Present Perfect Continuous (I Have Been Doing) | Unit 9 | PrepMyEnglish
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Unit 9 · Grammar Lesson
Unité 9 · Leçon de Grammaire

Present Perfect Continuous
(I Have Been Doing) — Form, Recent Actions & How Long Présent Perfect Continu
(I Have Been Doing) — Forme, Actions Récentes & How Long

Master have/has been + -ing: for activities that recently stopped, for durations with for and since, and how it differs from the present continuous

Maîtrisez have/has been + -ing : pour les activités récemment arrêtées, les durées avec for et since, et la différence avec le présent continu

B1 3 Rules · 4 Exercises · 200-Q Quiz · PDF 3 Règles · 4 Exercices · Quiz 200 Q · PDF 🇬🇧 EN / 🇫🇷 FR

The present perfect continuous is formed with have/has been + -ing. It has two main uses: describing an activity that has recently stopped (explaining a present situation), and describing an activity that started in the past and is still continuing — especially with how long, for and since. In Rule C we compare it with the present continuous.

Le présent perfect continu se forme avec have/has been + -ing. Il a deux usages principaux : décrire une activité qui vient de s'arrêter (expliquant une situation présente), et décrire une activité qui a commencé dans le passé et se poursuit encore — notamment avec how long, for et since. Dans la règle C, nous le comparons avec le présent continu.

A

Form & Recently Stopped Actions

Forme & Actions Récemment Arrêtées

The present perfect continuous is have/has been + -ing. We use it for an activity that has recently stopped or just stopped. The activity explains the present situation.

Le présent perfect continu est have/has been + -ing. On l'utilise pour une activité qui vient de s'arrêter ou s'est arrêtée récemment. L'activité explique la situation présente.

I / we / they / you  have (= I've, we've …)  been + -ing
he / she / it  has (= he's, she's …)  been + -ing

It's been raining.  ·  She's been working hard.  ·  Have you been running?
Is it raining? No, but the ground is wet. It's been raining.
→ It stopped recently — the wet ground is the present result.
→ Il a arrêté récemment — le sol mouillé est le résultat présent.
Why are you out of breath? Have you been running?
→ The running just stopped — it explains why you're out of breath now.
→ La course vient de s'arrêter — cela explique pourquoi vous êtes à bout de souffle maintenant.
Paul is very tired. He's been working hard.
→ He was working hard (it may have just stopped) — explains his tiredness now.
→ Il travaillait dur (ça vient peut-être de s'arrêter) — explique sa fatigue maintenant.
Why are you so tired? What have you been doing?
→ Asking what activity explains the present state (tiredness).
→ On demande quelle activité explique l'état présent (fatigue).
Where have you been? I've been looking for you.
→ The looking may have just stopped — explains the present situation.
→ La recherche vient peut-être de s'arrêter — explique la situation présente.
B

How Long / For / Since — Ongoing Activities

How Long / For / Since — Activités en Cours

We also use the present perfect continuous to say how long an activity has been going on — especially with for (a duration) and since (a starting point). The activity is still happening or has just stopped.

On utilise aussi le présent perfect continu pour dire depuis combien de temps une activité se déroule — notamment avec for (une durée) et since (un point de départ). L'activité se déroule encore ou vient juste de s'arrêter.

How long have you been learning English? (you're still learning)
It's been raining for two hours. (started 2h ago, still raining)
I've been looking for you for the last half hour.
She's been playing tennis since she was eight.
How long have you been learning English?
→ You are still learning — asking about the duration of the ongoing activity.
→ Vous apprenez encore — on demande la durée de l'activité en cours.
Ben is watching TV. He's been watching TV all day.
→ Started earlier and is still watching now — duration: all day.
→ A commencé plus tôt et regarde encore maintenant — durée : toute la journée.
Chris hasn't been feeling well recently.
→ The bad feeling has been continuing over a recent period.
→ Le malaise dure depuis un moment récent.
Silvia has been playing tennis since she was eight.
→ Repeated action continuing over a long period. Since = starting point.
→ Action répétée se poursuivant sur une longue période. Since = point de départ.
They've been going to the same café for years.
→ Repeated action continuing for years. For = duration.
→ Action répétée se poursuivant depuis des années. For = durée.
💡
For vs Since: For vs Since : For + a length of time: for two hours / for years / for ages.   Since + a point in time: since Monday / since 2020 / since I arrived. For + une durée : for two hours / for years / for ages.   Since + un point dans le temps : since Monday / since 2020 / since I arrived.
C

I Am Doing vs I Have Been Doing

I Am Doing vs I Have Been Doing

I am doing (present continuous) = happening right now, at this moment. I have been doing (present perfect continuous) = activity that started in the past and has been going on up until now (or just stopped).

I am doing (présent continu) = en cours en ce moment précis. I have been doing (présent perfect continu) = activité commencée dans le passé et se déroulant jusqu'à maintenant (ou venant de s'arrêter).

