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Present Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect Continuous

Date: Oct 03 2007

Topic: Grammar

Author: rhyme_reason

Lesson

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.

Comments

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treys

treys

Colombia

I need this as well thanks


 

10:21 PM Jun 21 2011 |

nicoleyani

nicoleyani

Indonesia

yes, I need this…Thanks

10:24 AM Jun 21 2011 |

hicran_moonlight

Turkey

lessons…thank you…okey!!!!!!!

08:33 AM Aug 10 2009 |

SENHY

SENHY

China

It's greatly benefit

04:01 AM Aug 10 2009 |

Urbanlady

Uruguay

I’ve been using this site for few days thanx

06:05 PM Aug 09 2009 |

nasirsws

nasirsws

Saudi Arabia

good job

 very nice

10:07 AM Jun 29 2009 |

hknyksl

Turkmenistan

please people don't say thank you. We use exaple about this. we need untderstand that and improve english and if i use wrong grammer or sentence you fix eachother.

ex:  i a lot of member have saying Thanks since when the text put there.

09:24 AM Jun 29 2009 |

ahmet_tg

Cyprus

good lesson i learnt a lot of things this lesson

10:54 PM Jun 26 2009 |

Elle shing

Elle shing

China

thx for your lesson.

10:02 PM Jun 23 2009 |

thekrayat

thekrayat

Jordan

thanks alot .Wink

Excellent lessons thank you.

04:31 PM Jun 21 2009 |

gsanderj

gsanderj

India

Laughingrealy super…...

06:33 PM Jun 20 2009 |

cynthia.castel

Mexico

hi!, this is my first lesson and first visit. it was good, i think, if you use examples, is easier to learn.

thanks. Laughing

04:35 PM Jun 16 2009 |

buzy_girl

United Arab Emirates

thanx Frown

03:07 PM Jun 12 2009 |

Heemo

Saudi Arabia

 

Thanks for the topic

08:04 PM Jun 10 2009 |

manucs

India

thanks for sharing it

nice explanation Surprised

08:18 AM Jun 10 2009 |

khaled1

khaled1

Yemen

thanks a lot you explained it very well !

01:57 AM Jun 09 2009 |

eLwing

Turkey

  Thx a Lot…   (:

11:01 AM Jun 08 2009 |

keri-a

China

great. I am a teacher of english. when i taught this to my children. they couldn't understand. they are affected by their mother language——chinese. they couldn't use it properly.maybe i can try this. thank u.

10:14 AM Jun 08 2009 |

slowly_1415

Myanmar

i see the students are got a very important lessons so thanks to all

05:11 PM Jun 05 2009 |

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