How to use present perfect continuous properly

What is present perfect continuous

The present perfect continuous tense is a verb form used to emphasize the duration of an action that started in the past, continues in the present, and may still be ongoing. It is structured as have/has been + the present participle (-ing form) of the main verb. For example: "She has been working on the project since morning," or "They have been waiting for the bus for 30 minutes." In these sentences, has been working and have been waiting are present perfect continuous verbs, highlighting actions that began earlier and persist now.

The present perfect continuous is categorized into affirmative ("I have been studying"), negative ("I have not been studying"), and interrogative ("Have you been studying?"). These forms differ in function: affirmatives stress ongoing actions, negatives deny their continuity, and interrogatives ask about their duration. Additionally, it contrasts with the present perfect by focusing on the process ("I have been cooking" implies ongoing effort) rather than completion ("I have cooked" indicates a finished result).

Some most common uses of present perfect continuous verbs in English

Below are some most frequent used English present perfect continuous verbs.

Have been working (to perform labor)

Has been studying (to learn intensively)

Have been waiting (to stay in expectation)

Has been raining (to fall as precipitation)

Have been talking (to converse)

Has been training (to prepare physically)

Have been writing (to create text)

Has been arguing (to disagree persistently)

Have been driving (to operate a vehicle)

Has been improving (to make better)

In formal contexts, present perfect continuous verbs like has been conducting ("The team has been conducting experiments") or have been negotiating ("The parties have been negotiating terms") are typical. Informal usage often includes contractions, such as 've been chilling ("We 've been chilling all day") or hasn't been sleeping ("He hasn't been sleeping well"). Regional variations exist: British English might use have been queueing ("They have been queueing for hours"), while American English prefers have been standing in line ("They have been standing in line"), both meaning "waiting in sequence."

When to use present perfect continuous

The present perfect continuous is appropriate for emphasizing the duration of ongoing actions ("I have been reading this book for weeks"), explaining recent activities with visible results ("Her eyes are red because she has been crying"), or expressing temporary habits ("He has been jogging every morning lately"). For example: "They have been renovating their house since January," "The kids have been playing outside all afternoon," or "She has been feeling tired recently."

Misusing the tense can confuse timelines. Saying "I have been finished the report" instead of "I have finished" incorrectly implies the action is still ongoing. Avoid using it with non-action verbs (know, belong) in most contexts ("I have been knowing him" -> "I have known him"). Overusing it for completed actions ("They have been built the bridge" -> "They have built") also creates ambiguity.

How to evaluate my knowledge on present perfect continuous

All dynamic verbs can form the present perfect continuous, totaling thousands of possibilities. Categories range from simple (have been walking, has been eating) to complex with irregular -ing spellings (lying from lie, dying from die). Self-assessment methods include rewriting sentences to emphasize duration ("She has been painting for hours"), identifying errors ("They has been wait -> have been waiting"), or writing paragraphs about long-term activities ("I have been learning French"). Peer-reviewed exercises, such as explaining why "He has been slept" is incorrect (-> "He has been sleeping"), and creating timelines to link past actions to the present also test proficiency.

One simple way to check your current knowledge level of present perfect continuous is by testing your skills. Try out to guess what are the expressions on the sentences gaps below:

1. She ______ (study) for three hours.

2. They ______ (work) on the project all week.

3. It ______ (rain) since morning.

4. He ______ (not/sleep) well lately.

5. We ______ (paint) the house for days.

6. The students ______ (prepare) for exams.

7. The committee ______ (debate) the issue for months.

8. She ______ (revise) her manuscript since January.

9. New regulations ______ (discuss) extensively.

Sentences from 1 to 3 uses beginner level present perfect continuous. Their answers are: 1. has been studying | 2. have been working | 3. has been raining. Sentences 4 to 6 are intermediate level, their answers are: 4. hasn't been sleeping | 5. have been painting | 6. have been preparing. Sentence 7 to 9 are advanced level, their answers are: 7. has been debating | 8. has been revising | 9. have been being discussed. Check how much you guessed right on each level and you will have a clue on how much you know and which is your current knowledge level on present perfect continuous. Of course this is a very simple test and it is very high biased. You should take a longer test, using a wide range of present perfect continuous verbs to have a more accurate score.

Ways to improve my knowledge on present perfect continuous

Improvement strategies include reading articles or interviews to identify present perfect continuous usage ("The team has been developing a new app"), writing journals about ongoing activities ("I have been practicing yoga daily"), and practicing -ing spelling rules (run -> running, write -> writing). Role-playing scenarios ("What have you been doing all day?") enhances conversational fluency. Grammar workbooks with sentence-rephrasing exercises ("Change 'She cooks' to present perfect continuous: She has been cooking"), group discussions about long-term projects ("What have you been working on?"), and self-created timelines ("I have been living here since...") reinforce understanding. Peer feedback on written work and recording oral summaries of ongoing efforts ("I have been trying to...") also solidify mastery.

You could learn them by listening to podcasts, watching videos on youtube or reading online news focused on the audience you are looking to be part of. Focusing situations and audience will shrink the amount of common used present perfect continuous verbs you have to learn at the beginning of your learning journey. Don't be afraid on not kowing all of things you hear or read. Don't be afraid to ask or search online the meaning of new expressions. Ask natives: Clarify new words you hear in conversations. Stay curious: Note down unfamiliar words in a "expression diary." Finally, embrace mistakes: Misusing it can become a funny learning moment!"

Learninn is a great way to get in touch with English present perfect continuous. Articles and videos hosted on our platform include most common present perfect continuous, if not all existent ones. Every content consumed on our platform is recorded and used in the future for your learning.