PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

1. Form: we use HAVE / HAS + BEEN + VERB ING FORM. + I / you / we / they he / she / it I / you / we / they he / she / it HAVE HAS HAVE HAS been waiting for ages.

HAVENT HASNT

been waiting.

? I / you / we / they he / she / it

been waiting long?

Short answers Yes, I / you / we / they HAVE. he / she / it HAS. 2. Uses:

No, I / you/ we / they HAVENT. he / she / it HASNT.

For an action over a period of time leading up to the present. The action is still going on. e.g. Weve been waiting here for twenty minutes. (Were waiting now) To talk about repeated actions up to now. e.g. Natasha has been playing the piano since she was four. To talk about an action that has been going on very recently. It has usually just stopped. e.g. Ive been swimming. Thats why my hair is wet. 3. Time words:

FOR (duration): e.g. My sister has been staying with me for three weeks now. SINCE (the moment something started): e.g. Youve been playing on that computer since seven oclock LATELY, RECENTLY (in the last few days or weeks): e.g. I havent been feeling very well recently. Our team hasnt been doing very well lately.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS OR SIMPLE?

We use the present perfect continuous for an action happening over a period of time. We are thinking of Mike doing the repair and getting oil on his hands. e.g. Mike has been repairing the car. (hes repairing the car now) We use the present perfect simple for a complete action. We are thinking of the finished repair and the result of the repair that the car is all right now. e.g. Mike has repaired the car. (he has finished) We normally use the continuous form to say how long. We normally use the simple form to say how much / many. e. g. Rachel has been playing music all day. (how long) Rachel has played at least twenty CDs. (how many) We cannot normally use the continuous form with a state verb. e.g. Ive known the secret for a long time. (NOT Ive been knowing the secret) NOTE: Live and work can be continuous or simple, with no difference in meaning. e.g. Weve been living here since 1992. OR Weve lived here since 1992. Sarah has been working for this company for three years now. OR Sarah has worked for this company for three years now.