Present Perfect Continuous / Presente Perfecto Continuo

Área Lectura y Escritura, Inglés

Resultados de aprendizaje
Conocer el uso del presente perfecto continuo en contextos de escritura formal.
Utilizar las diversas formas verbales del presente perfecto continuo en contextos de escritura
formal.

Contenidos
1. Presente perfecto continuo
2. Verbos en pasado participio
3. Verbos en pasado simple

Debo saber
Para desarrollar esta guía de mejor manera, es necesario que el estudiante deba tener
conocimientos de los siguientes tiempos verbales:

- Presente Simple
- Presente Continuo
- Pasado Simple
- Pasado Continuo
- Presente Perfecto

En caso de no poseer los conocimientos anteriormente nombrados, puedes revisar la carpeta de

inglés del área de lectura y escritura, donde encontrarás guías de trabajo e introducción a los
tiempos verbales mencionados.

Present Perfect Continuous / Presente Perfecto Continuo

In order to understand the use of present perfect continuous we need to check the following
example:

‘Is it raining?
No, it isn’t but the ground is wet.
It has been raining.’

We use the present perfect continuous when we talk about an action (quite a long action) which
began in the past and has recently stopped or just stopped. Let us see more examples:

- You’re out of breath. Have you been running?

- The man over there is bright red. I think he’s been sunbathing.
- Why are your clothes so dirty? What have you been doing?
- I’ve been talking to Tom about your problem and he thinks …

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In terms of structure, present perfect continuous is made up with the expressions has / have, the
verb been and the verb in its –ing form. The use of has and have depend on the subject of the
sentence. Use has when you talk about he – she – it, while have when you talk about I – you – we –
they.

- I’ve been studying all night my key.

- Miguel has been learning English for three years.
- They have been waiting here for over an hour.
- George hasn’t been feeling very well recently.

The main difference between present perfect simple and continuous is the focus on the action.
Check the examples and compare:

- I have been decorating the house this summer  The focus is on the action – decorating –
and the action is unfinished.

- I have painted the living room blue  The focus is on the finished result. The activity is
finished but we can see the result now.

In the case of the negative, we must add the word not between have and been.

- I’ve not been playing football this noon.

- Catalina has not been learning French, she has been learning English.

In the case of the interrogative, we must change the order of words. We start with have/has and
then the subject with been and the verb in its –ing form.

- Have you been reading the book I borrowed you?

- Has Sofía been writing emails for the last three hours?

You can use the present perfect continuous with how long, for and since for actions repeated over a
period of time:

- She has been playing tennis since she was eight.

- How long have you been smoking?

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 Exercises
1. In this exercise you have to read the situation and then write a sentence with the present
perfect continuous (I have been doing).

Example: Tom is out of breath. (He / run) He has been running.

1. Ann is very tired (she / work / hard)__________________________________________

2. Bob has a black eye and Bill has a cut lip (Bob and Bill / fight)______________________
3. George has just come back from the beach. He is very red (he / lie / in the sun)_______
4. Janet is hot and tired. (She / play / tennis)_____________________________________

2. This time you have to ask a question for each situation.

Example: Your friend’s hands are covered in oil. (You / work / on the car?)
Have you been working on the car?

1. You see a little boy. His eyes are red and water (you / cry)
______________________________________________________________________
2. You have just arrived to meet your friend who is waiting for you (you / wait / long?)
______________________________________________________________________
3. Your friend comes in. His face and hands are very dirty. (What / you / do?)
______________________________________________________________________

3. Now you have to say how long something has been happening.

Example: It is raining now. It began raining two hours ago.

It has been raining for two hours.

1. Kevin is studying. He began studying three hours ago.

He _________________________ for three hours.
2. I’m learning Spanish. I started learning Spanish in December.
I ________________________________ since December.
3. Ann is looking for a job. She began looking six months ago.
______________________ for six months.
4. Mary is working in London. She started working there on 18 January.
______________________________ since 18 January.
5. George smokes. He started smoking five years ago.
____________________________ for five years.

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 4. In this exercise you have to ask questions with how long.

Example: It is raining. How long has it been raining?

1. My foot is hurting. How long_________________________________________

2. Mike plays chess. How_____________________________________________
3. Jim sells washing machines. __________________________________________
4. Tom is living in High Street. _______________________________________________

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 Key
1. In this exercise you have to read the situation and then write a sentence with the present
perfect continuous (I have been doing).

1. She has been working hard.

2. Bob and Bill have been fighting.
3. He has been lying in the sun.
4. She has been playing tennis.

2. This time you have to ask questions for each situation.

1. Have you been crying?

2. Have you been waiting long?
3. What have you been doing?

3. Now you have to say how long something has been happening.

1. He has been studying for three hours.

2. I’ve been learning Spanish since December.
3. She has been looking for a job six months.
4. She has been working in London since 18 January.
5. He has been smoking for five years.

4. In this exercise you have to ask questions with how long.

1. How long has your foot been hurting?

2. How long has Mike been playing chess?
3. How long has Jim been selling washing machines?
4. How long has Tom been living in High Street?

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