The present perfect continuous looks at an activity over a period of time up to now. The activity may still be in progress (I've been learning Spanish for two years), or it may have stopped a short time ago and left signs you can see, hear or feel (Your eyes are red. Have you been crying?).
It is close to the present perfect simple, and sometimes both are possible. The continuous form focuses on the activity and how long it has lasted; the simple form focuses on the result and on how much or how many. State verbs, such as know, own and believe, are not normally used in the continuous at all.
How to form the present perfect continuous
Use have been with I, you, we and they, and has been with he, she and it. Then add the main verb with -ing.
| Type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | subject + have/has + been + verb-ing | I have been working all day. She has been working all day. |
| Negative | subject + have/has + not + been + verb-ing | We haven't been waiting long. He hasn't been sleeping well. |
| Question | (Question word +) have/has + subject + been + verb-ing? | Have you been crying? How long has she been studying English? |
| Short answers | Yes, subject + have/has. / No, subject + haven't/hasn't. | Yes, I have. No, she hasn't. |
- Contractions: I've been, you've been, we've been, they've been, he's been, she's been, it's been; haven't been, hasn't been.
- He's been always means he has been: He's been working = He has been working. Been never changes; only have or has changes with the subject.
- Spelling of -ing: most verbs just add -ing (work → working), a silent -e drops (make → making), and a one-syllable verb ending in one vowel + one consonant doubles the consonant (run → running, sit → sitting). American English writes traveling; British English writes travelling.
- State verbs such as know, believe, understand, own and belong are not normally used in the continuous. Use the present perfect simple instead: I've known her since 2015 (not I've been knowing her).
When to use the present perfect continuous
1. How long an activity has been going on (for, since, how long)
Use the present perfect continuous with for, since and how long to say how long an activity has continued up to now. Usually it is still happening. With live and work, the present perfect simple is also possible with almost the same meaning.
- I've been learning the guitar for three years.
- It has been snowing since this morning.
- How long have you been waiting for the bus?
2. A recent activity with a result you can see now
Use it for an activity that has just stopped or stopped recently when you can still see, hear or feel the result. You often don't say how long.
- The ground is wet. It's been raining.
- Why are you out of breath? Have you been running?
- My hands are covered in oil because I've been fixing my bike.
3. Repeated actions and temporary situations (lately, recently)
Use it for something that has happened again and again in a period up to now, or for a temporary situation, often with lately or recently. It can also show that you are annoyed about something that keeps happening.
- She's been going to the gym a lot lately.
- I've been staying with my cousin while I look for an apartment.
- Who's been using my laptop? The battery is dead.
4. State verbs: use the present perfect simple
Verbs that describe states rather than actions, such as know, believe, understand, own and belong, are not normally used in the continuous. To say how long a state has lasted, use the present perfect simple. Have is a state verb when it means own, but an action verb in phrases like have lunch or have fun.
- I've known Sam since we were in high school. (not I've been knowing)
- We've had this car for twelve years. (not We've been having)
- We've been having a great time on vacation. (here have means experience, not own)
Words that often go with the present perfect continuous
- for
- since
- how long
- all day
- all morning
- all week
- lately
- recently
- for ages
- for a while
- just
- this week
Use for with a length of time (for two hours, for ages) and since with a starting point (since nine o'clock, since Monday). Without a time expression, the sentence usually describes a recent activity: You've been crying.
Examples
Positive
- I've been working on this report all morning.
- She has been learning Japanese since last summer.
- They've been playing video games for hours.
- It's been raining all week.
Negative
- I haven't been sleeping well lately.
- He hasn't been working here for very long.
- We haven't been waiting long, so don't worry.
- You haven't been listening to a word I've said!
Questions
- How long have you been studying English?
- Have you been waiting long?
- What have you been doing all afternoon?
- Who has been eating my cookies?
Present perfect continuous or present perfect simple?
Both forms connect the past with now. The continuous form focuses on the activity itself and how long it has lasted. The simple form focuses on the result: what is finished, and how much or how many. With live and work + for or since, both are often possible.
| Present perfect continuous | Present perfect simple |
|---|---|
| I've been painting the kitchen. (the activity; it may not be finished) | I've painted the kitchen. (the job is finished) |
| She's been writing emails all morning. (how long) | She's written twenty emails this morning. (how many) |
| How long have you been reading that book? (the activity) | How many pages have you read? (the amount so far) |
| I've been living with my aunt since March. (can sound temporary) | I've lived in this town all my life. (sounds permanent) |
Common mistakes
- WrongI have been knowing her for years.RightI have known her for years.
Know is a state verb, so it isn't used in the continuous; use the present perfect simple.
- WrongI am waiting here for twenty minutes.RightI have been waiting here for twenty minutes.
For an activity that started in the past and is still going on, English uses the present perfect continuous, not the present continuous.
- WrongShe has been writing three emails this morning.RightShe has written three emails this morning.
When you say how many things are finished, use the present perfect simple.
- WrongIt has been raining since two hours.RightIt has been raining for two hours.
Use for with a length of time (two hours) and since with a starting point (two o'clock).
- WrongWe have been wait for the bus for ages.RightWe have been waiting for the bus for ages.
After have/has been, the main verb needs the -ing form.
- WrongI've been having this phone for three years.RightI've had this phone for three years.
Have meaning own is a state verb, so use the present perfect simple; the continuous having is for actions and experiences, such as having lunch or having problems.
Training for a marathon
Examples of the present perfect continuous are highlighted.
Leila has been training for her first marathon since January. She has been running five days a week, and lately she has been getting up at six to avoid the heat. Her family has noticed the change. "You've been eating so much pasta!" her brother joked last night. It's true: she has been cooking huge dinners to give her body enough energy. Her knees have been hurting a little recently, so she has been doing special exercises every evening. Right now she is sitting on the couch with ice on her knees. "How long have you been doing this?" asks her friend Maya, who has come over for coffee. "Only four months," Leila says, "but it feels like years."
Present Perfect Continuous quiz
8 questions. Choose an answer to see if it is right and why.
Present Perfect Continuous: questions and answers
What is the present perfect continuous?
The present perfect continuous is formed with have/has been + the -ing form of the verb (I have been working, she has been studying). It describes an activity that started in the past and is still continuing, or that has just stopped and has a result now.
What is the difference between the present perfect simple and continuous?
The continuous form focuses on the activity and how long it has lasted (I've been reading all morning). The simple form focuses on the result or on how much has been done (I've read three chapters).
Which verbs are not used in the present perfect continuous?
State verbs, such as know, believe, understand, own and belong, are not normally used in the continuous, and neither is have when it means own. Use the present perfect simple instead: I've known him for years.
Is it "I have been living here" or "I have lived here"?
Both are correct with for or since, and with live and work the meaning is almost the same. The continuous form can make the situation sound more temporary or recent (I've been living here since March), while the simple form often sounds more permanent (I've lived here all my life).
Can I use the present perfect continuous without for or since?
Yes. Without a time expression, it usually describes a recent activity that explains something now: You look tired. Have you been working late? It is also common with lately and recently: I've been reading a lot lately.