3.4 Present perfect continuous

Form: present perfect continuous

have / has + been + present participle (verb-ing)

The present perfect continuous (also called the present perfect progressive) is formed with have / has (the present tense forms of have) + been (the past participle form of be) + the present participle -ing form of the verb.

Affirmative

The following contracted forms are often used in spoken and in informal written language:

I have » I've
you have » you've
he/she/it has » he's/she's/it's
we have » we've
you have » you've
they have » they've

Negative

The contracted forms haven't and hasn't are often used instead of have not and has not in spoken and in informal written language.

Interrogative

Present perfect continuous with FOR and SINCE

The question words how long? and since when?, and the prepositions for and since are used with the present perfect continuous tense to express events that started in the past and are still in progress in the present. How long? and for refer to an incomplete period of time, while since when? and since refer to a point in time:

I've been waiting for you for ages.
He has been living here since last week.
"How long have you been learning Spanish?" "For two months."
"Since when have they been dating?" "Since October."

The point in time after since can also be expressed with a clause containing a verb in the past simple:

He has been living here since he started school.
They have been dating since they first met last May.

Present perfect continuous for continuous events that have just finished

The present perfect continuous tense is used to refer to continuous events that started in the past and have just finished but have a result in or an effect on the present moment. A time expression is not necessary:

I've been working on the computer all day. My eyes are sore.
Your clothes are filthy! What have you been doing?
I've been writing this letter all week.