Present Perfect Continuous Tense: English Grammar Guide

What the Present Perfect Continuous Tense Is

The present perfect continuous (also called the present perfect progressive) describes actions that started in the past and are still happening now, or that have just finished with effects that are visible in the present. It connects past duration to the present moment and spotlights the activity or process rather than the finished result.

Typical meanings:

• An action began earlier and continues up to now.

• An action recently stopped, and we can see or feel the result now.

• A temporary, evolving, or repeated activity up to the present.

Core Structure (Affirmative, Negative, Questions)

Pattern: Subject + has/have + been + verb-ing

• Affirmative:
  She has been reading for hours.
  I have been working since morning.

• Negative:
  He has not been feeling well lately.
  They haven’t been sleeping much this week.

• Questions:
  Have you been studying all day?
  Has she been practicing piano?

Notes on agreement:

• Use has with he, she, it and singular nouns.

• Use have with I, you, we, they and plural nouns.

Time Phrases You’ll Often See

• for + duration: for two hours, for a long time, for months

• since + starting point: since 2019, since last night, since Monday

• lately / recently / these days: He has been feeling tired lately.

• all day / all morning / the whole week

• how long questions: How long have you been…?

Examples:

• We have been traveling all day.

• She has been learning Spanish since 2022.

• How long have you been working here?

When to Use It (with clear examples)

1) Actions that started in the past and continue now

Use it when the action is still ongoing at the time of speaking.

• I have been living in Cebu since 2020.

• They have been waiting for the bus for 30 minutes.

• She has been learning Japanese for over a year.

2) Actions that just stopped but have present results

Use it when the activity may have ended, but we notice the effect in the present.

• I’m tired because I have been running.

• The ground is wet; it has been raining.

• She looks exhausted; she has been studying all night.

3) Temporary or changing situations

Show that the situation is not permanent.

• He has been working from home lately.

• I have been staying with my parents this week.

• We have been using a rental car during the trip.

4) Repeated actions up to now

Emphasize frequency over a period leading to the present.

• She has been calling me every day.

• They have been visiting us quite often recently.

Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Continuous

Both tenses link past and present, but they emphasize different things.

• Present perfect (result-focused): has/have + past participle

  I have written five emails today. (Result: five emails written.)

• Present perfect continuous (activity-focused): has/have + been + verb-ing

  I have been writing emails all morning. (Process and duration.)

Use present perfect to stress how much / how many / completion.
Use present perfect continuous to stress how long / ongoing process.

Using “for” and “since” correctly

• for + a length of time: for two weeks, for years, for a while

• since + a starting point: since 2018, since last summer, since 6 a.m.

Examples:

• She has been teaching for ten years.

• He has been living here since May.

Stative (Non-Continuous) Verbs You Should Avoid in -ing

Some verbs describe states rather than actions and usually do not take continuous forms. Common stative groups include:

• Emotion/attitude: love, hate, like, prefer

• Mental state: know, believe, understand, remember, forget

• Possession/relations: have (meaning “possess”), own, belong

• Perception/appearance (as states): seem, appear (as “look like”), resemble

Incorrect: I have been knowing her for years.
Correct: I have known her for years. (Use present perfect simple with stative verbs.)

If the meaning is action rather than state, the -ing form can be fine (e.g., “having lunch” is an action, but “have” meaning “possess” is a state).

Polished Model Sentences (with reasons)

• I have been coaching the team since January.
  (Ongoing role; focus on time span.)

• She has been revising her thesis all week.
  (Emphasizes continuous effort over days.)

• They have been arguing lately.
  (Temporary pattern; recent repetition.)

• He has been gardening; that’s why his hands are dirty.
  (Recent activity with visible present result.)

• We have been dealing with supply issues for months.
  (Continuing problem and duration focus.)

Making Questions and Answers Natural

Question pattern: Has/Have + subject + been + verb-ing?

• How long have you been working here?
  — I’ve been working here for three years.

• Have they been waiting long?
  — No, they haven’t been waiting long.

• Has she been studying for the IELTS?
  — Yes, she has been studying since June.

Short answers:

• Yes, I have. / No, I haven’t.

• Yes, she has. / No, she hasn’t.

Common Errors (and how to fix them)

1. Wrong auxiliary

• ❌ He have been working hard.

• ✅ He has been working hard.

