Questions tagged [perfect-continuous]
The perfect continuous, also known as the perfect progressive, takes the form "HAVE BEEN + Present Participle." It describes an action that started in the past and has continued to occur until now.
36
questions
6
votes
2
answers
15k
views
"Have worn it" or "have been wearing it"?
Please have a look at this sentence (Viv Quarry present perfect answers)
When I left school I cut my hair and have worn it short ever since.
Will it be possible to use the continuous form "I have ...
- 7,509
4
votes
1
answer
133
views
Is it possible to use progressive with an indefinite quantity like 'many'?
Imagine that I ordered a book through the net 2 months ago and so far I haven't received it yet. I have been trying to contact the seller but none of my emails has been answered. Right now I ...
- 7,509
4
votes
3
answers
2k
views
"running for an hour " scenarios
I would like to ask which sentences would a native speaker use for the following scenarios :
You have been running for an hour and then you bump into your friends.You both keeps on running without ...
- 211
3
votes
2
answers
171
views
How is this the present perfect continuous?
Pakistan has been slow to embrace the revolution that is the internet.
According to present perfect continuous tense, has/have + been + istform + ing is used, but in this case slow is used. I am ...
- 31
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
"It {has been raining} and the streets were wet." Is the textbook wrong?
In my exercise book, I have a question as follows:
It_____and the streets were wet.
A. has been raining
B. rains
C. has rained
D. would rain
The answer is A and I don't know why it has to be A. I ...
- 69
3
votes
3
answers
166
views
Past perfect continuous for a non continuous action
http://www.eltbase.com/get_quiz.php?id=22
Level 3 - Narrative tenses quiz : a creepy story
So who...or what...______________ around upstairs?
The options are: 1) had walked 2) walked 3) had been ...
- 7,509
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Interchangeability of Past Continuous or Past Simple for Present Perfect Continuous
Yesterday an American friend of mine shuttered my world by saying that these three tenses (past continuous, past simple, present perfect continuous) are interchangeable in American English.
So if I ...
- 31
2
votes
3
answers
319
views
What to use instead of Perfect Continuous in the Passive Voice?
As far as I know, Perfect Continuous tenses aren't used in the Passive Voice. What is typically used instead? What are the correct answers here?
These anatomical terms … since 1970.
a) are used b) ...
- 21
2
votes
1
answer
139
views
Confusion with the rule that describes how present perfect simple/continuous tenses are used
In the book "English Grammar in Use" (Murphy Raymond), I encountered the following example when talking about present perfect tense:
John hasn't studied very well this term.
and explains ...
- 123
2
votes
1
answer
70
views
Present Perfect Continuous - effect
Take the following sentence:
I have been learning for two hours.
Can this imply that I am not learning now? I'm tired and I want this sentence to show the effect that learning has on me.
Or it is ...
2
votes
1
answer
171
views
How can I avoid using 2 different tenses instead of each other? [duplicate]
Background: My name is Ali. I live in IRAN and my mother tounge is Farsi. My reference book in studying grammar is English Grammar in Use written by Raymond Murphy and I am sure you are familiar with ...
- 21
2
votes
1
answer
960
views
"I have (or) had been studying for my exam since lunchtime and now I am watching TV"
Which sentence is grammatically correct (or maybe both) and why?
I have been studying for my exam since lunchtime and now I am watching TV.
or
I had been studying for my exam since lunchtime and now ...
- 21
1
vote
1
answer
19k
views
“I have been *verb*ing...”: once or many times?
There is someone who drives me crazy using the past perfect to indicate an action that was performed only once, and I understand that it indicates an action performed more than once. For example:
I ...
- 11
1
vote
1
answer
2k
views
Present Perfect Tense vs. Present Perfect Continuous Tense
I have a doubt about using Present Perfect Tense and Present Perfect Continuous Tense in the below example,
Catherine works in a bank. She _______ in a bank for five years.
I think the correct ...
- 825
1
vote
1
answer
982
views
Can I say "What should be doing these days?" or is that wrong?
Is this right:
What should I be doing these days?
The answer can be:
You should be preparing for your exams these days.
- 1,158
1
vote
2
answers
41
views
Are these two tenses interchangeable? "I have done/have been doing something for two years"
There are two sentences that seem close to one another, yet somehow feel different.
Since I am not a native speaker I thought that presenting the sentences here may shed some light on the matter.
Take ...
1
vote
2
answers
158
views
present perfect or present perfect continuous?
If I see a friend with a lot of shopping bags and I want to inquire in a friendly way what they have bought, should I ask: what have you bought? or what have you been buying? Are both possible without ...
- 3,944
1
vote
1
answer
52
views
perfect continuous for a completed action
I have cleaned my car :
this means I have finished cleaning my entire car and it focuses on the result = clean car
I have been cleaning my car:
this doesn`t necessarily mean I have finished ...
