GRAMMAR BANK

2B
present perfect + for/since, present perfect continuous 1 W e use the p re se n t p e rfe c t c o n tin u o u s w ith / o r
an d since w it h a c t io n v e r b s (e.g., learn, work, go,
present p e rfe ct + f o r / s in c e etc.) to ta lk a b o u t a c tio n s th a t sta rte d in the past
an d are s t ill tru e now.
T h e y ’ve known each o th e r fo r te n years. 1 47))) • D o n 't use the presen t c o n tin u o u s w it h / o r /
J u lia h a s h a d th a t bag s in ce she w as in college. since, N O T l am working h e re fo r twoyears.
A H o w lo n g h a v e y o u worked here? 2 W e can a lso use the p re se n t p e rfe ct c o n tin u o u s
B S in ce 1996. fo r c o n tin u o u s o r repeated a c tio n s th at have been
A H o w lo n g h a s y o u r b ro th e r h a d h is m o to rcy cle ? h a p p e n in g v ery recen tly. T h e a c tio n s have u s u a lly
B F o r a b o u t a year. ju s t fin is h e d .

I’ve (I have)
• W e use the p re se n t p e rfe c t +for o r since w it h n o n a c t io n v e r b s (e.g., like, You’ve (You have)
been working here
have, know, etc.) to ta lk a b o u t s o m e th in g th a t sta rte d in the p ast a n d is He / She / It’s (He has)
for two years.
s t ill tru e now. We’ve (We have)
They’ve (They have)
They’ve known each other fo r tenyears. (= they m e t ten years ago, an d they
s t ill k n o w each o th e r today)
I haven’t (I have not)
• W e use How long...? + p re se n t p e rfe ct to a sk a b o u t an u n fin is h e d p e rio d You haven’t
o f tim e (fro m the p ast u n t il now ). been working here
He / She / It hasn't
for two years.
• We use fo r + a p e rio d o f tim e , e.g., fo r two weeks, o r since + a p o in t o f tim e , We haven’t
e.g., since 1990. They haven’t
• D o n 't use the sim p le presen t w it h fo r / since, N O T They know each other
Have you been working Yes, No,
f o r n Iongtime. here for two years? 1 have. 1 haven’t.
Has she been working Yes, No,
present perfect continuous: have / h a s b e e n + verb + -ing
here for two years? she has. she hasn’t.
1 H o w lo n g have y o u been learning E n g lis h ? 1 48)))
N ic k has been working here sin c e A p r il. work and live
T h e y ’ v e been going out to g e th e r fo r a b o u t th re e years. Work and live are often used in either present
2 Y o u r eyes are red. Have y o u been crying? perfect or present perfect continuous with
N o , I’ve been cutting o n io n s .
the same meaning.
I’ve lived here since 1980.
I’ve been living here since 1980.

a C o r r e c t th e m is t a k e s .
H a r r y is u n e m p lo y e d s in c e la s t year.
Harry has been unemployed since last y ea r
1 W e 'v e h a d o u r n e w a p a r t m e n t s in c e s ix m o n th s .
We've had our nwe apartment for six months.
2 H i , Jackie ! H o w a re y o u ? I d o n ’t see y o u f o r ages!
Hi, Jackie! How are you? I haven't seen you for ages!
3 H o w lo n g a re y o u k n o w in g y o u r h u s b a n d ?
How long have you know your husband?
4 E m ily h a s b e e n a v o lu n te e r f o r te n y e a rs ago.
Emily has been a volunteer for ten years ago.
5 P a u l d o e sn ’t eat a n y th in g sin ce yesterday because he's sick.
Paul hasn't eaten anything since yesterday because he's sick.
6 It h a s n 't r a in e d s in c e t w o m o n th s .
It hasn't rained for two months.
7 H o w lo n g h a s y o u r p a r e n ts b e e n m a r r ie d ?
How long have your parents been married?
8 T h e y ’ re h a v in g t h e ir d o g s in c e th e y g o t m a r rie d .
They've had their dog since they got married.
9 I h a v e n ’t g o tte n a n y e m a ils f r o m m y b r o th e r fo r
la s t w in te r.
I 'haven't gotten any emails from my brother since last winter.
10 M y g r a n d m o th e r liv e s in th e sa m e h o u s e a ll h e r life .
My grandmother has lived in the same house all her life.
b M a k e s e n te n c e s w it h th e p r e s e n t p e r f e c t o r p r e s e n t
p e r f e c t c o n t in u o u s ( a n d / o r / since i f n e c e s s a r y ) . U s e th e
p r e s e n t p e r f e c t c o n t in u o u s i f p o s s ib le .
I / w o r k f o r a c h a r it y / e ig h t y e a rs
I ’ve been working f o r a charity f o r eight years.
1 w e / k n o w e a c h o th e r / w e w e re c h ild r e n
We've know each other since we were children.
2 th e c h ild r e n / p la y c o m p u te r g a m e s / t w o h o u rs
The children have been playing computer games for two hours.
3 y o u r s is te r / have th a t h a ir s t y le / a lo n g tim e ?
Has your sister had that hairstyle for a long time?
4 1/ lo v e h e r / th e f ir s t d a y w e m e t
I've loved her since the first day we met.
5 m y I n te r n e t c o n n e c t io n / n o t w o r k / y e s te rd a y
My internet connection hasn't been working since yesterday.
6 h o w lo n g / y o u / w a it?
How long have you know your husband?
7 I / b e a te a c h e r / th re e y e a rs
I've been a teacher for three years.
8 it / s n o w / f iv e o ’c lo c k t h is m o r n in g
It's been snowing since five o'clock this morning.
9 S a m / n o t s tu d y e n o u g h / r e c e n tly
Saim hasn't been studying enough recently.
10 y o u / liv e in C h ic a g o / a lo n g tim e ?
Have you been living in Chicago for a long time?
< p .! 9
Online Practice 135