Your jacket is torn again! You ve been fighting. (but not fighting at the moment of speech)
To denote the period of time or the starting point of the action adverbials with 'for'and 'since'are normally used with these tense-forms.
The Present Perfect Continuous (Progressive) tense is similar ю the Present Perfect Simple in showing connection between the past and present. But the Present Perfect Continuous tense is used for more temporary actions and situations and emphasizes the duration of the activity. The Present Perfect Simple is used for more permanent situations and expresses an idea of the completion of an action emphasizing the result of the action for the present.
His parents have lived in London all their lives. I've been living in Sally's flat for the last month.
Note the difference between the Present Perfect Continuous and the Present Perfect tenses from the point of view of Russian-English and English-Russian translation.
1. - You look hot.
- I've been running all
the way .
Я бежала всю
дорогу ...
. He's run all the distance to the finish fairly well.
Он пробежал всю
дистанцию...
2. I've been learning irregular verbs all afternoon. Я учил ...
I've learnt irregular verbs (= I know them). Я выучил ...
3. Sorry about the mess -I've been painting the house. Я крашу дом...
3. I've painted two rooms since lunchtime.
Я покрасил ...
Compare the use of the Present Perfect Continuous, the Present Perfect Simple and the Present Continuous tense-forms.
1. Someone has been eating my chocolates. There are onlysix left.
2. Someone has eaten all my chocolates. Пе box is empty.
3. Have you decided where to go? - Not yet. We have been thinking about it for the whole week.
4. Why are you crying? What's wrong? Has anyone been rude to you?
5. I remember meeting your brother last summer, but I haven't seen him this year. What has he been doing
since then?
6. Have you done your homework yet, Liz? - No, I'm still doing it. I've been busy since morning.
1. Have you had a good evening? - Well, I've been watching this film on television but it's rubbish, so I think I'll turn it off now.
8. Oh, David, I've been looking for you!
9. Your mother sends her love. I've just been speaking to her on the phone.
PRACTICE
1. Choose the appropriate tense-form.
1. A. - What have you done/have you been doing with my knife? Where is it?
B. - I've put it back in your drawer.
A. - (taking it out) What have you done/have you been doing with it? The blade's all twisted! Have you been using/have you used it to open tins?
2. A. - Do you see those people on that little sandy island? They have been waving/have waved their handkerchiefs for the last half-hour. I wonder why.
B. - They need help. The tide is coming in and very soon that island will be under water. Have you sat/have you been sitting calmly without doing anything to help them?
A. - I have never been/have never been being here before I haven't been hearing/haven't heard about the tides
here. What's up? What are you looking for/have you been looking for? Have you lost/have you been losing
something?
3. A. - Are you still painting/have you been still painting your country house?
B. - Yes. I'm painting/I've been painting it for several days already. I think it'll look beautiful when it's finished.
2. Open the brackets using the Present Perfect
Continuous/ Present Perfect/Present Simple/Present Continuous tense-forms.
1. How long he (live) in Manchester? - All his life. He was born there.
2. Mr Woods (not/feel) well for over a month.
3. Look. Can you see Simon over there? - He (sit) in the corner. - Yes. He (wait) for Jack. He (sit) here since two
o'clock.
4. They (be) in London now. They (live) there for the last six months.
5. I (learn) Spanish since last year.
6. How many driving lessons you (have) lately?
7. They (repair) the road all this week, but they (not/finish) it yet.
8. Where you (be)!1 (wait) for you for over an hour.
9. I (type) this report since yesterday and I'm only halfway through.
10. Your mum is still in the kitchen. She (cook) all the morning. - Yes. We (expect) guests tonight.
11. You are out of breath. You (run)!
12. It (rain) since yesterday evening. I wonder when it'll stop.
13. I (die) of thirst. Is there a water-fountain near here?
14. My daughter (study) English at London University. She (be) there for two years already.
15. Don't rush me. I (work) as fast as I can.
16. I (read) some of your poetry. It's not bad.
17. Sorry about the mess. I (paint) the house. I already (paint) the front.
18. You won't believe it, but I (wait) two months for my phone to be repaired.
19. Oh look, the sky (get) darker and darker. I think it's going to rain.
20. You look tired. - Yes, I (work) non-stop all day.
21 Since when he (learn) Chinese? - Since he got to university.
22. We (build) this garage ourselves and hope to finish it within the next two months.
23. We (not/finish) cleaning the machines yet. We need some more time to do it.
24. You look tired. I think you (work) hard lately and you (not/get) enough fresh air and exercise.
25. It's the most beautiful house I ever (see).
26. Oh, you (have) a shave! You look strange without a beard.
27. I (borrow) books from this library since we moved here.
28. It (rain) steadily for three days on end now.
29. I (not/see) you for ages. What you (do)!
30. She (be) on the phone for half an hour now. Who she (talk) to?
31. He (collect) stamps ever since he was a small boy.
32. He never (believe) in the importance of women's education.
33. I (study) hard of late. I've got exams next week.
34. It (get) harder and harder to find time.
35. Jimmy always (have) cold and chest problems.
36. You're very late. - I (talk) to Henry and he just goes on and on.
37. It is the first time he (clean) his own boots.
38. Why are my books all over the floor? - Helen (look) at them.
39. Older people (become) more isolated now.
40. I know that since January he (be) in charge of the marketing division.
41. Katia says she (be) very tired recently. She (work) almost sixty hours a week for the past month.
42. My daughter-in-law (try) to find a job since she graduated from university.
43. How long you (be) a hairdresser?
44. The police (investigate) the break-in at the college since last September.
45. She always (be) obsessed by her appearance.
46. They are so scruffy because they (camp) all week.
47. I'm fed up. I (wait) for the bus since three o'clock.
48. Carol already (make) ten phone calls and it's only nine o'clock.