2. Using continuous with stative verbs

• ❌ I have been knowing the answer.

• ✅ I have known the answer for a while.

3. Dropping the duration when it’s needed

• ❌ I have been studying. (Vague in many contexts.)

• ✅ I have been studying for three hours.

4. Confusing with the simple past (yesterday/finished time)

• ❌ I have been studied English yesterday.

• ✅ I studied English yesterday.
  (Use the simple past with finished time expressions: yesterday, last week, in 2021.)

5. Mixing result and process in one sentence

• ❌ I have been writing five emails today. (Process + fixed result conflicts.)

• ✅ I have written five emails today. (Result)

• ✅ I have been writing emails all morning. (Process)

Present Results vs. Ongoing Duration: Quick Tests

• If you can ask “How long…?”, the continuous is a strong candidate.

  How long have you been waiting?

• If you can count a finished total (five emails, two reports, three calls), the simple is often better.

  I have made three calls.

Pronunciation and Contraction Tips

In natural speech, contractions are common:

• I’ve been, you’ve been, we’ve been, they’ve been

• he’s been, she’s been, it’s been

Linking sounds often make “been” sound like /bɪn/ or /bɪːn/ depending on accent. Practice full and contracted forms to improve rhythm and fluency:

• “I have been working” → “I’ve been working.”

• “She has been studying” → “She’s been studying.”

Mini Practice (Try these)

Rewrite using the present perfect continuous where appropriate and add suitable time phrases (for or since):

1. I work on this project. (start: Monday)

2. She studies Korean. (duration: six months)

3. They fix the road. (effect: dust everywhere now)

4. He stay at a hostel. (temporary, this week)

5. We wait at the terminal. (duration: 45 minutes)

Possible answers (one of many):

1. I have been working on this project since Monday.

2. She has been studying Korean for six months.

3. They have been fixing the road; that’s why there’s dust everywhere.

4. He has been staying at a hostel this week.

5. We have been waiting at the terminal for 45 minutes.

Quick Reference Summary

• Form: has/have + been + verb-ing

• Use for: actions continuing now, recently finished actions with present effects, temporary/repeated activities

• Time markers: for + duration; since + starting point; lately/recently/all day

• Avoid continuous with stative verbs (know, believe, own, seem, etc.).

• Choose continuous to emphasize duration/process; choose simple to emphasize result/number.

Mastering the present perfect continuous helps you sound more natural when describing long-running efforts, temporary routines, and activities whose effects are felt right now.

FAQs

What is the present perfect continuous tense?

The present perfect continuous (also called the present perfect progressive) is a tense used to describe an activity that started in the past and is still happening now, or that has recently stopped with results that are visible or relevant in the present. It highlights the duration and ongoing nature of the activity rather than the finished result.

Form: Subject + has/have + been + verb-ing
Examples: “She has been studying since lunch.” / “They have been working on the report all week.”

How do I form affirmative, negative, and question sentences?

Affirmative: Subject + has/have + been + verb-ing
Example: “He has been reading for hours.”

Negative: Subject + has/have + not + been + verb-ing
Example: “We haven’t been sleeping well lately.”

Questions: Has/Have + subject + been + verb-ing?
Example: “Have you been working out recently?”

When should I use the present perfect continuous?

• Ongoing actions: Started in the past and continue now (“I have been learning Spanish since 2022.”)
• Recently finished with present results: The effects are visible now (“He’s sweaty because he has been running.”)
• Temporary situations: Not permanent (“We have been staying with friends this week.”)
• Repeated actions up to now: Frequency emphasized (“She has been calling every day.”)

What is the difference between present perfect and present perfect continuous?

Present perfect (has/have + past participle) focuses on result or completion: “I have written five emails today.”

Present perfect continuous (has/have + been + verb-ing) focuses on the process and duration: “I have been writing emails all morning.”

Ask yourself: Are you emphasizing how much/how many (use present perfect) or how long/activity (use present perfect continuous)?

Which time expressions commonly appear with this tense?

• for + duration: for two hours, for months, for a long time
• since + starting point: since Monday, since 2019, since dawn
• lately / recently / these days
• all day / all morning / the whole week
• How long…? for questions about duration

Examples: “We have been waiting for 30 minutes.” / “She has been living here since May.”

Can I use stative (non-action) verbs in the present perfect continuous?

