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English Course: Present Perfect Continuous

The document discusses the present perfect continuous tense in English. It explains that the present perfect continuous tense is used to describe actions that began in the past and continue in the present. It provides examples of how to use the tense with durations like "for five minutes" as well as how it can imply meanings of "recently" or "lately" without a specific duration. The document also notes important information about using the tense, including that it cannot be used with non-continuous verbs and certain meanings of mixed verbs. It concludes with an exercise asking students to complete sentences using the present perfect continuous tense.

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Jorge Palmeira
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69 views

English Course: Present Perfect Continuous

The document discusses the present perfect continuous tense in English. It explains that the present perfect continuous tense is used to describe actions that began in the past and continue in the present. It provides examples of how to use the tense with durations like "for five minutes" as well as how it can imply meanings of "recently" or "lately" without a specific duration. The document also notes important information about using the tense, including that it cannot be used with non-continuous verbs and certain meanings of mixed verbs. It concludes with an exercise asking students to complete sentences using the present perfect continuous tense.

Uploaded by

Jorge Palmeira
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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English Course

Professor: Laise Trindade


Student: _____________________________________________________________

Present Perfect Continuous


FORM [has/have + been + present participle]

Examples:
 You have been waiting here for two hours.
 Have you been waiting here for two hours?
 You have not been waiting here for two hours.

USE 1 Duration from the Past Until Now

We use the present perfect continuous to show that something started in the past and has
continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all durations
which can be used with the present perfect continuous.

Examples:

 They have been talking for the last hour.


 She has been working at that company for three years.
 What have you been doing for the last 30 minutes?
 James has been teaching at the university since June.
 We have been waiting here for over two hours!
 Why has Nancy not been taking her medicine for the last three days?

USE 2 Recently, Lately

You can also use the present perfect continuous WITHOUT a duration such as "for two
weeks." Without the duration, the tense has a more general meaning of "lately." We often use the
words "lately" or "recently" to emphasize this meaning.

Examples:

 Recently, I have been feeling really tired.


 She has been watching too much television lately.
 Have you been exercising lately?
 Mary has been feeling a little depressed.
 Lisa has not been practicing her English.
 What have you been doing?
IMPORTANT

Remember that the present perfect continuous has the meaning of "lately" or "recently."
If you use the present perfect continuous in a question such as "Have you been feeling alright?",
it can suggest that the person looks sick or unhealthy. A question such as "Have you been
smoking?" can suggest that you smell the smoke on the person. Using this tense in a question
suggests you can see, smell, hear or feel the results of the action. It is possible to insult someone
by using this tense incorrectly.

REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs/ Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that non-continuous verbs cannot be used in any continuous


tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for mixed verbs cannot be used in continuous
tenses. Instead of using present perfect continuous with these verbs, you must use present perfect.

Examples:
 Sam has been having his car for two years. Not Correct
 Sam has had his car for two years. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only,
never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:
 You have only been waiting here for one hour.
 Have you only been waiting here for one hour?

EXERCISE

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses
1. Judy: How long (be) _____________________________ in Canada?
Claude: I (study) ___________________________________ here for more than three years.

2. I (have) _______________________________ the same car for more than ten years. I'm
thinking about buying a new one.

3. I (love) ________________________________ chocolate since I was a child. You might


even call me a "chocoholic."

4. Matt and Sarah (have) _____________________________ some difficulties in their


relationship lately, so they (go) ____________________________ to a marriage counselor. I
hope they work everything out.

5. John (work) ___________________________ for the government since he graduated from


Harvard University. Until recently, he (enjoy) ____________________________ his work, but
now he is talking about retiring.

6. Lately, I (think) _____________________________ about changing my career because I


(become) _________________________________ dissatisfied with the conditions at my
company.
7. I (see) ___________________________________ Judy for more than five years and during
that time I have (see) ____________________________________ many changes in her
personality.
8. Robin: I think the waiter (forget)__________________________ us. We (wait)
_____________________ here for over half an hour and nobody (take)
______________________ our order yet.

Michele: I think you're right. He (walk) _________________________ by us at least twenty


times. He probably thinks we (order, already) _____________________________.

Robin: Look at that couple over there, they (be, only) _________________________ here for
five or ten minutes and they already have their food.

Michele: He must realize we (order, not) ______________________ yet! We (sit)


________________________________ here for over half an hour staring at him.

Robin: I don't know if he (notice, even) _______________________________ us. He (run)


______________________________ from table to table taking orders and serving food.

Michele: That's true, and he (look, not) ___________________________ in our direction once.
List of Irregular Verbs

Infinitive Simple Past Past Participle


arise arose arisen
awake awakened / awoke awakened / awoken
be was, were been
beat beat beaten / beat
become became become
begin began begun
bet bet bet
bite bit bitten
bleed bled bled
blow blew blown
break broke broken
bring brought brought
build built built
burn burned burned / burnt
buy bought bought
catch caught caught
choose chose chosen
come came come
cost cost cost
cut cut cut
do did done
draw drew drawn
dream dreamed dreamed / dreamt
drink drank drunk
drive drove driven
eat ate eaten
fall fell fallen
feed fed fed
feel felt felt
fight fought fought
find found found
forget forgot forgotten
forgive forgave forgiven
get got gotten
give gave given
go went gone
grow grew grown
hang hung hung
have had had
hear heard heard
hit hit hit
hold held held
hurt hurt hurt
know knew known
learn learned learned
leave left left
let let let
lose lost lost
make made made
meet met met
pay paid paid
read read (sounds like "red") read (sounds like "red")
ride rode ridden
run ran run
say said said
see saw seen
seek sought sought
sell sold sold
send sent sent
set set set
show showed shown / showed
sleep slept slept
speak spoke spoken
spend spent spent
take took taken
teach taught taught
tell told told
think thought thought
throw threw thrown
wake woke / waked woken / waked
wear wore worn
win won won
understand understood understood

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