1.4.2. We use the Present Perfect Continuous

• to express the activity that began in the past and is still continuing:

e.g. He has been running the company since 2000.

• to emphasize the length of the time of the action:

e.g. They have been negotiating all day.

• to express the repeated action:

e.g. I have been phoning them all week, but no reply.

KEEP IN MIND: Sometimes either the Present Perfect Continuous or the Present Perfect can be used without any difference in meaning with verbs feel, work, live, travel, teach, smoke, play football, read the same journal, etc.

e.g. He has been living in Warsaw for 10 years.

OR: He has lived in Warsaw for 10 years. (Either tense expresses the duration of usual activity or situation)

1.4.3. Time expressions in the Present Perfect Continuous

For, since, for a long time, all day, for years, for ages,

We use for to talk about the length of the time period:

e.g. They have been producing cars for 20 years.

We use since to talk about the starting point of the time period:

e.g. They have been producing cars since 1999.

5. Comparison of Present Tenses

1.5.1. Present Continuous vs Present Perfect Continuous

The present continuous expresses The present perfect continuous is used to

an activity in progress now: express the duration of an activity that e.g. He is signing the contract started in the past and is in progress now:

right now. e.g. He has been signing the contract since early morning.

1.5.2. Present simple vs Present Perfect Continuous

The present simple is used The present perfect continuous is used to

to talk about permanent situations: say how long something has continued:

e.g. He works for Global Ltd. e.g. He has been working for Global Ltd

for 6 years.

1.5.3. Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous

The present perfect is used The present perfect continuous is used to

to say how long something has say how long something has continued

continued with non-active verbs: with active verbs:

e.g. He has known us for 2 years. e.g. He has been attending these seminars

NOT: He has been knowing for 2 years.

us for 2 years.

Practice file

Ex. I. Match sentences 1-10 with their uses a)-j).

1. Teleworking is becoming more and more popular. _B_

2. You dial this toll-free number. ___

3. They are working with no fixed hours these days. ___

4. The CEO frequently reads sales forecast reports. ___

5. We are organizing the trade exhibition in May next year. ___

6. He has been there many times. ___

7. He has been working for 5 hours. ___

8. I am speaking to you live from the Trafalgar Square. ___

9. The plane takes off at 5 tomorrow. ___

10. I am always getting junk email from many companies. ___

1. action in progress at the moment of speaking

2. current trends and changing situations

3. action in process in the extended present

4. repeated actions

5. fixed arrangements in the near future

6. emphasis on duration

7. emphasis on number

8. giving instructions

9. repeated action expressing annoyance

10. timetables and schedules

Ex. II. Fill in the table.

Base form V_s/es V_ed /V₃ V_ing

1. reply ……replies …… …..replied ….... ….. replying…..

2. sell ………………. ………………. ……………….

3. keep ………………. ………………. ……………….

4. lie ………………. ………………. ……………….

5. buy ………………. ………………. ……………….

6. issue ………………. ………………. ……………….

7. fail ………………. ………………. ……………….

8. deny ………………. ………………. ……………….

9. begin ………………. ………………. ……………….

10. conduct ………………. ………………. ……………….

Ex. III Underline the correct form in italics (Present Simple vs Present Continuous)

1. I am / am being afraid, our human resources director is busy as he holds / is holding / hold interviews.

2. What do you do / are you doing these days?

3. If you call / have called / are calling about placing an order, please press 4.

4. What does / do / is your job involve / involves?

5. Accounts department manager looks / is looking / do look after the accounts.

6. He often speaks / is often speaking / often speak live to the camera.

7. Performance reviews become / are becoming / becomes more common in companies.

8. He does is having / does have / does has good idea to be put into practice.

9. Do / Are / Is your current benefits include / including / include private medical insurance scheme and employer-supported child-care?

10. He have / has / is having good leadership skills.

Ex. IV. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb (Present Simple vs Present Continuous) in brackets.

1. I …believe……(believe) you do know how to expand the whole customer services area.

2. Accurate staff selection ………(BECOME) crucial today.

3. He ……… (think) of early retirement because he is completely burned out.

4. He ……… (THINK), throwing out food when it ……… (REACH) its best-before-date when there ……… (BE) a world shortage of food ……… (NOT TO MAKE) sense.

5. My job ……… (seem) a little bit challenging, but I ……… used to it. (get )

6. This year our company ………(TRY) to recoup funds by increasing the prices.

7. How ……… (YOU / feel) about current job?

8. Be quiet! Claire ……… (HAVE) a nap.

9. This lawyer is very accurate as he ……… (CHECK) every last detail of a contact.

10. Steve ……… (HAVE) the ability to speak clearly so others can understand him.

Ex. V. Underline the correct form of the verb (Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous).

1. Sales manager has already discussed / has already been discussing sales forecast with his team.

2. He has been being / has been in the transport business for ten years.

3. I have improved / have been improving three minutes today.

4. I have improved / have been improving the minutes since early morning.

5. This law has entered / has been entering into legal force.

6. I have been getting / have got a lot of letters this month.

7. I have never been working / have never worked in HR department before.

8. We have been trying / have tried to contact them all day!

9. It is the first time he has been translating / has translated financial articles.

10. We have not seen / have not been seeing them for ages.

Ex. VI. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb (Present Simple, Present Continuous, Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous).

