Present Perfect Continuous: I have been doing

Present Perfect Continuous – I have been doing

An action started in the past and continued until recently or that continue into the future.

Construction: HAVE + BEEN + verb-ING
I have been doing something We have been doing something
You have been doing something You have been doing something
He have been doing something They have been doing something

1/ We refer to an action that has JUST finished, but you can still see evidence.

There is a connection with the present (NOW).
Peter is tired (now), he has been playing tennis this morning.
The road is wet (now), it has been raining.
The kitchen is a mess (now). Who has been cooking?
You look tired (now). Have you been sleeping this night?
I’m tired (now) because I‘ve been running this morning.
You don’t understand (now) because you haven’t been listening the lesson.

Timescale: Past ——————-> Now —————————————>Future
—>Action start—>Action stop!-> Now —————————————>Future

2/ We refer to an action that has NOT finished.

The action is still happening : connection with the present (NOW).
Peter is watching TV, he has been watching TV all day. (He’s still watching TV);
I’ve been waiting for him for 30 minutes and he still hasn’t arrived. (I’m still waiting now).
I have been reading for 2 hours. (I am still reading now)
We‘ve been studying since 9 o’clock. (We’re still studying now)
I’ve been learning English for 20 years. (I’m still learning english now)
How long have you been learning English? (You are still learning now)
We have not been smoking. (We are not smoking now)

Timescale:
Past —Action start = It has been raining until ->Now —————————————-> Future
——————————————————— Now, it’s raining!

3/ We refer to a series of actions.

I’ve been phoning her all week for an answer.
She’s been writing to her regularly for a couple of years.

4/ Keyword: since, for, all week, for days, lately, recently, over the last few months.

I’ve been living in London for two years.
He’s been working here since 2001.
He hasn’t been talking to me for weeks.
We’ve been working hard on it for ages.
We’ve been waiting for the bus for hours.
You haven’t been getting good results over the last few months.
Have you been looking at other options recently?
They haven’t been working all week. They’re on strike.

5/ I am studying / I have been studying:

I am studying, shut up! (it’s NOW, time of speaking).
I have been studying … (the action starts in the past, maybe two hours ago).

ENGLISH PRESENT PERFECT :