ESL Grammar: Present Perfect Continuous

Forming the Present Perfect Continuous 
 
Affirmative

Subject   +   auxiliary verb   +  auxillary verb +  ing verb

Example: I have been teaching for three hours.

Negative 

Subject   +   auxiliary verb +   not   +   auxiliary verb   +   ing verb

Example: She has not been working at the company for the past two weeks.

Question

Auxiliary verb   +   subject   +   auxiliary verb   + ing verb

Example: Have they been dating for a long time?

Uses of Present Perfect Continuous 

1. We use the present perfect continuous tense to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now. She has been talking for the two hours with Sam. We have been having issues with this car since Tuesday.

2. You can use the present perfect continuous without a duration. However, without the duration the tense has a more general meaning of "lately". I have been feeling really tired. You have been exercising lately. 

Present Perfect Continuous Exercises

Instructions: Fill in the blank with the verb given in the present perfect continuous tense. 

1. I _____ ____ _____ (to travel) to many different countries in Africa.
2. They ____ _____ _____ (to run) in the park lately.
3. He _____ _____ _____ (to call) Jessica a lot recently
4. We _____ ______ ______ (to study) French for two years.
5. She _____ _____ _______ (to eat) potatoes every night for a week now.

Instructions : Make the sentence negative 

1. They have been filming this movie for the past two years.
2. She has been feeling sick.
3. He has been working on his conversation skills recently.

Instructions: Ask your teacher a question with the verbs given in the present perfect continuous tense. 

1. to feel
2. to edit
3. to learn

ESL Conversation Questions with Present Perfect Continuous 

1. Have you been eating at any good restaurants in your city that you would recommend?

2. What kind of movies or TV shows have you been watching lately?

3. How have you been feeling about your English?

4. Have you been watching the news lately?

5. Have you been making progress on some of your endeavors?

6. What music have you been listening to recently?