Practice and revise the present perfect continuous. B1

1. Present Perfect
Continuous

2. What comes to mind?

3. These could be things said by parents…
• My child has been watching television all day
long! He needs some exercise.
• They’ve been broadcasting cartoons all
morning… No wonder children stick to TV all
day!
What do you recognize in
the highlighted structure?

4. Present Perfect Continuous

5. We use the Present Perfect Continuous to talk
about something that started in the past, but may
still be happening.
It focuses more on the continuous action. The
emphasis is on the duration of the action.
How long have you been working here?
(you still work here)
I’ve been shopping all morning
(I’ve just finished)

6. • We use the present perfect continuous with
action verbs.
Work, live , learn, sleep, study, clean, ride,
watch, see, drink, eat, etc.

7. Don’t use the present continuous
with for and since.
I’m working here for two years.
I’m studying English since I was a child.

8. Don’t use the present continuous
with for and since.
I’m working here for two years.
I’ve been working here for two years.
I’m studying English since I was a child.
I’ve been studying English since I was a child.

9. We can also use the present perfect continuous
for continuous or repeated actions which have been
happening very recently.
These actions have usually just finished.
- Your eyes are red. Have you been crying?
- No, I’ve been cutting onions.
She finished
cutting the
onions. We focus
on the action.

10. We use the Present Perfect Continuous for actions still
happening now, especially with for / since
Jane started to work in her garden at
8:00 this morning. Now it is 12:00.
She has been working in her garden
for 4 hours!

11. Both forms are possible, but …
… do they have the same meaning?
• I've lived here all my life
• I've been living here all
my life
• How long have you
been working here?
• How long have you
worked here?
Use both forms for unfinished actions with the verbs LIVE and WORK

12. Both forms are possible, but …
… do they have the same meaning?
• I’ve been washing the car
• I’ve washed the car
The Present Perfect Continuous emphasizes the activity itself and
the duration. The activity may not have finished
The Present Perfect Simple emphasizes that the action is completed,
and the result.

13. Questions and answers
How can we form the
question using the
present perfect
continuous?

14. Questions and answers
Have / Has (auxiliary) +
subject + been + -ing
Yes / No + S + auxiliary

15. Remember to ask about the
duration with:
How long…?
How long have you been living
here?
How long have you been
cooking?

16. How long…? is both used for
the present perfect simple and
the continuous.
How long has your brother had
his motorbike? (PPS)
How long have you been
cooking? (PPC)

18. I _________ tennis
three times this
week
(play)

19. I _________ tennis
three times this
week (play)
Emphasis on the result

20. Phone Al urgently.
She ___________ to
speak to you all
Morning.
(try)

21. Phone Al urgently.
She ___________ to
speak to you all
morning (try)
Emphasis on the duration

22. We ___________ all
day but we
_________
everything we need.
(shop, buy)

23. We ___________ all
day but we
_________
everything we need.
(shop, buy)

24. The service in this
restaurant is terrible.
We ___________ for
half an hour. (wait)

25. The service in this
restaurant is terrible.
We ___________ for
half an hour. (wait)

26. A: How long ______ Vicky ________ with
Tim? (go out)
B: About two months. Do you like him?
A: Yes, I ____________ him four or five
times and he seems OK. (meet)

27. A: How long ______ Vicky ________ with
Tim? (go out)
B: About two months. Do you like him?
A: Yes, I ____________ him four or five
times and he seems OK. (meet)

28. My grandmother
___________ in the
same house all her
life. (live)

29. My grandmother
___________ in the
same house all her
life. (live)
Verb LIVE !!!!

30. A: How long ________ you ________
French?
B: Since Christmas, but I ____________
much. I keep missing classes. (not learn)

31. A: How long ________ you ________
French?
B: Since Christmas, but I ____________
much. I keep missing classes. (not learn)

32. A: Your hands are filthy!
What ________ you _______ ? (do)
B: I _______________ the brakes on my
car. They weren't working properly.
(repair)

33. A: Your hands are filthy!
What ________ you _______ ? (do)
B: I _______________ the brakes on my
car. They weren't working properly.
(repair)

34. They ______________
for months but they
_____________ a flat
to rent yet.
(look, find)

35. They ______________
for months but they
_____________ a flat
to rent yet.
(look, find)

36. My uncle ___________
all over the world and
he says that Sri Lanka is
the most beautiful
place he ________ to.
(travel, be)

37. My uncle ___________
all over the world and
he says that Sri Lanka is
the most beautiful
place he ________ to.
(travel, be)

38. They _________ each
other for years but they
___________ a serious
argument.
(know, never have)

39. They _________ each
other for years but they
___________ a serious
argument.
(know, never have)

40. We ___________ a
holiday for ages. We
__________ too hard.
(not have, work)

41. We ___________ a
holiday for ages. We
__________ too hard.
(not have, work)

42. ¿Cuál es el mensaje