LEARN ENGLISH PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS VERBS

To form the present perfect continuous tense we need the present perfect simple tense of the verb "to be" and another verb ending in "-ing".

Example

I have been studying the present perfect continuous. (He estado estudiando el presente perfecto continuo)

Some verbs have certain spelling changes when adding "-ing": If the verb ends in "-e" we will drop the "e" and then we will add "-ing".

Example

I decorate the living room. (Decoro el salón)

I have been decorating the living room. (He estado decorando el salón)

If the verb consists of only one syllable and the last three letters are: consonant plus vowel plus consonant, we will double the last consonant and then add "-ing".

Example

I plan my weekend ahead. (Planeo el fin de semana que viene)

I have been planning my weekend ahead. (He estado planeando el fin de semana que viene)

For the negative form we use "not" after the verb "to have".

Example

I have not (haven't) been baking a cake but I have been baking a pie. (No he estado haciendo un pastel sino una empanada)

She has not (hasn't) been watching television. (Ella no ha estado viendo la televisión)

For the interrogative form we place the verb "to have" in front of the person.

Example

Have you been playing tennis? (¿Has estado jugando al tennis?)

Has she been listening to the radio? (¿Ha estado (ella) escuchando la radio?)

SOME GENERAL USES

We use the present perfect continuous to talk about unfinished actions that started in the past and are continuing now.

Example

I have been baking this cake. (He estado haciendo este pastel)

The present perfect continuous is also used to express actions that are not finished and were progressive in the past.

Example

She has been painting a picture the whole day. (Ella ha estado pintando un cuadro todo el día)

Here, she started to paint the picture and she has been painting for a period of time during the day, but in the moment of speaking she has not finished painting the picture. We can measure the duration of the progressive action with "how long?" and with "for/since".

Example

I have been studying English for five years. (He estado estudiando inglés durante cinco años)

How long have you been studying the present perfect continuous? (¿Cuánto tiempo has estado estudiando el presente perfecto continuo?)

We sometimes use the present perfect continuous to express a continuous action in the past that has recently finished.

Example

I've been playing football. (He estado jugando al fútbol)

This example means that "I" have just finished an action that was continuous in the past. The present perfect continuous can also be used to express something the speaker has been meaning to do for a while, an intention or thought.

Example

She has been trying to get hold of you for hours. (Ella ha estado intentando ponerse en contacto contigo durante horas)

We have been thinking of phoning them. (Hemos estado pensando en llamarlos)

Lets us conjugate a verb as an example. We are going to take the verb "to study".

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