Present Perfect Continuous (Presente perfecto continuo)

Ver tabla de conjugacion: Present Perfect Continuous

El presente perfecto continuo, muchas veces tiene la equivalencia de la traduccin "llevar + gerundio" en espaol, pero el uso de esta forma es ms frecuente en ingls. Se utiliza para acciones que has empezado en el pasado pero continuan en el presente.

Grammatical Rules (Reglas gramaticales)

Form (Forma) Como en el presente perfecto, usamos el verbo auxiliar "to have" adems de "been" (el participio pasado del verbo "to be") y ms el gerundio del verbo.
Subject Auxiliaries Gerund

I, You, We, They

have been

talking, studying, waiting... talking, studying, waiting...

He, She, It

has been

Structure (Estructura) 1. Affirmative Sentences (Frases afirmativas) EstructuraSujeto + verbo auxiliar ("to have") + "been" + gerundio.

o o o

Ejemplos: Play They've been talking for three hours. (Han estado hablando durante tres horas.) Play She has been studying English since she was 16. (Ha estado estudiando ingls desde que tena 16
aos.)

Play I've been waiting for you for over an hour! (Te llevo esperando durante ms de una hora!) 2. Negative Sentences (Frases negativas) EstructuraSujeto + verbo auxiliar ("to have") + "not" + "been" + gerundio.

o o

Ejemplos: Play They haven't been talking for more than a few minutes. (No han estado hablando ms de unos
minutos.)

Play She hasn't been studying English for very long. (No ha estado estudiando ingls durante mucho
tiempo.)

Play

Don't worry, I haven't been waiting long. (No te preocupes, no llevo esperando mucho tiempo.) 3. Interrogative Sentences (Frases interrogativas) EstructuraVerbo auxiliar ("to have") + sujeto + "been" + gerundio?

o o o o

Ejemplos: Play Have they been talking for a long time? (Han estado hablando durante mucho tiempo?) Play Has Mary been waiting long? (Lleva Mary esperando mucho tiempo?)

Use (Uso) Usamos este tiempo cuando queremos expresar el sentido de la continuidad de una accin que ha comenzado en el pasado y que dura todava en el presente o que acaba de terminar. Nos referimos a algo que hemos estado haciendo en un perodo de tiempo, por lo tanto, usamos las preposiciones de tiempo "for" y "since". Si usamos el presente perfecto continuo sin un perodo de tiempo, significa "lately" o "recently".

Ejemplos: Play I can't believe it is still raining. It's been raining for a week now! (No puedo creer que todava est
lloviendo. Lleva lloviendo desde hace una semana!)

Play John has been working at the bank since 2003. (John lleva trabajando en el banco desde 2003.) Play We've been planning our vacation for over a month. (Llevamos planeando nuestras vacaciones desde
hace ms de un mes.)

Play Amanda and Tom have been dating since last June. (Amanda y Tom han estado saliendo desde el junio
pasado.)

Play He hasn't been studying enough. (No ha estado estudiando bastante.) Play Have you been feeling ok lately? (Te has sentido bien ltimamente?) Play I've been working too much. (He estado trabajando demasiado.)

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. Complete List of Present Perfect Continuous Forms

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?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

Recently, John has been doing the work. ACTIVE Recently, the work has been being done by John. PASSIVE NOTE: Present Perfect Continuous is less commonly used in its passive form.

Present Perfect Continuous

Uso. Estructura. Aspectos a Recordar

El 'Present Perfect Continuous' (o Presente Perfecto Continuo) se utiliza principalmente para hablar de acciones que ocurrieron en el pasado y continan en el presente. Ellos han estado jugando todo el da.

CMO SE FORMA? El Presente Perfecto Continuo se forma con el verbo 'to have' acompaado de un participio y un verbo terminado en -ing. AFIRMATIVA: Para formar la afirmativa ponemos la forma correspondiente del auxiliar 'have' acompaado del participio 'been' y un verbo en -ing.
SUJETO + HAVE/HAS

+ BEEN + VERBO EN -ING + RESTO DE FRASE

Ellos han estado jugando todo el da.

They have been playing all day.

* Podemos ver este verbo contrado tambin (they've / she's) NEGATIVA: Para formar la negativa tenemos que negar el auxiliar 'have'. Recuerda que 'have' acta como auxiliar, por lo que puede negarse a si mismo.
SUJETO + HAVEN'T/HASN'T

+ BEEN + VERBO EN -ING + RESTO DE FRASE

Ellos no han estado jugando todo el da.

They haven't been playing all day.

* Al igual que en afirmativa, podemos encontrar la forma completa (have not / has not) o la forma contrada (hasn't / haven't)

INTERROGATIVA: Para formar la interrogativa tenemos que invertir el auxiliar 'have' y el sujeto.
HAVE/HAS

+ SUJETO + PARTICIPIO + VERBO EN -ING + RESTO DE FRASE? Han estado ellos jugando todo el da?

Have they been playing all day?

