Present Perfect Continuous - Present Perfect -

Present Continuous

Ex.1 Compare the use of the Present Perfect Continuous, the Present

Perfect Simple and the Present Continuous tense-forms.

1. Someone has been eating my chocolates. There are only six left.

2. Someone has eaten all my chocolates. The box is empty.

3. Have you decided where to go? -Not yet. We have been thinking

about it for the whole week.

4. Why are you crying? What's wrong? Has anyone been rude to you?

5. I remember meeting your brother last summer, but I haven't seen him

this year. What has he been doing since then?

6. Have you done your homework yet, Liz?- No, I'm still doing it.

I've been busy since morning.

7. Have you had a good evening? -Well, I've been watching this film on

television but it's rubbish, so I think I will turn it off now.

8. Oh, David, I've been looking for you!

9. Your mother sends her love. I've just been speaking to her on the

phone.

Ex.2 Choose the appropriate tense-form.

1. -What have you done/have you been doing with my knife? Where is

it?

- I've put it back in your drawer.

- (taking it out) What have you done/have you been doing with it?

The blade's all twisted! Have you been using/have you used it

to open tins?

2. -Do you see those people on that little sandy island? They

have been waving/have waved their handkerchiefs for the last

half-hour. I wonder why.

- They need help. The tide is coming in and very soon that island will

be under water. Have you sat/have you been sitting calmly

without doing anything to help them?

- I have never been/have never been being here before.

I haven't been hearing/haven't heard about the tides here.

3. What's up? What are you looking for/have you been looking for?

Have you lost/have you been losing something?

4. -Are you still painting/have you been still painting your

country house?

-Yes. I'm painting/I've been painting it for several days

already. I think it'll look beautiful when it's finished.

Ex.3 Open the brackets using the Present Perfect Continuous

/Present Perfect/ Present Simple/Present Continuous tense-forms.

1. How long he (live) in Manchester? -All his life. He was born there.

2. Mr. Woods (not/feel) well for over a month.

3. Look. Can you see Simon over there? - He (sit) in the corner.

-Yes. He (wait) for Jack. He (sit) here since two o'clock.

4. They (be) in London now. They (live) there for the last six months.

5. I (learn) Spanish since last year.

6. How many driving lessons you (have) lately?

7. They (repair) the road all this week, but they (not/finish) it yet.

8. Where you (be)? I (wait) for you for over an hour.

9. I (type) this report since yesterday and I'm only halfway through.

10. Your mum is still in the kitchen. She (cook) all the morning.

- Yes. We (expect) guests tonight.

11. You are out of breath. You (run)?

12. It (rain) since yesterday evening. I wonder when it'll stop.

13. We (die) of thirst. Is there a water-fountain near here?

14. My daughter (study) English at London University.

She (be) there for two years already.

15. Don't rush me. I (work) as fast as I can.

16. I (read) some of your poetry. It's not bad.

17. Sorry about the mess. I (paint) the house. I already (paint) the front.

18. You won't believe it, but I (wait) two months for my phone to be

repaired.

19. Oh look, the sky (get) darker and darker. I think it's going to rain.

20. You look tired. - Yes, 1 (work) non-stop all day.

21. Since when he (learn) Chinese? - Since he got to university.

22. We (build) this garage ourselves and hope to finish it within the next

two months.

23. We (not/finish) cleaning the machines yet. We need some more time

to do it.

24. You look tired. I think you (work) hard lately and you (not/get)

enough fresh air and exercise.

25. It's the most beautiful house I ever (see).

26. Oh, you (have) a shave! You look strange without a beard.

27. I (borrow) books from this library since we moved here.

28. It (rain) steadily for three days on end now.

29. I (not/see) you for ages. What you (do)?

30. She (be) on the phone for half an hour now. Who she (talk) to?

31. He (collect) stamps ever since he was a small boy.

32. He never (believe) in the importance of women's education.

33. I (study) hard of late. I've got exams next week.

34. It (get) harder and harder to find time.

35. Jimmy always (have) cold and chest problems.

36. You're very late. - I (talk) to Henry and he just goes on and on.

37. It is the first time he (clean) his own boots.

38. Why are my books all over the floor? - Helen (look) at them.

39. Older people (become) more isolated now.

40. I know that since January he (be) in charge of the marketing division.

41. Katie says she (be) very tired recently. She (work) almost sixty hours

a week for the past month.

42. My daughter-in-law (try) to find a job since she graduated from

university.

43. How long you (be) a hairdresser?

44. The police (investigate) the break-in at the college since last

September.

45. She always (be) obsessed by her appearance.

46. They are so scruffy because they (camp) all week.

47. I'm fed up. I (wait) for the bus since three o'clock.

48. Carol already (make) ten phone calls and it's only nine o'clock.

49. She's obviously very unhappy. She (sit) alone in her bedroom for

most of the day.

50. I can smell something nice. What you (cook)?

51. He always (argue) or (fight).

52. I'm afraid my nails are a bit dirty. I (work) in the garden.

53. I'm afraid I (break) one of your glasses.

54. You look exhausted. What you (do)?

55. Since I last stayed at this hotel, they (put) their prices up.

56. The police (arrest) the man who is suspected of committing the murder.

57. Since I (break) my leg I (depend) on my daughter to see to the

shopping and housework.

58. He (apply) for jobs without success for months now.

59. The hall (hold) 300 people on some occasions, though you'd hardly

believe it.

60. Sorry about the mess! The workmen (install) a new boiler in the

bathroom all morning.

61. The success of the agricultural show (depend) very much on the

weather in recent years.

62. Up to now the discount (apply) only to children under 10. From next

month we (plan) to extend it to children under 16.

63. Food prices (rise) so rapidly in the past few months that some

families have been forced to alter their eating habits.

64. Although Max (cook) for many years, he still doesn't know how to

prepare French foods in the traditional manner.

Ex.4 All these sentences contain errors. Correct them.

1. When have you left school?

2. How long is she feeling unwell?

3. I've met such a nice person before never.

4. I'm waiting for you since four o'clock.

5. She never wrote a letter by hand since she had bought a computer.

6. I wonder where have you been all this time.

7. I am learning English during five years.

8. You never know how he has been going to react.

Ex.5 Make sentences with the Present Perfect Continuous

(and for / since if necessary).

she / work there / 2003 +

She's been working there since 2003.

1. how long / they / go out together ?

2. I / study English / two years +

3. he / feel very well recently -

4. you / read that book / months! +

5. you / wait / a long time ?

6. we / spend much time together -

7. how long / she / live there ?

8. I / rent this flat / three years. +

9. the lift / work / 10 o'clock –

10. She / work here / a long time ?

Ex.6 Complete with a verb from the list in the Present Perfect

Continuous.