Introduction
Present Perfect Continuous tense is used to denote the actions or any event started in the past and are still in the progress.
It is one of the forms of Present tense and is also known as Present Perfect Progressive Tense.
In better and simpler words, it is the easiest way to say that you are in the middle of something.
Structure of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense
| subject + has/have + been + present participle + the rest of the sentence |
In the table given below, the structure of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense as per the type of sentences –
In the table given below, understand the structure of the present perfect continuous tense as per the type of sentences –
| Types of sentence | Rule | Examples |
| Positive | Subject + has/have been + present participle (verb ending in – ing) + rest of the sentence | 1. She has been following strict diet since last week. 2. They have been learning French since a month. |
| Negative | Subject + has/have + Not + been + present participle (verb ending in – ing) + rest of the sentence | 1. He has not been following strict diet since last week. 2. We have not been learning French since a month. |
| Interrogative | Has/Have + Subject + been + present participle (verb ending in – ing) + rest of the sentence | 1. Has he been following the strict diet since last week? 2. Have they been learning French since a month? |
| Negative Interrogative | Has/Have + Subject + not + been + present participle (verb ending in – ing) + rest of the sentence | 1. Has he not been following the strict diet since last week? 2. Have they not been learning French since a month? |
Application of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Now, let’s understand how to apply the rule of the present perfect continuous tense in different situations. Below in the table, the application is simplified with the examples:
| Situations | Examples |
| Denotes ongoing action | 1. I have been working for this project since last year. 2. She has been preparing for a competitive exam. |
| Repetitive action | 1. Since a year, he has been applying in this college to get admission. 2. It has been raining very heavy since last month. |
| Recently finished action effecting present | 1. I am so hungry, we have been walking miles. 2. They are so tired as they have been working all day. |
Confusion between since and for
Most of the time we are confused yet use ‘since’ and ‘for’ incorrectly. In the table, the correct usage as per the duration is mentioned below:
| Use “For” with | Use “Since” with |
| Hours | 11:00 AM (Specific time) |
| Days | Monday (Day of weeks) |
| Weeks | March (Date of month) |
| Months | 2010 (Year) |
| Years | – |
| Ever | – |
Here are few examples
Difference between Present Perfect Continuous Tense and Present Perfect Tense
We use the present perfect tense is used to denote the completion of an event whereas present perfect continuous is used to highlight the ongoing events or activities which started in the past and are still in progress.
For Example:
How to avoid commonly made mistakes in Present Perfect Continuous Tense
There are most common mistakes that are made by the students in Present Perfect Continuous Tense . Below is the list mentioning the mistakes that you should avoid.
1. Use Has/Have correctly. Be sure about singular/plural and pronouns.
For Example:
A. We has been studying for hours. (Incorrect)
B. We have been studying in the room for hours. (Correct)
2. Applying for/since accurately in the sentence as per
For Example:
A. Narendra Modi is prime minister for 2014. (Incorrect)
B. Narendra Modi is prime minister since 2014. (Correct)
3. Using incorrect form of the verb
For Example:
A. I have been a pplied to get admission in London. (Incorrect)
B. I have been applying to get admission in London. (Correct)
4. Not adding “Been” in the sentence
For Example:
A. You have walking on the streets since 5 PM. (Incorrect)
B. You have been walking on the streets since 5 PM. (Correct )