Present Perfect Continuous

What is the present perfect continuous?

The present perfect continuous (also called the present perfect progressive) talks about an activity that started in the past and is still happening now, or has just stopped and we can still see the result. It focuses on the activity itself and how long it has lasted.

I have been learning English for three years.

The learning started three years ago, and it continues today.

How to form the present perfect continuous

The form is have / has + been + verb-ing.

Positive

Negative

Questions

Short answers: Yes, I have. / No, she hasn't.

Note: he's can mean he is or he has. In "He's been working", it means he has.

Spelling of -ing is the same as in the present continuous: make → making, run → running, study → studying.

When to use the present perfect continuous

1. An activity that started in the past and is still going on

Use it with for, since and how long:

• We**'ve been living** in Calgary since 2021.
• I**'ve been waiting** for the bus for twenty minutes.
• How long have you been working here?

For + a period of time (for two hours, for ages). Since + a starting point (since Monday, since I was ten).

2. A recent activity with a result you can see now

The activity has just stopped (or almost stopped), and there is evidence of it now:

• You're out of breath. Have you been running?
• The ground is wet. It**'s been raining**.
• Her eyes are red. She**'s been crying**.
• Sorry about the mess — I**'ve been painting** the kitchen.

3. Repeated activities up to now

The action happens again and again over a period, often with lately or recently:

• I**'ve been going** to the gym a lot lately.
• He**'s been calling** me every evening this week.
• We**'ve been having** problems with the internet recently.

4. Complaints and irritation

The continuous form can show that something has gone on too long:

• Who**'s been using** my laptop? (and changed my settings)
• You**'ve been playing** that game all afternoon!

Present perfect continuous vs present perfect simple

Both tenses connect the past to now. The difference is in the focus. (For the simple form, see Present Perfect.)

Compare:

• I**'ve been cleaning** the house. (That's why I'm tired — the activity.)
• I**'ve cleaned** the house. (It's clean now — the result.)

When both are possible

With verbs like live, work, study and teach + for / since, both forms are usually correct, with almost no difference:

• I**'ve lived** here for five years. = I**'ve been living** here for five years.

Many speakers choose the simple form for situations that feel permanent and the continuous form for situations that feel temporary.

Do not use a number of times with the continuous

• Wrong: I've been visiting Toronto three times.
• Correct: I**'ve visited** Toronto three times.

Verbs that are not usually continuous

Stative verbs describe states, not actions (know, believe, like, love, want, own, belong, understand, seem). They normally use the present perfect simple, even with for and since:

• Wrong: I've been knowing her for ten years.
• Correct: I**'ve known** her for ten years.
• Wrong: He's been owning this car since 2019.
• Correct: He**'s had** / He**'s owned** this car since 2019.

Some verbs have a stative and an action meaning. Have = own is stative, but have = experience or eat is an action: We**'ve been having** a great time.

Present perfect continuous vs past perfect continuous

The present perfect continuous goes up to now. The past perfect continuous goes up to a moment in the past:

• I**'ve been waiting** for an hour. (I'm still waiting now.)
• I had been waiting for an hour when the bus finally came. (Up to a past moment.)

See Past Perfect for more about the past perfect forms.

Common mistakes

1. Using the present continuous for duration up to now

• Wrong: I am living here for five years.
• Correct: I**'ve been living** here for five years.
• Reason: the action started in the past and continues → present perfect (continuous).

2. Forgetting "been"

• Wrong: She has working here since May.
• Correct: She has been working here since May.
• Reason: the form always needs have/has + been + -ing.

3. Mixing up for and since

• Wrong: We've been waiting since two hours.
• Correct: We've been waiting for two hours.
• Reason: for + a length of time; since + a starting point.

4. Using a stative verb in the continuous

• Wrong: This house has been belonging to our family since 1990.
• Correct: This house has belonged to our family since 1990.
• Reason: belong is a stative verb, so use the simple form.

5. Using the continuous for a finished number or amount

• Wrong: I've been drinking four cups of coffee today.
• Correct: I**'ve drunk** / I**'ve had** four cups of coffee today.
• Reason: a number of completed things → present perfect simple.

6. Using it with a finished past time

• Wrong: I've been working there in 2019.
• Correct: I worked there in 2019.
• Reason: a finished time (in 2019, yesterday, last week) needs the past simple.

Quick reference

Common questions

What is the difference between 'I have lived' and 'I have been living'?

Often there is very little difference: both mean you started living there in the past and still live there. The continuous form can sound more temporary; the simple form can sound more permanent.

Can I use the present perfect continuous without 'for' or 'since'?

Yes. Without a time expression, it often means a recent activity that explains something now: "You look tired. Have you been working late?"

Is 'I have been doing' the same as 'I have done'?

No. "I've been doing my homework" focuses on the activity (maybe not finished). "I've done my homework" means it is finished.

Practise next

• Present Perfect — the simple form for results, experiences and how many.
• Past Perfect — the same ideas before a moment in the past.
• Future Continuous and Future Perfect — includes will have been working.
• B1 Perfect Tenses Quiz — test yourself on all the perfect forms.