Generally, no. Stative verbs describe states, not actions, and usually don’t take continuous forms. Common statives include know, believe, understand, love, hate, want, seem, own, belong.

Incorrect: “I have been knowing her for years.”
Correct: “I have known her for years.” (Use present perfect simple.)

How do “for” and “since” work with this tense?

Use for to show a length of time (for three hours, for six months) and since to show the starting point (since Tuesday, since 2021, since 6 a.m.).

Examples: “He has been practicing piano for years.” / “I have been working here since 2019.”

Can I use it to talk about actions that just finished?

Yes. It’s perfect for recently completed activities with present effects. You often see clues such as tiredness, mess, or visible change.

Examples: “I’m exhausted because I have been studying all night.” / “The streets are wet; it has been raining.”

How do I choose between present perfect continuous and present continuous?

Present continuous (am/is/are + verb-ing) describes what’s happening right now or around now. Present perfect continuous anchors the activity to a past starting point and highlights duration up to the present.

Present continuous: “I am reading now.”
Present perfect continuous: “I have been reading for two hours.”

What are common mistakes learners make with this tense?

• Wrong auxiliary: “He have been working” → “He has been working.”
• Using continuous with stative verbs: “I have been knowing her” → “I have known her.”
• Confusing finished time: Present perfect tenses don’t pair with finished-time adverbs like “yesterday.” Use simple past: “I studied yesterday.”
• Mixing process with exact totals: “I have been writing five emails” (process + fixed number) → Use present perfect for totals or remove the total: “I have written five emails” or “I have been writing emails all morning.”

How do I make natural-sounding questions and short answers?

Question pattern: Has/Have + subject + been + verb-ing?

Examples:
“Have you been waiting long?” — “Yes, I have.” / “No, I haven’t.”
“Has she been studying for the exam?” — “Yes, she has.” / “No, she hasn’t.”

For more detail, add duration: “I have been waiting for 20 minutes.”

Can I use adverbs like “already,” “just,” or “yet” with this tense?

Yes, but placement and meaning matter. With continuous tenses, adverbs typically go before the main participle or after “been,” depending on emphasis and style.

Examples: “She has just been working on it.” / “They have already been discussing the issue.” / “Have you been practicing yet?” (“yet” is more natural with questions/negatives.)

Does pronunciation or contraction affect meaning?

Contractions are common and natural: I’ve been, you’ve been, we’ve been, they’ve been, he’s been, she’s been, it’s been. The word “been” may sound like /bɪn/ in many accents. Contractions don’t change meaning; they make speech more fluent.

How do I use the tense for temporary trends and changing habits?

Use it to describe evolving or temporary patterns up to now:

Examples: “People have been buying more electric scooters lately.” / “I have been cooking at home more these days.”

What’s a quick checklist to decide if I should use the present perfect continuous?

• Is the action connected to now? (still happening or just finished)
• Do I want to emphasize duration or process? (for/since, lately, all day)
• Is the verb dynamic (not stative)?
• Am I avoiding finished-time adverbs? (yesterday, last year → use simple past)

Can you give more model sentences with explanations?

• “I have been working on the proposal since Monday.” (Ongoing, duration emphasized)
• “She has been running; that’s why she’s out of breath.” (Recent activity, present result)
• “They have been meeting more frequently lately.” (Temporary trend)
• “We have been dealing with delays for months.” (Long-running situation)
• “He hasn’t been sleeping well these days.” (Negative, recent period)

How can I practice and self-check my usage?

1. Convert present continuous to present perfect continuous by adding a past starting point: “I am studying now” → “I have been studying since 7 p.m.”
2. Ask ‘How long…?’ questions to prompt the tense: “How long have you been learning English?”
3. Swap totals for durations when you want process over result: “I have written three pages” → “I have been writing all morning.”
4. Check stative verbs and replace with present perfect simple if necessary: “I have known him for years.”

Summary: what should I remember?

Use the present perfect continuous (has/have + been + verb-ing) to connect past activity with the present, focusing on how long it has continued or the visible effects now. Prefer it for ongoing, temporary, or recently finished actions with present relevance. Switch to the present perfect simple for exact totals, completed results, or stative verbs. With the right time expressions—especially for and since—your sentences will sound natural and precise.

English Grammar Guide: Complete Rules, Examples, and Tips for All Levels