QU DEBO RECORDAR? Lo importante que debemos tener en cuenta es lo siguiente: Debemos tener en cuenta que la tercera persona es 'has' y para el resto de personas utilizamos 'have'. Recuerda las reglas de ortografa propias de los verbos terminados en -ing. Puedes consultarlos en la seccin del Presente Continuo. Aunque su uso principal es el que les he comentado anteriormente, podemos encontrar varios usos de este tiempo. Acciones que empezaron en el pasado y continan en el presente (I.e. They have been playing all day). Tambin se utiliza para hablar de una accin pasada que seguramente ha terminado recientemente. (I.e. The alarm has been sounding all night). Adems, es utilizado para acciones pasadas que acaban de terminar y que lo sabemos por algo evidente (I.e. Have you been reading?)

Present perfect continuous

Se forma con el sujeto + have/has + been + gerundio Ejemplo: I have been studying

Se usa: 1. Para hablar de una accin que ha acabado hace poco que acaba de terminar. Ejemplo: You look tired. Yes I have been running. 2. Tambin se usa para decir cuanto tiempo ha durado una actividad. 3. Se usa con preguntas con how long y since y for. Ejemplos:How long have you been living here? Cuanto tiempo llevas viviendo aqu? I have been living here since 2006. Vivo aqu desde 2006. I have been living in this flat for 2 years. Llevo 2 aos viviendo en este piso. Cual es la diferencia entre el present perfect y el present perfect continuo? 1. Cuando usas el present perfecto continuo el nfasis esta en la duracin de la actividad. Ejemplo: It has been raining for 2 hours. Lleva dos horas lloviendo. 2. Tambin se usa para estas mas interesada en una accin que no esta terminada todava. Ejemplo: I have been doing my homework. He estado haciendo mis deberes. 3. Se usa el present perfect simple para decir que algo esta acabado. Ejemplos: I have written a letter. He escrito una carta. (la carta esta terminada) I have been writing a letter. He estado escribiendo una carta. (la carta no esta terminada) 4. Se usa el present perfect continuo para decir cuanto tiempo ha durado la actividad. Ejemplo: I have been writing this letter for an hour. Llevo una hora escribiendo esta carta. 5. Se usa el present perfect simple para decir cuantas cosas hemos hecho o cuantas veces hemos hecho algo. Ejemplo: I have read 3 chapters of this book. He ledo 3 captulos de este libro. I have been to the beach everyday this week. Esta semana he ido a la playa todos los dias. 6. A veces no hay gran diferencia entre las dos. Ejemplo: I have been living here since 2006. I have lived here since 2006. Las dos frases se pueden traducir como - Vivo aqui desde 2006. Ejercicio Completar las frases con el present perfect simple el present perfect continuo y despus haga clic aqu para ver las respuestas. 1.I .the house. (tidy) 2.He is dirty because he .. the car. (repair) 3.Imy keys. (lost)

4.I dinner. (cook) ahora la cena esta lista 5.I ..for 3 hours. (wait)

1.- Present perfect continuous Esta forma verbal se emplea cuando interesa destacar la accin en s misma ms que el resultado; no se precisa si la accin ha finalizado o no (la accin comenz en el pasado y puede que acabe de terminar o que incluso contine). I have been reading a book (resalto lo que he estado haciendo; no indico si he finalizado el libro o no) Este tiempo se utiliza tambin para indicar la duracin de una accin que comenz en el pasado (y que acaba de finalizar o an contina). I have been playing tennis for two hours I have been waiting for him for 1 hour (puede que la otra persona acabe de llegar o que yo an siga esperando; el contexto determinar un sentido u otro) El empleo de este tiempo indica que el emisor considera que la duracin ha sidolarga. 2.- Present perfect simple Describe una accin que comenz en el pasado y que acaba de finalizar. Pone elnfasis en el resultado y no en la accin en si misma. I have read a book (destaco que he ledo un libro, que lo he terminado, y no el hecho de haber dedicado un tiempo a la lectura). En el siguiente ejemplo se puede observar la diferencia entre estas dos formas verbales: I have done my homework (indico que ya lo he finalizado) I have been doing my homework (indico la actividad que he estado desarrollando; no informo de si he terminado mis deberes o no) Se utiliza tambin para indicar cuantas acciones se han realizado en un tiempo determinado.

Today I have read ten books El empleo de este tiempo informa indirectamente sobre el presente, ya que conlleva que la situacin no ha cambiado. He has gone to Canada (esta persona sigue en Canda o est de viaje hacia all; en cualquier caso todava no ha regresado) I have broken my leg (la pierna sigue rota; an no ha sanado) Si no se da informacin sobre el presente hay que utilizar el "past simple". He went to Canada (no se informa de si l sigue all o ya volvi) I broke my leg (puede que la pierna ya est curada o que an siga rota) En aquellos verbos en los que no se utiliza la forma continua (leccin 17) hay que recurrir en todos estos supuestos al "present perfect simple".

rogressive Present Perfect

What have you been doing? Qu has estado haciendo? subject + have / has + been + 1 > "ing"
Affirmative I have been going You have been going He has been going She has been going It has been going We have been going You have been going Negative I haven't been going You haven't been going He hasn't been going She hasn't been going It hasn't been going We haven't been going You haven't been going 1 go 2 went 3 gone

Interrogative Have I been going ? Have you been going ? Has he been going ? Has she been going ? Has it been going ? Have we been going ? Have you been going ?

