How do we make the present perfect continuous tense in English?
Note: This is also called the present perfect progressive tense.
Positive form
Use the present perfect of be (have/has been) and the verb-ing form.
| Full form | Short form |
| I have been playing | I’ve been playing |
| you have been playing | you’ve been playing |
| he has been playing | he’s been playing |
| she has been playing | she’s been playing |
| it has been playing | it’s been playing |
| we have been playing | we’ve been playing |
| they have been playing | they’ve been playing |
For example:
- I have been living in Sydney since March.
- He’s been staying at a hotel near the park.
- They’ve been cooking all day.
Some notes on short forms:
1. We often contract has with nouns and other words in speaking and informal writing: Jane’s, nobody’s, that’s, what’s, etc.
2. We often contract have with nouns and other words in speaking, but not in writing: the students’ve, those’ve, what’ve, etc.
3. We do not usually contract verbs in writing if we have a compound subject: Jane and I’ve, Jane and Ben’ve, etc.
Negative form
Put not between have/has and been.
| Full form | Short forms | |
| I have not been playing | I haven’t been playing | *I’ve not been playing |
| you have not been playing | you haven’t been playing | you’ve not been playing |
| he has not been playing | he hasn’t been playing | he’s not been playing |
| she has not been playing | she hasn’t been playing | she’s not been playing |
| it has not been playing | it hasn’t been playing | it’s not been playing |
| we have not been playing | we haven’t been playing | we’ve not been playing |
| they have not been playing | they haven’t been playing | they’ve not been playing |
*The structure in the third column is sometimes used in British English, but it is rarely used in other varieties of English. When used in other varieties, it sounds quite formal.
For example:
- You have not been listening.
- She has not been studying.
- The internet hasn’t been working this week. (it hasn’t been working)
- We haven’t been replying to their emails.
- They’ve not been speaking lately.
Question forms
Invert the subject and have/has, and then put a question word (what, who, etc.) at the beginning for wh- questions.
| Yes/No questions | |
| Have I been playing? | |
| Have you been playing? | |
| Has he been playing? | |
| Has she been playing? | |
| Has it been playing? | |
| Have we been playing? | |
| Have they been playing? | |
| Wh- questions | |
| What Who Where When Why How etc. | have I been playing? |
| have you been playing? | |
| has he been playing? | |
| has she been playing? | |
| has it been playing? | |
| have we been playing? | |
| have they been playing? | |
For example:
- Have I been talking too much?
- Has it been snowing?
- Have they been making lunch?
- What have you been doing today?
- Where has he been going after school?
- How long have we been waiting?
Short answers
| Positive | Negative | |
| Yes, I have. | No, I haven’t. | *No, I’ve not. |
| Yes, you have. | No, you haven’t. | No, you’ve not. |
| Yes, he has. | No, he hasn’t. | – |
| Yes, she has. | No, she hasn’t. | – |
| Yes, it has. | No, it hasn’t. | – |
| Yes, we have. | No, we haven’t. | No, we’ve not. |
| Yes, they have. | No, they haven’t. | No, they’ve not. |
*The structure in the third column is sometimes used in British English, but it is rarely used in other varieties of English. When used in other varieties, it sounds quite formal.
Notes:
1. We do not use short forms in positive short answers.
2. We sometimes use full forms in negative short answers (e.g. No, I have not.), but this is rare and mainly used in very formal contexts or for emphasis.