The Present Perfect Continuous Tense shows something started in the past and is running at the present time. This tense makes relationship between present and past moment with duration.
Three types of verbs are used in Present Perfect Tense.
- Auxiliary Verb (Have/Has). (Has is used in third person singular)
- been
- Main verb with adding ing form.
(Note: He, she, it and someone name are third person singular. Besides, they and more than one person names are third person plural)
Structure 1:
Positive & Negative Form:
Subject + have/has/haven’t/hasn’t + been + main verb with adding ing + Remaining Part of the sentence (If have).
(Note: Has is used for third person singular such as he, she, it, someone name)
Example 1:
- We have been working here since morning.
- He has been reading for two hours.
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Subject= We (First Sentence), He (Second Sentence)
have/has + main verb with adding ing = have been working (First Sentence), has been reading (Second Sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence= since morning (First Sentence), for two hours (Second Sentence)
Example 2:
- They have not been working since morning.
- She has not been completing the work last two hours.
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Subject= They (First Sentence), She (Second Sentence)
haven’t/hasn’t + main verb with adding ing = have not been working (First Sentence), has not been completing (Second Sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence= since morning (First Sentence), the work last two hours)
Structure 2:
Question Form (Yes/No Question)
Have/Has/Haven’t/Hasn’t + subject + been + main verb with adding ing + Remaining Part of the sentence ( If have) ?
(Note: Has is used for third person singular such as he, she, it, someone name)
Example 1:
- Have you been reading the passage for two hours?
- Has he been selecting the topic since morning?
To compare the two sentences according to the structure,
Have/Has = Have (First Sentence), Has (Second sentence)
Subject + been + main verb with adding ing = you been reading (First Sentence), he been selecting (Second Sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence= the passage for two hours? (First Sentence), the topic since morning? (Second Sentence)
Example 2:
- Haven’t you been playing cricket for two hours?
- Hasn’t Salem been working since morning?
To compare the two sentences according to the structure,
Haven’t/Hasn’t= Haven’t (First Sentence), Hasn’t (Second Sentence)
Subject + been + main verb with adding ing = you been playing (First Sentence), Salem been working (Second Sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence = cricket for two hours? (First Sentence), since morning? (Second Sentence)
Structure 3:
Question Form (Wh Question)
Wh Word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + have/has/haven’t/hasn’t + subject + been + main verb with adding ing + Remaining part of the sentence (If have) ?
(Note: Has is used for third person singular such as he, she, it, someone name)
Example 1:
- Where have you been doing this job since morning?
- What has he been taking in this box for two hours?
To compare the two sentences according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) = Where (First Sentence), What (Second Sentence)
have/has = have (First Sentence), has (Second Sentence)
subject + been + main verb with ing = you been doing (First Sentence), he been taking (Second Sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence= this job since morning? (First Sentence), in this box for two hours? (Second Sentence)
Example 2:
- Why haven’t they been working since morning?
- Why has not he been doing this work for three hours?
To compare the two sentences according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) = Why (First & Second Sentence)
haven’t/hasn’t = haven’t (First Sentence), hasn’t (Second Sentence)
Subject + been + main verb with ing = they been working (First Sentence), he been doing (Second Sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence= since morning? (First Sentence), this work for three hours? (Second Sentence)
Structure 4:
Question Form (Wh Question)
Wh Word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + have/has/haven’t/hasn’t + been + main verb with adding ing + Remaining part of the sentence (If have)?
Example 1:
- Who have/has been working this job for two hours?
(Note: Have refers that person such as I, You, We, They. On the other hand, has refers that person such as He, She, It)
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) = Who
have/has + been + Main verb with adding ing = have/has been working
Remaining Part of the sentence = this job for two hours?
Example 2:
- Who have/has not starting this construction since morning?
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) = Who
haven’t/hasn’t + been + main verb with adding ing = have/has not starting
Remaining Part of the sentence = this construction since morning?
Structure 5:
Question Form (Wh Question)
Wh word(What/Who/How/Which etc.) + Noun + have/has/haven’t/hasn’t + Subject + main verb with adding ing + remaining part of the sentence (if have) ?
(Note: Has is used for third person singular such as he, she, it, someone name)
Example 1:
- Which topics have you been selecting for presentation since morning?
- Which cloths has he been picking for photoshoot since morning?
To compare the two sentences according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + Noun = Which topics (First Sentence), Which cloths (Second Sentence)
have/has + subject + been + main verb with adding ing =have you been selecting (First Sentence). has he been picking (Second Sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence = for presentation since morning? (First Sentence), for photoshoot since morning? (Second Sentence)
Example 2:
- Which things haven’t you been alerting for two hours?
- Which gadgets hasn’t he been returning in this shop since morning?
To compare the two sentences according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + noun = Which foods (First Sentence), Which gadgets (Second Sentence)
haven’t/hasn’t + subject + been + main verb with adding ing = haven’t you been alerting (First Sentence), hasn’t he been returning (Second Sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence= for two hours? (First Sentence), in this shop since morning? (Second Sentence)
Structure 6:
Question Form (Wh Question)
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + Noun + Preposition + Noun + have/has/haven’t/hasn’t + subject + been + main verb with adding ing + remaining part of the sentence (if have)?
(Note: Has is used for third person singular such as he, she, it, someone name)
Example 1:
- What kinds of birds have you been selecting to know about more since morning?
- Which types of foods has he been listing to eat for two hours?
To compare the two sentences according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + Noun + Preposition + Noun = Which kinds of birds (First Sentence), Which types of foods (Second Sentence)
have/has + subject + been + main verb with ing = have you been selecting (First Sentence), has he been listing (Second Sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence= to know about more since morning? (First Sentence), to eat for two hours? (Second Sentence).
Example 2:
- Which types of products haven’t you been finding in the shop since morning?
- Which types of gadgets hasn’t he been rejecting in this shop for an hour?
To compare the two sentences according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + noun + preposition + noun = Which types of products (First Sentence), Which types of gadgets (Second Sentence)
haven’t/hasn’t + subject + been + main verb with ing = haven’t you been finding (First Sentence), hasn’t he been rejecting (Second Sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence= in the shop since morning? (First Sentence), in this shop for an hour? (Second Sentence)
In conclusion, the Present Perfect Continuous tense allows us to convey the ongoing nature of an action, emphasizing both the duration and the result up to the present moment. Its use provides a nuanced understanding of events that have expressed over time.
