The Perfect Continuous Tenses: grammar rules, examples and using.
(In English, the perfect continuous tenses can also be called the perfect progressive tenses.)
present perfect continuous
past perfect continuous
future perfect continuous
(Verb Contractions: I have = I’ve; he has = he’s; she has = she’s; it has = it’s; we have = we’ve; you have = you’ve; they have = they’ve; have not = haven't; has not = hasn't)
The Present Perfect Continuous denotes an action which began in the past, has been going on up to the present and may be still going on.
Note: - The Present Perfect denote a complete action while with the Present Perfect Continuous there is no implication of completeness.
Key examples:
I have been living here for three years.
The members of Parachute (rock band from Charlottesville, Virginia) graduated from college in May 2008 and since then have been touring and promoting their debut album Losing Sleep and sophomore album The Way It Was full-time. For study:
(In English, the perfect continuous tenses can also be called the perfect progressive tenses.)
present perfect continuous
past perfect continuous
future perfect continuous
The Present Perfect Continuous
The Formation of the Present Perfect Continuous
auxiliary verb to have (have/has ) been + Participle I
(the present perfect tense of the verb to be + the present participle of the main verb.)
| Affirmative | Interrogative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| I have been studying. He has been studying. She has been studying. It has been studying. We have been studying. You have been studying. They have been studying. |
Have I been studying? Has he been studying? Has she been studying? Has it been studying? Have we been studying? Have you been studying? Have they been studying? |
I have not been studying. He has not been studying. She has not been studying. It has not been studying. We have not been studying. You have not been studying. They have not been studying. |
The Present Perfect Continuous denotes an action which began in the past, has been going on up to the present and may be still going on.
Note: - The Present Perfect denote a complete action while with the Present Perfect Continuous there is no implication of completeness.
Key examples:
I have been living here for three years.
The members of Parachute (rock band from Charlottesville, Virginia) graduated from college in May 2008 and since then have been touring and promoting their debut album Losing Sleep and sophomore album The Way It Was full-time. For study:
- I have been studying English for 5 years.
I have studied English. I know it. - I have been reading English books all these years.
I have read “David Copperfield”. I can speak about it. - We have been practising at the language laboratory for 3 years.
I have practised this sound thoroughly. - We have been working all the time.
I have worked hard on my composition. I like it.