Present Perfect Continuous Tense
What is the present perfect progressive tense? or what is present perfect continuous tense?
The present perfect continuous tense is used in a sentence to indicate an action that started in the recent past and is still persisting in the present. It means that there is usually a connection between the present and now.
Uses of the present perfect continuous tense
We use the Present Perfect Continuous to talk about:
- past action recently stopped
- past action still continuing
Present Perfect Continuous Tense for past action just stopped
We use the Present Perfect Continuous tense to talk about an action that started in the past and stopped recently. There is usually a result now.
For example:
- I am exhausted because I have been lifting weights.
Present Perfect Continuous Tense for past action continuing now
We use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about an action that started in the past and, that is continuing now. We often use for or since with this kind of sentence.
For example:
- I have been reading for two hours. (Action started in the past and it is still ongoing.)
- The former has been bringing fertilizer from the market since 2 pm.
How to use For and Since with the Present Perfect Continuous tense
We often use for and since with perfect tenses:
- We use for to talk about a period of time: five minutes, two weeks, six years
- We use since to talk about a point in past time: 9 o’clock, 1st January, Monday
Note: For can be used with all tenses. Since is usually used with perfect tenses only.
Look at these example sentences using for and since with the Present Perfect Continuous tense:
- We have been going to the market for thirty minutes.
- We have been cooking vegetables since 9 o’clock.
- I have been living in Delhi for four years.
- Razia has not been calling me for three months.
- Suresh has not been carrying a bag since August.
- I have been working in America for two years.
- I have been living at home since I left America.
Rules for Affirmative Sentences in Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Subject + has/have + been + present participle (verb+ing) + rest of the sentence
- I have been working as a software engineer for four years.
- You have been working as a software engineer for four years.
- We have been working as software engineers for four years.
- He has been working as a software engineer for four years.
- She has been working as a software engineer for four years.
- They have been working as software engineers for four years.
- It has been raining for a month now.
- Radha has been working as a software engineer for four years.
- Sunita and Banita have been working as software engineers for four years.
Rules for Negative Sentences in Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Subject + has/have + not + been + present participle (verb+ing) + rest of the sentence
- I have not been working as a software engineer for four years.
- You have not been working as a software engineer for four years.
- We have not been working as software engineers for four years.
- He has not been working as a software engineer for four years.
- She has not been working as a software engineer for four years.
- They have not been working as software engineers for four years.
- It has not been raining for a month now.
- Radha has not been working as a software engineer for four years.
- Sunita and Banita have not been working as software engineers for four years.
Rules for Interrogative Sentences in Present Perfect Continuous Tense
There are two types of Interrogative sentences:
Yes/No type of question
The sentences which start with helping verbs or auxiliary verbs are called the Yes/No type of question.
Structure of Yes/No Type: Has/Have + subject + been + present participle (verb+ing) + rest of the sentence +?
For example:
- Have I been working as a software engineer for four years.
- Have you been working as a software engineer for four years?
- Have we been working as software engineers for four years?
- Has he been working as a software engineer for four years?
- Has she been working as a software engineer for four years?
- Have they been working as software engineers for four years?
- Has it been raining for a month now?
- Has Radha been working as a software engineer for four years?
- Have Sunita and Banita been working as software engineers for four years?
Wh-word type of question
The sentences which start with question words are called the Wh-word type of questions.
Structure for wh-word: Question word + has/have + subject + been + present participle (verb+ing) + rest of the sentence +?
- What have you been doing since I left?
- How long has he been waiting?
- Why has the phone been ringing for the last two hours?
Rules for Interrogative Negative Sentences in Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Structure of Yes/No Type: Have/Has + subject + not + been + present participle (verb+ing) + the rest of the sentence + ?
- Have I not been working as a software engineer for four years?
- Have you not been working as a software engineer for four years?
- Have we not been working as software engineers for four years?
- Has he not been working as a software engineer for four years?
- Has she not been working as a software engineer for four years?
- Have they not been working as software engineers for four years?
- Has it not been raining for a month now?
- Has Radha not been working as a software engineer for four years?
- Have Sunita and Banita not been working as software engineers for four years?
Wh-word Negative type of question
Structure for wh-word: Question word + have/has + subject + not + been + present participle (verb+ing) + the rest of the sentence. + ?
For example:
- Where have you not been working since 2021?
- How long has he not been waiting?
- Why has the phone not been ringing for the last two hours?