Present Continuous — right now

Présent Continu — en ce moment

happening at this exact moment
se passe en ce moment précis
Don't disturb me. I'm working.
We need an umbrella. It's raining.
Hurry up! We're waiting.

Present Perfect Continuous — up to now

Présent Perfect Continu — jusqu'à maintenant

started in past, ongoing or just stopped
commencé dans le passé, en cours ou venant de s'arrêter
I've been working hard. Now I'm going to rest.
The ground is wet. It's been raining.
We've been waiting for an hour.
⚠️
Key test: Test clé : Can you add a duration (for two hours) or a starting point (since this morning)? → Use the present perfect continuous. Is the action happening right at this moment and no duration is mentioned? → Present continuous may be enough. Peut-on ajouter une durée (for two hours) ou un point de départ (since this morning) ? → Utilisez le présent perfect continu. L'action se déroule-t-elle en ce moment précis sans durée mentionnée ? → Le présent continu peut suffire.

Present Perfect Continuous — Exercises with AnswersPrésent Perfect Continu — Exercices avec Corrigé

Put each rule into practice — check your answers instantly

Mettez chaque règle en pratique — vérifiez vos réponses instantanément

EX 1

Exercise 1 — What have these people been doing?

Exercice 1 — Qu'est-ce que ces personnes ont fait ?

Look at each situation and write what has been happening. Use the verb in brackets.

Regardez chaque situation et écrivez ce qui s'est passé. Utilisez le verbe entre parenthèses.

1.
2.
3.
4.
Answers:Réponses : 1. It's been raining  ·  2. She's been swimming  ·  3. They've been playing music  ·  4. He's been playing football
EX 2

Exercise 2 — Write a "Have you been…?" question for each situation

Exercice 2 — Écrivez une question "Have you been…?" pour chaque situation

Use the prompts in brackets.

Utilisez les indications entre parenthèses.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Answers:Réponses : 1. Have you been swimming?  ·  2. Have you been waiting long?  ·  3. What have you been doing?  ·  4. How long have you been working here?  ·  5. How long have you been doing that?
EX 3

Exercise 3 — Complete with the present perfect continuous + for / since

Exercice 3 — Complétez avec le présent perfect continu + for / since

Read each situation and complete the sentence.

Lisez chaque situation et complétez la phrase.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Answers:Réponses : 1. has been raining  ·  2. have been waiting  ·  3. have been learning  ·  4. has been working  ·  5. have been going
🎯

Exercise 4 — Present continuous or present perfect continuous?

Exercice 4 — Présent continu ou présent perfect continu ?

Put the verb into the correct form.

Mettez le verbe à la bonne forme.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Answers:Réponses : 1. has been learning  ·  2. I've been looking  ·  3. are you looking  ·  4. She's been teaching  ·  5. I've been thinking  ·  6. he's working  ·  7. She's been working  ·  8. you're driving  ·  9. has been travelling

Frequently Asked Questions — Present Perfect Continuous

Questions fréquentes — Présent Perfect Continu

Use have/has been + verb-ing. For I/we/you/they → have been (I've been, we've been…). For he/she/it → has been (he's been, she's been…). Examples: I've been working. She's been waiting. They've been learning.

Utilisez have/has been + verbe-ing. Pour I/we/you/they → have been. Pour he/she/it → has been.

The present perfect continuous emphasises the activity and its duration: I've been reading all day (= activity in progress). The present perfect simple emphasises the result or completion: I've read that book (= it's finished / I've done it). Both can often be used with for and since, but some verbs (know, like, have, be) are not usually used in the continuous.

Le présent perfect continu souligne l'activité et sa durée. Le présent perfect simple souligne le résultat ou l'achèvement.

"I'm working" = I am working right now, at this very moment. "I've been working" = I started working in the past and have been doing it up until now (or I just stopped). Compare: Don't disturb me — I'm working. vs I've been working hard all day. I'm exhausted.

"I'm working" = je travaille en ce moment précis. "I've been working" = j'ai commencé à travailler dans le passé et je continue jusqu'à maintenant (ou je viens de m'arrêter).

Use for + a length of time: for two hours / for years / for ages / for a long time. Use since + a point in time: since Monday / since 2020 / since I arrived / since she was eight. Both are used with the present perfect continuous.

Utilisez for + une durée : for two hours / for years. Utilisez since + un point dans le temps : since Monday / since 2020.

🎯 Unit 9 · MCQ QuizUnité 9 · Quiz QCM

Present Perfect Continuous — Quiz

Présent Perfect Continu — Quiz

200-question bank · 10–40 questions per session · instant feedback · printable PDF with or without answers

Banque de 200 questions · 10 à 40 questions par session · correction immédiate · PDF avec ou sans corrigé

200 Questions 5 Topics B1 · B1+ PDF ✓

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All topics Form Recently Stopped How Long / For / Since Continuous vs Perf. Cont. Spot the Error Mixed

Present Perfect Continuous Quiz

Quiz — Présent Perfect Continu

20 questions

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out ofsur 20 questionsquestions
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Wrong
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