The Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Характеристика действия	1. Длительное действие, которое началось в прошлом и еще совершается в настоящее время. 2. Длительное действие, которое началось в прошлом и закончилось непосредственно перед моментом речи.
Схема образования словосочетаний - сигналов	Сочетания с предлогами for + length of time (e.g. for 2 years) since + starting moment (e.g. since leaving school)
Формула образования	have been + Participle I – для всех лиц, кроме 3-го лица ед. числа; has been + Participle I – для 3-го лица ед. числа.
Утвердительное предложение	Look! Ann is driving a car. She has been driving this car since 2005. Смотри-ка! Анна за рулем. Она водит эту машину с 2005 года.
Отрицательное предложение	Ann has not been driving this car since 2005. Анна не водит эту машину с 2005 года.
Вопросительное предложение	Has Ann been driving this car since 2005? Анна водит эту машину с 2005 года?

Exercise 1. Comment on the use of the Present Perfect Continuous in these sentences.

1. I’ve been waiting an hour and a half for you. 2. He’s been working here since 2004. 3. I haven’t seen him since last month. 4. How long have you been doing this translation? 5. Peter, I have been looking for you everywhere. 6. Call the children in. They’ve been playing outside since early morning. 7. The girl feels very tired. She has been working very hard. 8. This hat isn’t new at all! I’ve been wearing it for years! 9. We’ve been discussing this matter for hours already. 10. Since when have you been living in Moscow? 11. How long have you been wearing this suit? 12. You’ve been smoking too much recently. You should smoke less. 13. They have been studying English for three years. 14. Julia has been working at the same office since she graduated from university.

Exercise 2. Put the verbs in brackets into the Present Perfect Continuous.

1. He (work) here for many years. 2. I (live) in New York two years. 3. He (have) coffee every day for many years. 4. I (wait) here for ten minutes. 5. What you (look for) all this time? 6. I (try) to reach you by telephone for an hour. 7. They (talk) for more than twenty minutes. 8. Henry (work) at the post office since 2004. 9. I (try) to get a god job for many months now. 10. Are you writing a letter? How long you (write) and when will you have finished it? 11. Since when you (speak) French? 12. Frank (go out) with Sally for three and a half years. 13. What work you (do) in college lately? 14. Our neighbours (argue) all day. 15. Ricky (talk) to his girlfriend all morning. 16. Carlos (study) at the University for six months.

Exercise 3. Put in since or for.

1. I’ve been reading this book _____ last week. 2. He’s been working on the problem _____ three years. 3. They’ve been listening to music _____ 3 hours now. 4. Mary has been baking cakes _____ nine o’clock this morning. 5. My grandmother has been staying with us _____ Christmas. 6. They have been building the new bridge _____ two years. 7. He has been teaching them Spanish _____ ten years now. 8. The baby has been crying _____ her mother left home. 9. I’ve been flying in airplanes _____ years. And believe me, there’s nothing to be nervous about. 10. They have been redecorating this house _____ May. 11. Mother has been looking for you _____ ten o’clock. 12. The students have been writing the test _____ 3 hours. 13. She has been waiting for you _____ your seminar began. 4. Jack has been having a bath _____ half an hour. 15. Mother has been cooking dinner _____ 10 o’clock. 16. Mike has been watching video _____ he came home.

Exercise 4. Use the Present Perfect Continuous Tense in these sentences. Make use of the adverbial modifiers suggested in brackets.

Model: They are playing tennis now (since lunch time).

They have been playing tennis since lunch time.

1. They are watching television now (since 6 o’clock). 2. I’m looking for my dictionary (all morning). 3. I’m writing a letter to my friend (since I returned home). 4. The students are writing a dictation now (for 15 minutes). 5. Nick is walking his dog now (since 3 o’clock). 6. John is recording a new song (since morning). 7. It’s snowing hard (since yesterday). 8. I’m looking for a book which I’ve put somewhere (since I returned from the office). 9. She is teaching them how to do it (for years). 10. Bob is trying to get in touch with the police (since lunch time). 11. Toby is training at the stadium (since morning). 12. She is wearing a brown hat today (for 3 years). 13. They are making tractors at this factory (since 2004). 14. The baby is crying (all the morning). 15. She is waiting for you in the hall (for 20 minutes). 16. I’m reading for my exam (for two days).

