Welcome to English grammar spot. This lesson is about the present perfect
continuous.
In this tutorial I'm going to show you
how to form the present perfect continuous and
when to use the present perfect continuous but before we get started
is good to know how to conjugate the verb 'to have.'
For the singular forms: I have
you have he has she has
it has and for the plural forms
we have you have they have
Now let's get started let's take a look at these sentences
I have been working a lot lately. It has been snowing since Friday.
Both the sentences are in the present perfect continuous tense.
How to form a present perfect continuous.
We use the auxiliary verb to have and the past participle
of the to be which is being, the base form of the verb
and ING. For example
I have been working all afternoon. You have been listening to the radio for the
past hour.
He has been sweeping the floor all afternoon.
She has been spending a lot of money lately.
It has been raining all week. And for the plural forms:
We have been playing computer games all night.
you have been searching for a supermarket.
they have been watching the news all afternoon.
Now we need to pay special attention to verbs
that end in an 'e'. For example: live, make
close and wipe, because these verbs
drop their 'e'. Take a look at the examples:
I have been living here for quite some time now.
He has been making a lot of noise lately.
They have been wiping the floor for over an hour.
Please note that leaving, making
and wiping no longer have an 'e.' Now let's take a look at the present perfect
continuous in questions.
Again we use the auxiliary verb 'to have'
the past participle of the verb to be, the base form of the verb
and ING. Has she been talking about him?
Have you been playing tennis? Have they been doing their job?
For negations we do the same.
but we add not to the auxiliary verb 'to have.'
becoming haven't or hasn't. I haven't been listening to the news.
She hasn't been waiting for you for over an hour.
The haven't been paying attention.
Now let's take a look at when we use
a present perfect continuous. We use a present perfect continuous for
activities
that started in the past but have continued
in the present. For example: I have been
travelling for a few years. So I started travelling a few years ago
and I'm still traveling. They have been working
as a chauffeur. So in the past they started to work as a chauffeur
and they still are chauffeurs. We also used the present perfect continuous for things
that happened in the past,
but it's not important when they happened, so we do not need to know the
time
when it took place. she has been visiting
her aunt a lot. They have been repairing that car.
So both these sentences lack time.
We also use the present perfect continues for things that are annoying.
For example I've been doing your dirty laundry all afternoon.
They have been playing loud music all night long.
I thank you for your attention.
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