Present Perfect Continuous Tense in English

Introduction to Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The present perfect continuous tense allows speakers to express actions that began in the past and continue into the present or have recently stopped, often with a focus on the duration or ongoing nature of the action.

Structure of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Affirmative Sentences

Subject + has / have + been + present participle

• Subject: The person or thing performing the action (e.g., I, you, he, she, it, we, they).

• Has/Have: "Has" is used with third-person singular subjects (he, she, it), while "have" is used with all other subjects.

• Been: The past participle of "be," which is required in this tense.

• Present Participle: The base form of the verb with an -ing ending.

Examples: I have been studying for three hours.

Negative Sentences

Add "not" after have/has:

Examples: I have not (haven’t) been feeling well.

Questions

Invert have/has and the subject:

Examples: Have you been exercising lately?

Key Features:

Duration focused – Emphasizes how long an action has been happening.

Unfinished or recently finished actions – Often used for temporary situations.

Present results – The effects of the action are visible now.

Usage of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

1. To Show Duration of an Ongoing Action:

It emphasizes how long an action has been happening up to the present moment.

Examples: I have been reading this book for two weeks.

To Indicate Recent Actions with Present Results:

It can describe an action that has recently stopped but has visible effects or results in the present.

Examples: She looks tired because she has been running.

To Highlight Repeated Actions:

It can also be used for actions that have occurred repeatedly over a period of time.

Examples: They have been visiting their grandparents every weekend.

To Express Annoyance or Frustration:

Sometimes, it conveys a sense of irritation about an ongoing situation.

Examples: He has been constantly interrupting me during the meeting.

Time Expressions Used with Present Perfect Continuous

for (duration) – for three days

Since (starting point) – since last year

all day/week/month – all morning