Present Perfect Continuous tense
It is used to express a continued or ongoing action that started in
past and is continued until now. There will be a time reference, such as “since
1980, for three hours etc” from which the action has been started. A sense of
time reference is found in these sentences which gives an idea that action has
been continued from some time in past till now.
Such time reference or sense of time reference is the identity of
Present perfect continuous tense because it tells that action has started from
a particular time in past. For example, “He has been reading in this school since
2005”, so the it means that he has started his education in this school in 2005
and he is studying in this school till now.
Note: If there is not time reference or sense of time reference then it
is not Present perfect continuous tense because there is no hint about the time
of action when it started in past and it seems just an ongoing action at
present time which resembles “present Continuous tense. So the reference of
time differentiates between Present perfect continuous tense and Present continuous
tense.
Rules:
An auxiliary verb “has been or have been” is used in sentence. 1st form
of verb (base verb) +ing (present participle) is used as main verb in sentence.
“Since” or “for” is used before the “time reference” in sentence. If the time
reference is exactly known such as 1995, 4 O’clock then “since” is used before
the time in sentence. If the time reference is not exactly known such as three
hours, six years, four days, then “for” is used before the time in sentence.
Time reference such as 3 hours or 5 days is not exactly known because we don’t
know that about which three hours a day is told in sentence or about which 5
days in a month is told in sentence. While the 1995 is exactly known time.
Structure of sentence
Positive Sentence.
• Subject + Auxiliary verb + main verb (Present participle) + Object +
Time reference
• Subject + has been/have been + (1st form of verb or base verb + ing)
+ object + time reference
If the subject is “He, She, It, singular or proper name” then auxiliary
verb “has been” is used after subject in sentence.
If subject is “You, They or plural” then auxiliary verb “have been” is
used after subject in sentence.
Examples.
He has been watering the
plants for two hours.
I have been studying
since 3 O’clock
Negative Sentence.
• Subject +”Not” between the Auxiliary verb + main verb (present
participle) + Object + Time reference
• Subject + has not been/have not been + (1st form of verb or base verb
+ ing) + object + time reference
To make negative sentence, the word “not” is written between the
auxiliary verbs, so it becomes like “has not been or have not been”. The rule
for using auxiliary verb “has been or have been” in negative sentences is as
same as mentioned above.
Examples.
He has not been watering
the plants for two hours.
I have not been studying
since 3 O’clock.
Interrogative Sentence.
• Auxiliary verb + Subject + Auxiliary verb + main verb (present
participle) + object + time reference
• Has/have + Subject + been + (1st form of verb or base verb+ing) +
object + time reference
Interrogative sentence starts with auxiliary verb. If the subject is
“He, She, It, singular or proper name” then the sentence starts with auxiliary
verb “has” and auxiliary verb “been” is used after subject
If subject is “You, They or plural” then the sentence starts with
auxiliary verb “have” and “been” is used after subject
Examples.
Has he been watering the
plants for two hours?
Have I been studying since
3 O’clock?