Present Tenses- Present Perfect Continuous

This tense relates past activities to the present. It implies that either the activity is likely to continue in the future, or that activity was in progress for some length of time, or both.

Form

Affirmative: ( subject + auxiliary verb 'have'+ been + verb + ing)

Example: I have been dancing.

Negative: (subject + auxiliary verb 'have'+ not + been+ verb+ ing)

Example: I haven't been dancing.

Question ( auxiliary verb 'have'+ subject + been + verb + ing)

Example: Have I been dancing?

Usages:

1st To communicate an incomplete and ongoing activity, when we want to say how long it has continued.

I've been dieting for the last twenty years. (and am likely to continue doing so) To described a recently finished, uninterrupted activity which has a present result.

2nd To described a recdently finished, uninterrupted activity which has a present result.

I'm tired because I've been chopping logs all day.
(i.e. the work lasted some time and was intensive)

Typical student errors/mistakes:

*Using verbs that don't take the continuous from (e.g. like, prefer, believe)

I've been knowing her for three months.

*Comparison of present perfect with present perfect continuous.

With the present perfect continuous, the emphasis is on the action/activity not the result/completed action.

What have you been doing today?
I've been cleaning the car.
What have you done today?
I've cleaned the car.

Note that we do not use the present perfect continuous to communicate the number of things we have done, for this we use the present perfect.

I've written six letters since breakfast.
I've been writing letters since breakfast.
I've marked twenty tests since lunchtime.
I've been marking tests since lunchtime.

Sample activate stage teaching ideas:

1. A student takes a piece of paper with a past activity and a result written on it.

-> You've been chopping onions. You're crying.
-> You've been playing football. You're dirty.
-> You've been washing your dog. You're wet.
-> You've been chasing a bank robber. You're sweaty.
The students tell the others the result and they have to guess the activity.

> E. g. A: I'm crying.
B: Have you been watching a sad film?

2. Students survey the class to find out who has been doing something the longest. They should write the surveys themselves!