slug: present-perfect-continuous title: Present Perfect Continuous group: tenses order: 4 summary: An action that started in the past and is still continuing (or just stopped with visible results). formula: S + has/have been + V-ing
When to use it
Present perfect continuous emphasises the duration or ongoing nature of an activity that began in the past and either still continues or has just stopped with a noticeable result.
He has been running for an hour. (He started an hour ago and is probably still running — or has just stopped, tired and sweaty.)
Common signal words: for, since, all day, all morning, lately, recently.
Form
| Subject | Affirmative | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / You / We / They | have been working | have not been working | have you been working? |
| He / She / It | has been working | has not been working | has she been working? |
The structure is have/has + been + the -ing form of the main verb. been never changes — only the auxiliary (have vs has) changes by person.
Examples
- I have been studying English for three years.
- Why are your eyes red? — I have been crying.
- How long have you been waiting here?
Common mistakes
- Using this tense with stative verbs (know, want, understand). "I have been knowing him for years" is wrong — use present perfect: "I have known him for years".
- Confusing it with present perfect: present perfect focuses on the completed result ("I have written the email"); present perfect continuous focuses on the ongoing activity ("I have been writing emails all morning").