Present Perfect Continuous

Hello! This lesson is about the present perfect continuous. You might hear some people talk about the present perfect progressive; it’s just a different name for the same verb tense. I learned present perfect continuous so that’s what I’m going to call it. It doesn’t matter, it’s the same verb tense. First of all, we’re going to look at the form, which is how to make it. Then we’re going to look at the function, which is how to use it. Then, at the end, there’s a short quiz I’d like you to try. Let’s get started. We’ll start by looking at the form: how to make the present perfect continuous. So for positive sentences, we start with a subject: I, you, we, they, and then he, she, it, and an auxiliary verb. Notice how he, she, it has has as an auxiliary verb, and I, you, we, they has have as an auxiliary verb. After that, we use been, and then the present participle, the ing form, so in this example, I put walking. We can use contractions. We can put the subject and the auxiliary verb together, so instead of I have, we can say I’ve; instead of he is, he’s. Okay, let’s keep going. For negative sentences, we start with the same thing, and we just slide this over, and this is where we put our negation; this is where we put our “not.” Again, we can use contractions: I, you, we, they haven’t been walking; he, she, it hasn’t been walking. For yes/no questions – we’ll go back to the beginning – for yes/no questions, I just switch and I put the auxiliary verb first, and the subject afterwards. Now, I should have put a capital H at the beginning here and here because this is now at the beginning of the sentence, but I didn’t. Anyway, I’m sure you will. Now we’ll take a look at WH questions. WH questions, we start where we just left off with yes/no questions, and all we do, is we just add the question word at the beginning. So that’s the form of how to make the present perfect continuous. There’s nothing to understand; it is what it is and there isn’t very much to remember, just a few rules. Okay, now let’s take a look at the function – how to use the present perfect continuous. There are three main uses of the present perfect continuous. First of all, we can use it instead of the present perfect. So, when we use the present perfect, we often – not always, but we often – have the option of using the present perfect continuous, depending on the situation. It doesn’t always work. Let’s take a look at some examples where it does work. So, present perfect, which in this case, we can call the present perfect simple, and the present perfect continuous. He’s worn that hat a lot this week. He’s been wearing that hat a lot this week. There is no real difference between these two sentences, other than emphasis. With… when we use the present perfect continuous, we’re emphasizing the action we’re, we’re emphasizing the wearing of the hat. They’ve worked hard to complete this project. They’ve been working hard to complete this project. Again, there’s a slight difference here, only an emphasis that I’m really focusing on the fact that they really have been working to get this done. He’s lived in London for five years. He’s been living in London for five years. Here I’m going to say there’s really very very little difference between those two. She’s taught here since 2012. She’s been teaching here since 2012. Again, no real difference. Some verbs that work well in this situation: feel, live, work, teach, and enjoy. So the next use of the present perfect is actions that started in the past and that are still happening now. She’s been writing all day… and she’s still writing now. That action has continued up until now. We’ve been driving for three hours and even, if I don’t say this part here, the part that’s in brackets, even if I don’t say that part, people will understand that we’re still in the car; we’re still driving now. He’s been studying for six years… and he’s still studying. And the last use of the present perfect we’re going to look at is that actions that have an effect on something now – we often see the effect – but we’re interested in the action. The action may or may not be finished. So we see one thing, we see the effect, but really what we’re focusing on, is the action that caused the effect. Again, examples often help. Why are your hands dirty? I’ve been working in the garden. Okay, so we see the effect – the dirty hands – but we’re interested in the action what caused your hands to be dirty? Well, working in the garden. Whew! I’m tired; I’ve been having trouble sleeping. So here is the effect – the fact that I’m tired now, but what caused it was it was that I ooo! I’ve been having trouble sleeping. And one more example: I’ve been thinking about what you said. So here is… I’ve been thinking, okay? That would be the action, but we’re interested in the effect. I kind of want to know: Okay, so what happens now, okay? That’s kind of… this would be the introduction to talking about what you were saying before, about, about what you said before. This would be an introduction to that conversation. Okay, I’ve put some sentences here. I’d like you to take a look at them. I’d like you to see if they are correct or not, and then to answer the question why. So here are the sentences. Pause the video. You can take a look at them and then I’ll come back. It wouldn’t be very helpful if I didn’t come back and give you the answers, would it? Okay, so how do you think we did? Let’s take a look. So, some of these are correct – quite a few of them, in fact – and some of them are not. Let’s take a look: Number one: She’s been walking to school. No problem. Number two: The cat has been drinking milk. No problem. Number three: He has been drinking water right now. Well, as soon as we add this “right now” we’ve got ourselves a problem here, okay? We can’t add “right now.” He’s been drinking water. If I, if I absolutely have to have this “right now” part, then I would have to say: He is drinking water right now, and have to use the present continuous. Number four: Mary is been talking to Susan. I’ve got a problem with my auxiliary verb. “Has been” talking not, is been talking. Number five: You have been walking to school? Errr! This drives me crazy! Students say this because they forget to change the order of these words here. Instead of you have, we have to go backwards and say have you. Now the problem here is that this is unusual, but it’s actually not incorrect… but it’s also not the best way to do it, so I’m not saying it’s okay – it’s not – don’t do this. Invert; in other words switch your subject and your verb. Number six: My brother has been liking football. No. My brother likes football. Liking doesn’t work well as a progressive. Number seven is correct. Number eight is correct. Number nine is correct. Number ten is not. The night has been being cold. Well, that’s not something that happens in a progressive sense. You say the night was cold if we want to talk in the past, or has been cold – we can use the present perfect. Okay, so how did you do? If you would like some more practice, take a look below. I’ve prepared some questions and activities for you to look at. That’s all for today. Thank you very much!