Present Perfect Continuous (“I have been doing”)

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1. What

is Present Perfect Continuous?

We use it to talk about:
1. An action started in the past and still continues now
• “I have been studying English for 2 years.”
• “She has been working here since 2020.”
2. An action that was happening recently and we can see the result now
• “You are tired because you have been running.”
• “It has been raining, the ground is wet.”

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2. Structure (formula)

👉 Subject + have/has + been + verb(-ing)

✅ Examples:
• I have been reading.
• She has been cooking all day.
• They have been playing football.

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3. Positive / Negative / Questions

Positive
• I have been learning English.
• He has been playing guitar.

Negative
• I have not been learning English.
• She has not been studying.

Questions
• Have you been learning English?
• Has he been playing guitar?

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4. Time expressions often used
• for (a period of time) → “for 3 hours”
• since (a point in time) → “since 2010”
• all day / all morning / all night
• recently / lately

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5. Difference: Present Perfect Simple vs Continuous

Present Perfect Simple → focus on result
• “I have written 3 emails.” (The result is 3 emails.)

Present Perfect Continuous → focus on activity / process
• “I have been writing emails all morning.” (The activity, not the result.)

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6. Examples in daily life
• I have been waiting for you for 30 minutes.
• She has been watching TV since 6 p.m.
• They have been playing football all afternoon.
• We have been studying hard for the exam.

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7. Practice

👉 Fill in the blanks:
1. I _______ (wait) for the bus for 20 minutes.
2. She _______ (study) since morning.
3. They _______ (not/work) today.
4. _______ you _______ (practice) your guitar?
5. It _______ (rain) all day.

👉 Write 5 sentences about your own life using Present Perfect Continuous.