2.1. Present Perfect Continuous.

Rule

We form the present perfect continuous with the verb to have been and past participle.

Affirmative	Negative		Interrogative
	Long form	Short form
I have been working You have been working He has been working She has been working It has been working We have been working You have been working They have been working	I have not been working You have not been working He has not been working She has not been working It has not been working We have not been working You have not been working They have not been working	I haven’t been working You haven’t been working He hasn’t been working She hasn’t been working It hasn’t been working We haven’t been working You haven’t been working They haven’t been working	Have I been working? Have you been working? Has he been working? Has she been working? Has it been working? Have we been working? Have you been working? Have they been working?

Rule

The Present Perfect Continuous is used for:

to put emphasis on the duration of an action which started in the past and continues up to the present, especially with time expressions such as for, since, all morning week. etc. E.g. Sarah has been picking vegetables tot two hours. (She started picking vegetables two hours ago and she Is still picking them now.)

for action which started and finished in the past and lasted for some time. The result of the action is visible in the present. E.g. He is dirty. He has been playing football. (He is no longer playing football, but the fact that his clothes are duty is visible now.)

Time expressions used with present perfect continuous:

How long, for, since, lately / recently, all morning, etc.

1. Ask and answer questions using the prompts given as in example.

1. Sam / work / for this company / 6 years.

E.g. How long has Sam been working for this company?

He has been working for this company for 6 years.

2. Mary / teach / French /1995

………………………………………………………………………………. .

………………………………………………………………………………. .

3. The robbers / hide / in a farmhouse / a week.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

………………………………………………………………………………. .

4. Peter / make / model planes / 1992.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

………………………………………………………………………………. .

5. Julie / play / the guitar / four years.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

………………………………………………………………………………. .

6. The children / watch / TV /two years.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

………………………………………………………………………………. .

2. What have these people been doing? Make sentences using an appropriate verb in the present perfect continuous.

1. Catherine went to the supermarket an hour ago. She's still there.

E.g. Catherine has been shopping for an hour.

2. My mum began cooking three hours ago. She hasn't finished yet.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

3. The teams started playing football twenty minutes ago. They haven't finished yet.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

4. The headmaster started speaking two hours ago. He hasn't stopped yet.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

5. Bill began building his house six months ago. He hasn't finished it yet.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

6. I started doing my homework three hours ago. I haven't finished it yet.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

3. Ask and answer questions using the prompts given, as in the example.

SA: What's your favourite hobby?

SB: Painting.

SA: How long have you been painting?

SB: I've been painting since I was fourteen years old.

1. favourite hobby

2. best friend / know

3. favourite TV programme / watch

4. your address / live

5. favourite magazine / read

4. Put the verbs in brackets into the present perfect continuous.

A: Hi Liz. You look exhausted. …Have you been working... (you / work) overtime again? В: Yes, I have. I ………………………… (help) my boss to update the files in the office all week. He ………………………… (read) the files and I ………………………… (write) down names, addresses, phone numbers and so on. What about you'? A: Well, I ………………………… (train) hard for the championship next week.

B: I see! ………………………… (you / lift) weights all day long? A: Yes, for two weeks. How’s Sue? ………………………… (she / study) for her exams?

В: No, she hasn't. She ………………………… (go) out every evening. I won't be surprised if she fails again!

5. Ask and answer questions using the prompts given, as in the example.

1.Take photos / 1751	1851	E.g. Have people been taking photos since 1751? No, they haven’t. They have been taking photos since 1851.
2. Listen to the radio / 1824	1894
3. Ride bicycles /1771	1791
4. Travel biplane / 1903	1903
5. Print books / 1450	1450
6. Use fridges / 1836	1856
7. use light bulbs / 1868	1878