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Present perfect continuous: for and since
B1 B1 grammar · lesson 2 of 23
The present perfect continuous tells us how long an activity has continued up to now. It is very common when we talk about our work, hobbies and daily life.
Form
We make this tense with have/has + been + verb-ing. In speaking we usually use short forms: I’ve been, she’s been, we haven’t been. The word been never changes.
| Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|
| I have been working. | I haven’t been working. | Have you been working? |
| She has been studying. | She hasn’t been studying. | Has she been studying? |
| They‘ve been waiting. | They haven’t been waiting. | How long have they been waiting? |
Uses
1. An activity that started in the past and is still continuing now. We often say how long with for or since.
- for + a period of time: for ten minutes, for two years, for ages
- since + a starting point: since 8 o’clock, since Monday, since 2020, since I was a child
2. A recent activity that explains a present result. The activity may be finished, but we can see the result now: tired eyes, wet hair, a dirty kitchen. We often use it to explain why something looks or feels the way it does.
I have been learning English for three years.
Ali has been living in London since 2022.
How long have you been waiting for the bus?
It has been raining all day.
Your eyes are red. Have you been crying?
Mia is tired because she has been running.
We haven’t been sleeping well since the baby was born.
Continuous or simple?
The continuous form focuses on the activity and how long it lasts. The simple form (have done) focuses on the result or how many.
I have been reading this book all afternoon. (the activity)
I have read 100 pages. (the result: how many)
State verbs like know, like, have (= own), believe and want are not normally used in the continuous. Use the present perfect simple: I have known Sam for ten years.
Common mistakes
✗ I am living here since 2019.
✓ I have been living here since 2019.
✗ She has been working here since three years.
✓ She has been working here for three years.
✗ I have been knowing him for a long time.
✓ I have known him for a long time.