- 3,944
1
vote
1
answer
294
views
Having deal with "to get used to" and "to be used to"
I know "to get used to" means the process of accustoming whereas "to be used to" means that somebody has done it, this process is finished and now there is nothing unusual connected with this thing, ...
- 1,601
1
vote
1
answer
1k
views
Does "she has been watching TV" imply starting in past and continuing to present?
Mom! She is not giving me remote, it has been her limit now, she has been watching TV and you are not saying anything.
She has been watching TV, that's why the TV looks hot.
Does my first sentence ...
1
vote
2
answers
77
views
Perfect or perfect continuous?
Perfect simple and perfect continuous are sometimes confusing for learners. I know we can use "I've worked for twenty years" in place of "I've been working for twenty years". Both ...
- 91
1
vote
0
answers
130
views
Present perfect vs present perfect progressive [duplicate]
We have been living in Saudi Arabia ..
We have lived in Saudi Arabia
...
What is the difference between them, or they are the same in meaning ?
And what do you understand, when you hear ...
- 11
0
votes
2
answers
420
views
Past perfect continuous - Positive, Negative and Question sentences
What is wrong with these sentences in past perfect continuous? If so, how should this be corrected?
Both Samantha and Sarah had been waiting all day for a friend
arrived.
Both Samantha and Sarah had ...
- 103
0
votes
1
answer
67
views
Continuous / Perfect (Continuous) Imperatives (with infinitive and subjunctive)
Sometimes it's necessary to use a specific aspect of tenses (simple, continuous, perfect, perfect continuous), but when we ask people to do something should (can) we use the same aspects in order to ...
- 164
0
votes
1
answer
161
views
Present perfect for actions that are still ongoing or have just finished
Can present perfect be used in the following situations? Present perfect continuous is the usual choice, but do native speakers use present perfect simple too?
"It has rained for two hours" ...
- 2,031
0
votes
2
answers
380
views
What is the best choice in this case, 'has taken' vs. 'has been taking'?
Consider:
Jessy has taken or has been taking driving lessons and next week she is going to take the driving test
I think has been taking can make it as taking driving lessons has been an ongoing ...
- 7,509
0
votes
1
answer
8k
views
Using adverbial modifiers ("the whole day" vs "for the whole day")
I found information that claims natives prefer to say "the whole day" rather than "for the whole day". Since then, I've been wondering what the situations are in which a speaker is more likely to say "...
- 1,601
0
votes
1
answer
88
views
The difference between Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous
Why do we not say: "I've gardened all day", which would be correct if we have finished gardening but we say: "I've been gardening all day"? We seem to do the same with other action words: cook, sew, ...
Gandha Key
0
votes
1
answer
84
views
Perfect Continuous Aspect
The perfect continuous aspect is used for the end of an ongoing action. How is it applicable in the two instances as follows?
I had been working in the office when 9/11 happened. (Here I worked even ...
- 122
0
votes
2
answers
31
views
must have thought of vs must have been thinking of someone else
Alice - Who does this car belong to?
Tim - To that neighbour with a red hat
Alice - I thought he didn't like cars
Tim - You must have been thinking of someone else
Alice - You're right. I was thinking ...
- 541
0
votes
2
answers
31
views
"This movie (has given/has been giving) me a headache, I am going to bed now" which one is it?
"This movie (has given/has been giving) me a headache, I am going to bed now"
Which one is it?
I personally feel like both could work. I also think that there needs to be more context. But ...
- 9
0
votes
0
answers
32
views
Present Perfect vs Present Perfect continuous tense differences
What is the difference in meaning between these two sentences?
He has been studying in the same class for the last three years.
and
He has studied in the same class for the last three years.
0
votes
2
answers
2k
views
I have been beginning
No problem when "I began to learn English in 2000". But what if "I began to learn English from 2000 till now more times without success".
Verb begin something that happens in a moment, not something ...
- 994
0
votes
0
answers
41
views
Should I revise translated sentences (Present Perfect Continuos)
The first excerpt is:
A man ner the window is looking at us. - Yeah, and what of it? - I've been meeting him at the library lately.
In this case "lately" inmplies the process of meeting as a ...
- 1,601
0
votes
1
answer
149
views
Future perfect continous vs Future perfect tense
What is the difference between these two sentences?
My aunt will have been living in England for five years when I go there.
and
My aunt will have lived in England for five years when I go there.
0
votes
3
answers
14k
views
"Have you ever worked in a ..." vs. "Have you ever been working in a ..."
Which one of these sentences is right, the perfect simple or the perfect continuous?
A: Have you ever worked in a factory?
B: No, never!
or
A: Have you ever been working in a factory?
B: No,...
Jaxia