Exercise 5. Combine the sentences into one by using the Present Perfect Continuous Tense.

Model: It started raining last Sunday. And it is still raining

It has been raining since last Sunday.

1. Jane started speaking over the telephone at 9 o’clock. Now it’s 9.15. 2. My family and I moved to Canada in 2004. We are still living in Canada. 3. He began to translate the article at 10 o’clock. Now it is 12. 4. Our tourist group began to travel in the Crimea a week ago. We’re still travelling in the mountains. 5. Kevin is studying. He began to study two hours ago. 6. The guest from Room 123 started bathing at 7 o’clock. It’s 8 o’clock, and he’s still bathing. 7. In 2004 Dories went to Helsinki to teach children English. She is still teaching them. 8. Kate bought this coat in 2002. She is still wearing it. 9. It’s three o’clock in the afternoon. Father sat down to work at 11 o’clock. 10. My baby son began to cry early this morning. It’s afternoon now and he’s still crying. 11. Nancy began playing the piano at 7. Now she’s ten and she is still taking music lessons. 12. Ann is looking for a job. She began looking for it six months ago. 13. George is still working in France. He started working there in 1999. 14. Alf began working out a business plan on Monday this week, he is still working at it. 15. They are discussing the terms of delivery. They began discussing them at noon. 16. According to the contract the plant started delivering cement to our construction site three years ago. It is still delivering it.

Exercise 6. Express doubt or disbelief about the period of time during which somebody has been doing something.

Model: – Charles started painting the wall 6 hours ago. He’s still painting it. – Has he really been painting the wall for 6 hours?

1. His French is very good though he began learning it only three months ago. 2. Dick began driving the car ten hours ago and he’s still on the way. 3. Sandy started shopping early in the morning. It’s 4 p.m. now, but she’s still shopping. 4. Bill went in for body-building only four months ago. Look, how muscular his arms are. 5. Maria Sharapova started playing tennis only five years ago. This happy year, 2004, she has become a world сhampion. 6. Olivia started speaking on the phone at 10 o’clock. 45 minutes have passed but the phone is still busy. 7. They are sitting in the garden. They went to the garden to enjoy the sun set at lunchtime. 8. Miss Walker is typing the president’s report. She started typing it at noon. 9. David Cotton runs the company. He was appointed Managing Director in 2005. 10. I came to work here when I left school. I’m still working for the same company. 11. Dr. Anderson began to see his patients at 9 o’clock. He’s still seeing them. 12. The tourists came to the old town an hour ago. They are still taking photographs there. 13. Captain Hay is a “million-mile” pilot. He started flying 20 years ago. 14. Mr and Mrs Johnson went to the shop to buy Christmas presents two hours ago. They are still in the shop. 15. Steve is saving money for a new car. He began doing it ten years ago. 16. Granny is mending socks. She started mending them at noon.

Exercise 7. Ask questions beginning with How long…

Model: Your friend is waiting for you.

How long has he been waiting for me?

1. I’m learning Greek. 2. Phil is dreaming to become a navy officer. 3. Tom lives in High Street. 4. My foot is hurting. 5. My brother still washes cars at the local garage. 6. Jack and Jill are looking for a flat. 7. Mr Hill sells washing machines. 8. They are travelling about Europe. 9. My brother is fishing. 10. Jack is a journalist. He writes for The Washington Post. 11. Pablo is a businessman in Madrid. He exports Spanish antiques. 12. Charles delivers milk about the district. 13. My father runs the company producing stuffed toys. 14. I am looking for a job. 15. She is still waiting to see the boss. 16. Richard’s waiting for us downstairs.

Exercise 8. Ask questions beginning with “Since when”.

