Grammar Notes: Forms and Patterns

1. The Present Perfect Continuous Tense

(a)

Forms:

has have

+

been

+

verb

+

ing (present participle)

I have (I’ve) been working you have (you’ve) been working she has (she’s) been working we have (we’ve) been working you have (you’ve) been working they have (they’ve) been working	have I been working? have you been working? has she been working? have we been working? have you been working? have they been working?
I have not (haven’t) been working you have not (haven’t) been working she has not (hasn’t) been working we have not (haven’t) been working you have not (haven’t) been working they have not (haven’t) been working

2. We use the Present Perfect Continuous:

1. to express an activity which continues to the present:

e.g. We’ve been waiting here for hours! It’s been raining for days.

2. to refer to an activity with a result in the present:

e.g. I’m hot because I’ve been running. Her shoes are muddy. She’s been digging the garden.

(с) The Present Perfect Continuous often occurs with «for, since, how long»:

e.g.	e.g. It has been raining for two hours. They’ve been watching television since 2 o’clock. How long have you been smoking?

4. Types of questions:

One man has been drinking coffee to stay warm.

Has one man been drinking coffee to stay warm? Has one man been drinking coffee or tea to stay warm? What has one man been drinking to stay warm? One man has been drinking coffee to stay warm, hasn’t he? Who has been drinking coffee to stay warm?

2. Word Order

The most common word order in an English sentence is

1) subject 2) verb 3) object 4) adverbials

When there are several adverbials the normal order is a) manner b) place c) time

e.g. Our guide speaks English fluently. Tom walks to work every morning.

It is often possible to put a time adverbial at the beginning of the sentence.

e.g. Every morning Tom walks to work.

3. Question Words

The words «who», «what», «which», «how many», «how much» can begin two kinds of question.

e.g. The ball (S) hits the window (O). What hit the window? (a question to the subject) What does the ball hit? (a question to the object)

1. Questions can begin with a question word.

what who where when which why how whose

e.g. How does she go to work? – By train.

Where is the station? – In Baker Street.

2) «What», «Which», and «Whose» can be followed by a noun.

e.g. What size do you take?

Whose book is this?

Which coat is yours?

3) «How» can be followed by an adjective or an adverb.

e.g. How big is his new car?

How fast does it go?

Drills

Drill 1.

How long have you been living in this house? (since 1990) I have been living in this house since 1990.

1. How long has the baby been crying? (all the morning)

2. How long have you been trying to get this book? (for a week)

3. How long have you been discussing this problem? (for 3 hours)

4. How long has she been looking after her little sister? (for 2 years)

5. How long has your brother been watching television? (all the evening)

6. How long has the fire been burning? (all the night)

7. How long has she been helping her mother about the house? (since her childhood)

8. How long has he been sleeping? (for hours)

9. How long has your brother been collecting postage stamps? (since he was in the fifth form).

10. How long has she been practising the piano? (for the last two hours)

Drill 2.

Why are you so dirty? (dig potatoes in the garden) Because I have been digging potatoes in the garden.

1. Why are her eyes red? (cry)

2. Why are you so angry? (quarrel with Bob)

3. Why is her coat wet? (walk in the rain)

4. Why do you know nothing about Helen’s marriage? (travel)

5. Why haven’t they left the room during the break? (discuss the new play)

Drill 3.

Is John still sleeping? (hours) Yes, he’s been sleeping for hours.

1. Is Mary still writing letters? (two o’clock)

2. Are you living in Scotland now? (a year)

3. Are you still working for the same company? (I left school)

4. Are they still trying to learn French? (ten years)

5. Are they all sitting in the garden? (lunch time)

6. Is he still playing tennis? (ten o’clock)

7. Is John still waiting for Mary? (more than an hour)

Drill 4.

John is still waiting for Mary. How long has he been waiting for her?

1. They’re all sitting in the garden.

2. He’s still working in that office.

3. We are living in London now.

4. Mary is still staying at the Grand Hotel.

5. Mrs. Smith is still talking to Mrs. Jones.

6. Peter’s still reading that book.

7. That fire is still burning.