Present Perfect Continuous | Examples & Exercises
The present perfect continuous (also called present perfect progressive) is a verb tense used to discuss an action that started in the past and continues in the present moment. It’s used to talk about ongoing actions and recent actions that have an effect on the present.
| Affirmative | Negative | Interrogative |
|---|---|---|
| I have been cooking | I haven’t been cooking | Have I been cooking? |
| You (singular) have been cooking | You haven’t been cooking | Have you been cooking? |
| He/she/it has been cooking | He/she/it hasn’t been cooking | Has he/she/it been cooking? |
| We have been cooking | We haven’t been cooking | Have we been cooking? |
| You (plural) have been cooking | You haven’t been cooking | Have you been cooking? |
| They have been cooking | They haven’t been cooking | Have they been cooking? |
How to use the present perfect continuous
Use the present perfect continuous when discussing an ongoing action that started in the past or an action that started in the past and is finished but still affects the present.
The structure for using the present perfect continuous is subject + have/has + been + verb (-ing).
One tip for using the present perfect continuous is to use it with words or phrases that indicate that the action has been in progress and is still going or has recently stopped but still affects the present.
We have been talking about our project since the beginning of the semester.
I have been cooking all afternoon, and dinner is finally ready.
When the sentence requires a stative verb, use the present perfect tense.
- I have been knowing the answer.
- I have known the answer.
A QuillBot Grammar Check can help ensure your sentences in the present perfect continuous are error free.
Present perfect vs present perfect continuous
Present perfect and present perfect continuous can be used interchangeably without significantly changing the meaning of a sentence in some (but not all!) contexts.
Present perfect differs from present perfect continuous in that the present perfect tense emphasizes the result or finality of the action, whereas present perfect continuous emphasizes the continuity of the action.
Present perfect continuous: She has been teaching French for ten years.
Both examples emphasize that the subject has been teaching French for ten years and continues to do so.
Present perfect continuous: Christopher has been fixing the car. [Christopher is still fixing the car.]
Present perfect continuous vs present continuous
We use present continuous (also called present progressive) to describe actions that are happening right now, at the very moment, or in the near future (e.g., “I am reading a great book right now”). The present continuous emphasizes current, ongoing actions, whereas the present perfect continuous emphasizes the duration of an ongoing action over time.
The present continuous differs from the present perfect continuous in three ways:
- The present continuous never refers to a completed action. For example, “I am walking to the store” does not reference the finished action.
- The present continuous only refers to current ongoing actions or actions planned for the future, never to past actions.
- I am walking to the store now.
- I am walking to the store since 2 o’clock.
- The present continuous can refer to an ongoing action in the present and continuing into the future.
- I am cooking dinner next Friday night.
- I have been cooking dinner next Friday night.
How to form questions
To form questions in the present perfect continuous tense, switch the order of the subject and “have/has.”
So, to form a question in the present perfect continuous, the structure is:
Have/has + subject + been + verb (-ing).
Have you been practicing the piano for a long time?
How to form negatives
To form negatives in the present perfect continuous, add “not” after or “have/has.”
To form a negative in the present perfect continuous, the structure is:
Subject + have/has + not + been + verb (-ing).
I have not been sleeping well lately.
You can also use the contracted form—“haven’t/hasn’t” instead of “have not/has not”—for negatives.
I haven’t been sleeping well lately.
How to form the passive voice
Let’s first quickly recap active and passive voice. In the active voice, the subject performs the action of the verb, while in the passive voice, the subject receives the action of the verb.
Passive: A beautiful mural was painted by the artist.
The present perfect continuous tense is rarely used in the passive voice because it focuses on an action’s ongoing progress, while the passive voice typically emphasizes the result or the object of the action.
Passive voice in the present perfect continuous sounds awkward and unnecessarily long-winded, partially because of the phrasing “been being.”
If you did, for some reason, want to use the passive voice with present perfect continuous, the structure would be:
Subject + have/has + been + being + past participle (of the main verb).
But it’s almost always better to use the active voice when using the present perfect continuous.
- Passive: The building has been being renovated for months.
- Active: They have been renovating the building for months.
- Passive: The case has been being investigated by the police for days.
- Active: The police have been investigating the case for days.
Frequently asked questions about the present perfect continuous
- What is the difference between the present perfect and the present perfect continuous?
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The present perfect and the present perfect continuous (present perfect progressive) are both verb tenses that are used to refer to the current effects of a past action or event. There are some differences between the two tenses, though:
- The present perfect is used to refer to past occurrences that may continue in the present (e.g., “I have traveled to six countries”).
- The present perfect continuous describes occurrences that started in the past and are ongoing (e.g., “I have been trying to talk to the doctor since last week”).
- When do I use the present perfect continuous?
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Use the perfect present continuous when discussing an action that started in the past and continues in the present moment or an action that has recently ended but has an effect on the present moment.
For example:
- The children have been building a sandcastle all morning. She has been exercising at the gym for an hour.
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you use the present perfect tense correctly.
- What are some present perfect continuous tense examples?
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Some examples of the present perfect continuous tense are:
- I have been jogging every morning for the past month.
- She has been practicing the piano since she was a child.
- Shelly has been making money in the stock market recently.
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you ensure you’re using the present perfect tense correctly.
