Sentence structure: Present perfect continuous

In this chapter

• When do we use it?

  It stresses how long an activity has been going on, either still continuing or just finished. Typical question: How long…?

• Present perfect continuous

  going on since the past; still going on

  Pattern: Subject + have/has been + verb + -ing

  Example: I have been waiting for the bus for twenty minutes.

  Example: It has been raining since this morning.

• Formula

  Positive: They have been playing for an hour. · Negative: We haven't been waiting long. · Question: Have you been waiting long? · Short answer: Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.

• Color-coded examples

  Turkish uses -iyor; English uses have been + -ing.

  Example: I have been learning English for three years.

  Example: It has been raining since this morning.

• Turkish equivalents

  Example: They have been playing for two hours.

  Example: How long have you been waiting here?

• Tip

  The Turkish “Üç yıldır öğreniyorum” is NOT the present continuous in English: “I am learning English for three years” is wrong; say I have been learning English for three years. With state verbs like know and like, use the present perfect: I have known her for years.