PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

This tense is used to talk about an action or actions that started in the past and continued until recently or that continue into the future: We can use it to refer to an action that has finished but you can still see evidence. Oh, the kitchen is a mess. Who has been cooking? You look tired. Have you been sleeping properly? I've got a a stiff neck. I've been working too long on computer. It can refer to an action that has not finished. I've been learning Spanish for 20 years and I still don't know very much. I've been waiting for him for 30 minutes and he still hasn't arrived. He's been telling me about it for days. I wish he would stop. It can refer to a series of actions. She's been writing to her regularly for a couple of years. He's been phoning me all week for an answer. The university has been sending students here for over twenty years to do work experience. The present perfect continuous is often used with 'since', 'for', 'all week', 'for days', 'lately', 'recently', 'over the last few months'. I've been wanting to do that for ten years. You haven't been getting good results over the last few months. They haven't been working all week. They're on strike He hasn't been talking to me for weeks. We've been working hard on it for ages. I've been looking at other options recently. He's been working here since 2001.

EXERCISE

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

I'm exhausted. I (work)in the garden all day. That old house now looks fantastic. The owners (restore) it completely. My garden's a jungle. I (do negative) any gardening for months. I think Maggie and Max are dating. They (see) a lot of each other recently. We've discovered this great pub and we (go) there a lot. How's Maggie? I (see negative) her for ages. You're covered in hay, Max. What (do AND you)? Maggie's gone to the doctor's. She (feel negative) too well lately. Where have you been? I (wait) for ages. He (work) in this company since 1985. I (wait) for you since two o'clock. Mary (live) in Germany since 1992. Why is he so tired? He (play) tennis for five hours. How long (learn / you) English? We (look for) the motorway for more than an hour. I (live) without electricity for two weeks. The film (run / not) for ten minutes yet, but there's a commercial break already. How long (work / she) in the garden? She (not / be) in the garden for more than an hour. It (snow) a lot this week.

1.
2. 3. 4. 5.

I'm tired because I (work) out.

Julie (live) in Italy since May. We (watch) TV for 3 hours. My brother (travell) since he finished school. It (rain) all week. I hope it stops by Saturday because I want to go to the beach.

6.
7. 8. 9. 10.

Oh, the kitchen is a mess. Who (cook)?

You look tired. (sleep) properly? I've got a a stiff neck. I (work) too long on computer. I (learn) Spanish for 20 years and I still don't know very much. I (wait) for him for 30 minutes and he still hasn't arrived.

11.
12. 13. 14. 15.

He (tell) me about it for days. I wish he would stop.

She (write) to her regularly for a couple of years. He (phone) me all week for an answer. The university (send) students here for over twenty years to do work experience. I (want) do that for ten years.

16.
17. 18. 19. 20.

You (get) good results over the last few months.

They (work) all week. They're on strike He (talk) to me for weeks. We (work) hard on it for ages. I (look) at other options recently.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

She (work) here for five years I (study) all day. You (eat) a lot recently. We (live) in London for six months. They (learn) English for two years. I (cook) so I'm really hot. She (go) to the cinema every weekend for years. It (rain) the pavement is wet. You (sleep) for twelve hours. I (not/work) today. You (not/eat) well recently. We (not/exercise) enough. She (not/study). They (not/live) here for very long. It (not/snow). He (not/play) football for five years. We (not/drink) enough water - that's why we feel tired. I (not/sleep) I was reading. They (not/watch) TV much recently. He (work) here since 2001.