days?
III. Complete with the correct form of the verbs using either Present Perfect tense or Present Perfect
Continuous.
Ruby has been eating too much fried food for the last two weeks? ………………………………………………………………………………………
I have been watching TV since 5pm because I have nothing to do. …………………………………………………………………………………………
VI. A Busy Year. What have you been doing since the beginning of the year or marking period? List between five
and ten activities. Then, share your answers with the rest of the group.
VII. Secret Charades. Students are given some index cards. Then, every student has to come to the front of the
class and acts out a daily activity while the rest of the class tries to figure out what it is. The goal is to try to
guess what the student have been doing using the present perfect progressive.
VIII. Song Activity. The famous song by Depeche Mode is used to illustrate the usage of Present Continuous,
Present and Present Perfect Continuous. After listening, fill in the gaps paying close attention to these tenses.
IX. Reading Comprehension. Read and then answer the questions using the present continuous when possible.
I’ve been sitting on the beach and eating an ice-cream. Alice and Paul have been swimming in the sea and Tom has been in
the park. He´s been playing with a friend. Peter has been listening to the radio and reading. We’ve been having a
fantastic holiday. Abercwm is a little fishing village in north Wales with a park, a castle, some Roman remains and some
lovely gardens, and there’s a little fishing port with a lighthouse. Everybody here
has been really friendly since we came here. I think we’ve been very lucky. This is
our second holiday this year and we’ve been doing just what we have wanted to do.
We’ve been sleeping, eating and playing games during all this time. The food has
been lovely too.
Vocabulary: Remains= Ruinas; Fishing Village= Pueblito pesquero; Lighthouse= Faro; Lucky= Con suerte; Friendly= Amigable;
Castle= Castillo; Garden = Jardín; holiday=Vacaciones; lovely= encantador.