Model: – It is raining.

– Since when has it been raining?

1. They are writing a test. 2. Mrs Green is a teacher. She teaches art. 3. Jill is a student. She studies French. 4. Jane is working in the laboratory. 5. Tom’s parents are now staying at a hotel in London. 6. A Canadian professor is delivering a lecture in Room 3. 7. Bill is learning to drive. 8. It’s snowing. 9. Nora is taking her driving test. 10. I always smoke French cigarettes. 11. Helen and Alice are still shopping. 12. George is still working for the same company. 13. Lucy is swimming in the lake. 14. My brother collects interesting facts about Loch Ness in Scotland. 15. I’m still packing. 16. Mike collects foreign coins.

Exercise 9. Give additional information to these sentences.

Model: Ann is very tired (work hard). She has been working hard.

1. Janet is hot and tired (play tennis). 2. Bob has a black eye and Bill has a cut lip (fight). 3. George has just come back from the beach. He’s very red (lie in the sun). 4. She’s got a sore throat (drink icy water). 5. Sindy’s got paint on her hands (redecorate her room). 6. Your mother’s got flour on her hands (baking). 7. Her eyes are red (cry). 8. Mike is having supper. He’s hungry (skate the whole evening). 9. They are talking very excitingly (watch a very interesting match). 10. She’s got a camera in her hand (take pictures). 11. You look pale (smoke too much again). 12. Your son’s shoes are dirty (walk in the forest). 13. Tony’s got oil on his hands (repair the car). 14. He’s lost his voice (shout at the football match). 15. The boss looks exhausted (have a talk with a difficult customer). 16. The streets are wet (rain at night).

Exercise 10. Answer these questions using the Present Perfect Continuous Tense.

Model: – Why are you looking so hot? (run all the way)

– I have been running all the way.

1. Why are you so exited (argue)? 2. Why are her eyes red (cry)? 3.Why does he look tired (work hard lately)? 4. What’s so funny? Why are you laughing (Peter, tell his funny stories again)? 5. Why is Alice crying (talk to the boss)? 6. Why do you keep silent (think over your words)? 7. What are you doing here (wait for a friend)? 8. Why do you look so pale (smoke too much today)? 9. Why is Nancy so excited (discuss her salary with the boss)? 10. Why does George have a headache (read too much)? 11. Why are you late (walk all the way)? 12. Why are your hands covered with paint (paint the door)? 13. Why does she have a sore throat (eat too much ice-cream)? 14. Why does the mother look so worried (wait for her son the whole evening)? 15. Why is John leaving the house to have a breath of fresh air (read for his exam the whole day)? 16. Why is your car so dirty (drive all day long)?

Exercise 11. Translate these sentences using the Present Perfect Continuous Tense.

1. Что ты здесь делаешь все это время? 2. Уже двадцать лет, как я живу в этом городе, а в сентябре исполнится ровно десять лет, как я преподаю здесь в университете. 3. Я жду тебя с самого утра. 4. Его старшая дочь уже давно работает? 5. – Что вы делали сегодня с утра? – Переводил очень интересную статью. 6. Сколько времени они обсуждают этот вопрос? 7. Северный ветер уже дует целую неделю. 8. Я устал. Целый день я работал в саду. 9. – Сколько времени ты готовишься к экзаменам? – Уже месяц. 10. Роберта нет сегодня на занятиях. Он уже две недели болеет. 11. – Как давно ты коллекционируешь марки? – Десять лет. 12. – Чем ты занимался все это время? – Смотрел телевизор. 13. Мой брат в Москве. Он не пишет мне уже целый месяц. 14. – Ты давно здесь сидишь? – С десяти часов. 15. Этот человек идет за нами всю дорогу от станции. Он, наверное, не знает дороги. 16. Ты пьешь слишком много кофе последнее время. 17. Ты опять курил в комнате? 18. Ты плакала? Что случилось? 19. Он носит очки с детства. 20. Они пишут контрольную работу уже два часа.