1. What on earth ……has he sent… (he / send) he them our price list! They are our rivals!

2. ‘Inc’ ……… (STAND) for Incorporated.

3. He ……… (BE) delighted to inform that they ……… (HAVE) a perfect quarter.

4. We ……… (OPEN) 10 local branches since last year without increasing the staff.

5. The PA ……… (REPLY) to the emails on behalf of her boss as he is away this month.

6. Even if they ……… (GIVE) us £10.000, we will not sell it to them.

7. That’s the twenties call I ……… (ANSWER) today.

8. “C-executives” ……… (BE) in the boardroom since 10 o’clock.

9. ……… (HE / WORK) for a multinational as a financial advisor?

10. It is the first time he ……… (SPEAK) to the CFO.

Ex. VII. Put the time expressions in the correct position.

1. Non-for-profit organizations rely on unpaid workers. (GENERALLY)

… Non-for-profit organizations GENERALLY rely on unpaid workers. ……………..

2. He is in charge of financial reporting. (always)

…………………………………………………………………………………

3. Does he drive to work? (usually)

…………………………………………………………………………………

4. He wears casual clothes. (every day, just about)

…………………………………………………………………………………

5. The company is looking after its employees. (really)

…………………………………………………………………………………

6. Have you been to Brussels? (EVER)

………………………………………………………………………………….

7. He has gained qualification through day-release program. (ALREADY)

………………………………………………………………………………….

8. The Chief Technology Officer has left. (JUST)

………………………………………………………………………………….

9. He has headed up this department three years. (FOR)

………………………………………………………………………………….

10. He has been in charge of establishing reliable links with overseas companies. (NEVER)

………………………………………………………………………………….

Ex. VIII. Fill in the appropriate time expressions.

constantly, yet, how long, ever, since, for, recently, for the time being, this is the first time, often

1. Our IT engineers are working on the development of a new payroll software for the time being.

2. He is ……… late for work.

3. Mr Lee has been running this company ……… the last time I saw him.

4. We haven’t heard them ……… .

5. Have you ……… bought something on the Internet?

6. We have been discussing the findings of the market research ……… a few hours.

7. ……… have you been working on your project?

8. Many businesses ……… use a range of pricing techniques to market their goods and services.

9. They haven’t reached the agreement ……… .

10. ……… the customers have complained.

Ex. IX. Choose the correct sentence: Present Tenses.

1. a. They have been extending the payment of unemployment insurance since last year.

b. They are extending the payment of unemployment insurance since last year.

2. a. I hope to work for this expanding company.

b. I hopes to work for this expanding company.

3. a. Not now, she is talking over the phone.

b. Not now, she talks over the phone.

4. a. I call to ask for some advice.

b. I am calling to ask for some advice.

5. a. He usually cycles to work.

b. He cycles usually to work.

6. a. If you won’t speak clearly, people won’t understand you.

b. If you don’t speak clearly, people won’t understand you.

7. a. I don’t think these supermarkets will give the loyalty cards to their clients.

b. I am not thinking these supermarkets will give the loyalty cards to their clients.

8. a. Martha Steward is a senior economist at the University for Employment Research, her husband is a Mountie. They have been married for 10 years.

b. Martha Steward is a senior economist at the University for Employment Research, her husband is a Mountie. They married for 10 years.

9. a. They are introducing international quality standards.

b. They have been introducing international quality standards.

10. a. What does he do? – He is a personnel manager.

b. What is he doing? – He is a personnel manager.

Ex. X. Cross the extra word out.

1. He is runs H&R department.

2. We do are place a lot of emphasis on innovation here.

3. This year they have been cut the costs greatly.

4. I am work flexible hours.

5. The expansion program of our corporation is now being extending into the Far East.

6. If you will work hard, you will go up the career ladder.

7. I am think we’ve covered everything.

8. He has been being running this department for a decade.

9. They are have violated many international trade requirements.

10. The entrepreneur has being established the business of his own.

Ex. XI. Correct the mistakes if there are any.

1. Why are you feel you are suitable for this job?

… Why do you feel you are suitable for this job ?……………………………….……

2. The Ministry of Finance has been adopting the economic security strategy.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

3. Bonuses leads to a higher sense of motivation.

…………………………………………………...………………………………

4. He is directly responsible for keeping all information and payments safe.

…………………………………………………………………………………

5. What happens outside the boardroom right now? …………………………………………………………………………………

6. They increase their profits fivefold. …………………………………………………………………………………..

7. Do your wage scale provide an increase of 1.3 per cent a year?

…………………………………………………………………………………..

8. Hi, you reach Harry Alder’s voicemail. Sorry, I can’t taking your call at the moment.

…………………………..………………………………………………………

9. They have been working on the systems to cater for on-line payments since last month.

………………………………………………………………………………….

10. Adrian’s presentation is awful, it is obvious he doesn’t practise it.

………………………………………………………………………………….