The Present Perfect Continuous

We use the present perfect continuous:

a) 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/day/ year, etc.

e.g. Sam has been talking on the phone for half an hour (He began talking on the phone half an hour ago and he is still talking)

b) for an action which started in the past and lasted for some time. The action may have finished or may still be going on. The result of the action is visible in the present.

e.g. Her feet hurt She has been walking all morning (The result of the action is visible in the present - her feet hurt)

c) to express anger, irritation or annoyance.

e.g. Somebody has been giving away our plans. (The speaker is irritated)

Note: With the verbs live, work, teach and feel (= have a particular emotion) we can use the present perfect or present perfect continuous with no difference in meaning.

e.g. We have lived/have been living here for twenty years.

The present perfect continuous is used with the following time expressions: for, since, how long, lately, recently.

Ex. 1

Read the text and retell it. Find the cases of the Present Perfect Progressive and comment on them.

In the evening Mrs. Dursley told her husband that he had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!"). When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:

"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunshine. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?" "Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people were celebrating Bonfire Night early — it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight." Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place?

(from "Harry Potter" by J.K. Rowling)

Ex.2

Put in the verbs. Use the present perfect continuous.

Ilona: Sorry I'm late.

Emma: It's OK. (e.g.) I haven't been waiting (I / not / wait) long.

What (1) … (you/do)?

Ilona: I've been with Mrs King. (2) … (she / help) me with my English.

Emma: Your English is very good. You don't need lessons, surely.

How long (3) … (you / study) English?

Ilona: Er, eight years now. But my accent wasn't so good before I came to England.

(4) … (I / try) to improve it. I think (5) … (it / get) better lately.

Emma: Your accent is fine, Ilona. Honestly.

Ex. 3

Combine the two sentences into one by introducing the Present Perfect Continuous.

Example: It started raining last Sunday. It is still raining. – It has been raining since last Sunday.

1. Kevin is studying. He began studying two hours ago. 2. My family and I moved to Canada in 1978. We are still living in Canada. 3. Our tourist group began to travel in the Crimea a week ago. We’re still traveling in the mountains. 4. In 1990 Dories went to Helsinki to teach children English. She is still teaching them. 5. The guest from room 1207 started bathing at 7 o’clock. It’s 8 o’clock, and he’s still bathing. 6. Mary’s dream is to make a tour round the United States. Two years have passed but her dream hasn’t come true yet. So Mary is still looking forward to it. 7. The college lecturers were sent to study at Pace University eight months ago. They are still studying there. 8. Ann is looking for a job. She began looking six months ago. 9. George is working in Cardiff. He started working there on 22 March. 10. Harry began working out a business plan on Monday this week. He is still working at it. 11. They’re discussing the terms of the treaty. They began discussing them at noon. 12. According to the contract the plant started delivering cement to our construction site three years ago. It is still delivering it.

Ex. 4

Read the situation and then write a sentence with the Present Perfect Continuous denoting an action which began in the past and has recently stopped.

Example: Ann is very tired. (work/hard) – She has been working hard.

1. Tom has just come back from the beach. He’s very red. (lie/in the sun) 2. Janet is hot and tired. (play/tennis) 3. Mary’s got paint on her hands. (decorate) 4. Bob has a black eye and Bill has a cut lip. (fight) 5. You see a little girl. Her eyes are red and watery. (cry) 6. Your son’s shoes are dirty. (walk/in the forest) 7. Tony’s got oil on his hands. (repair/his car) 8. Nick’s lost his voice. (shout/at the football match) 9. Your mother’s got flour on her hands. (cook) 10. She’s got a sore throat. (eat/ice-cream/too much) 11. Your colleague looks very enthusiastic. (discuss/the question if his wages increase with the boss) 12. The boss looks exhausted. (have a talk/with the customer/be always displeased/with the service).

Ex. 5

Complete the sentences with the given verbs, using only the Present Perfect Progressive:

cry, learn, live, play (twice), rain, wait(twice), walk, work

1) It __ all day. 2) I __ English since I was six. 3) She __ tennis professionally for ten years. 4) We __ not __ in this house for very long. 5) That man __ up and down the street for ages. 6) I __ very hard this week. 7) She __ non-stop since she got his letter. 8) He __ that music for hours. I wish he’d stop. 9) __ you __ long, sir? 10) They call me waiter, but you __ for half an hour.

Ex. 6

Put together the beginnings and ends of the conversations:

- Aren’t you hungry? - Helen’s been looking at them.

- Is it true that Philip’s been arrested? - I’ve been gardening all afternoon.
- Janet seems very cheerful. - I’ve been swimming.

- She’s very dirty. - I’ve been talking to Henry, and he just goes on.

- Why are my books all over the floor? - No, I’ve been eating all day.

- Why is your hair wet? - She’s been cleaning the cellar.

- You all look very miserable. - She’s been skiing with Roger for the last week

- You look tired. - Yes, he’s been stealing things from shops.

- You’re very late. - Yes, I’ve been painting the ceiling.

- Your hair is all white. - Yes, we’ve been telling each other our life

stories.

Ex. 7

Use the Present Perfect Progressive to say what has just been happening to cause the state of things expressed in the following sentences:

1) His clothes are wet. to walk in the rain. 2) You look upset. to say dreadful things about. 3) I’m so glad to be able to talk to someone. to have a very dull time. 4) Why do you think I ought to give up my work? to talk to the doctor. 5) You look excited. to try to talk someone out of doing something. 6) He is very tired. to overwork. 7) The streets are wet. to rain. 8) I can’t write a loving letter now. to write too many officials papers. 9) The air in the room is hazy. to smoke a great deal.

Ex.8

Complete the sentences by using the right tense of the given hints.

1. Why are your eyes red? 2. The kitchen smells of fresh fruit. 3. Why is the computer switched on? 4. You both look upset. 5. Ben, why are your jeans torn? 6. My clothes are all on the bed. 7. Your hands are in flour. 8. Why have you all fallen silent? 9. My fingers are sticky. 10. Little Nancy's face is in something brown. 11. Why is your room in such a mess? 12. There are empty bottles and glasses and packets all over the place. 13. Mary, your hands are so cold!

a. celebrate something b. look for the passport c. eat a Mars bar d. talk about me again? e. eat honey f. bake a pie? g. my daughter, try on h. play football i. quarrel again j. look for the programme k. make a fruit salad 1. watch television for hours m.clean the snow off the doorstep

Ex. 9

Rewrite each sentence using the Present Perfect Continuous form of an appropriate verb from the list below and for or since.

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