They have been going Affirmative

They haven't been going

Have they been going ?

subject + have/has + been + 1 > "ing"

I have been going to New York - He estado yendo a New York He has been going to New York - El ha estado yendo a New York Negative
York

subject + haven't / hasn't + been + 1 > "ing"

I haven't been going to New York - No he estado yendo a New He hasn't been going to New York - El no ha estado yendo a New
York

Interrogative
?

Have / Has + subject + been + 1 > "ing" ?

Have I been going to New York? - He estado yendo a New York Has he been going to New York? - Ha estado l yendo a New
York?

usos del presente perfecto continuo

Actividades que comenzaron en el pasado y continan en el presente y resaltan la duracin del proceso.
Monica and her husband have been living in Barcelona for ten years. Mnica y su esposo llevan viviendo en Barcelona diez aos.

Acciones que comenzaron en el pasado y pueden o no haber finalizado recientemente y resaltan la duracin del proceso.
The weather is really bad. It has been raining all night. El tiempo est realmente malo. Ha estado lloviendo toda la noche.

Acciones del pasado que acaban de concluir y cuyo estado es evidente.

Hmm. Nice smelling!! Have you been cooking your birthday cake? Hmm. Qu lindo aroma!! Has estado cocinando tu torta de cumpleaos?

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS USO Utilizamos el presente perfecto continuo para hablar de una accin que se desaroll durante algn tiempo en el pasado y que acaba de terminar. Los efectos de dicha accin se hacen sentir en el presente. She has been running

Queremos decir con esto que estuvo corriendo, acaba de dejarlo, pero an se siente cansada. We've been playing volleyball. They've been fighting. She's been washing her hair. Este ltimo ejemplo significa que hace poco estaba lavndose la cabeza. Ahora ya no se est lavando, pero los efectos de la accin pueden verse en el presente: su pelo est aun hmedo, por ejemplo.

ESTRUCTURA Affirmative: we use have/has + been + the -ing form of the verb. Hes been writing letters all morning. Negative: we use havent/hasnt + been + the -ing form of the verb. We havent been reading much lately. Interrogative: we put have/has before the subject + been + the -ing form of the verb. You look hot! Have you been running?

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

I have been singing

How do we make the Present Perfect Continuous Tense?

The structure of the present perfect continuous tense is: subject + auxiliary verb + auxiliary verb + main verb have has been base + ing

Here are some examples of the present perfect continuous tense: subject auxiliary verb + I + You It We have have has have you they auxiliary verb been been not been not been been been main verb waiting talking raining. playing seeing doing football. her? their homework? for one hour. too much.

? Have ? Have

Contractions

When we use the present perfect continuous tense in speaking, we often contract the subject and the first auxiliary. We also sometimes do this in informal writing. I have been I've been

You have been He has been She has been It has been John has been The car has been We have been They have been

You've been He's been She's been It's been John's been The car's been We've been They've been

Here are some examples:

I've been reading. The car's been giving trouble. We've been playing tennis for two hours.

How do we use the Present Perfect Continuous Tense?

This tense is called the present perfect continuous tense. There is usually a connection with thepresent or now. There are basically two uses for the present perfect continuous tense:

1. An action that has just stopped or recently stopped

We use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about an action that started in the past and stopped recently. There is usually a result now. I'm tired because I've been running. past present !!! Recent action. Result now. future

I'm tired [now] because I've been running. Why is the grass wet [now]? Has it been raining? You don't understand [now] because you haven't been listening.

2. An action continuing up to now

We use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about an action that started in the past and is continuing now. This is often used with for or since. I have been reading for 2 hours. past present future

Action started in past.

Action is continuing now.

I have been reading for 2 hours. [I am still reading now.] We've been studying since 9 o'clock. [We're still studying now.] How long have you been learning English? [You are still learning now.] We have not been smoking. [And we are not smoking now.]

For and Since with Present Perfect Continuous Tense

We often use for and since with the present perfect tense.

We use for to talk about a period of time - 5 minutes, 2 weeks, 6 years. We use since to talk about a point in past time - 9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday. for since

a period of time a point in past time

x 20 minutes three days 6 months 4 years 2 centuries a long time ever etc 6.15pm Monday January 1994 1800 I left school the beginning of time etc

Here are some examples:

I have been studying for 3 hours. I have been watching TV since 7pm. Tara hasn't been feeling well for 2 weeks. Tara hasn't been visiting us since March. He has been playing football for a long time. He has been living in Bangkok since he left school.