Present Perfect Continuous - usage, formation, examples.

This lecture is on the present perfect continuous the present perfect continuous is a combination of the present perfect and the present continuous and it focuses on the action itself rather than the results of the action.

And if you compare this with the present perfect it which focuses more on the results third just very quick example the present perfect continuous is I’ve been reading the book you suggested and the present perfect is I’ve read the book you suggested.

Now if we are talking about focusing on the action I’ve been reading the book you suggested it sort of means I haven’t finished it yet.

I’m enjoying it.

The reading is the thing that’s important.

Thank you for giving it to me.

I’m enjoying it.

I’m still reading it.

In the present perfect focuses more on the result.

So I’ve read the book you suggested.

So I finished it now.

Ah now we can talk about it.

No that is clear.

the present perfect is used for unfinished actions that are still happening in the present temporary situations or habits actions that have recently finished with relevant results for us.

Now

formation of the present perfect continuous is in the positive case subject plus have all has plus been plus verb plus in so I have been eating ice cream so subject is I I taste have not has been and then eat is the verb plus I enjoy.

So I’ve been eating ice cream in a negative one similar to above.

After half has we added not so we haven’t been eating ice cream as a question have or has.

Plus subject plus being plus verb plus.

Has she been eating ice cream

as a negative question similar to the question but after have or has we have not so the example.

Hasn’t he been eating ice cream.

let’s look at some examples unfinished actions that are still happening in the present I’ve been living here for three years and I still live here now or I’ve been waiting for two hours and I’m still waiting.

Now in both of these we could could’ve used the present perfect and the first example would be I’ve lived here for three years and we can sort of almost interchange the two in this particular example.

The meaning is is almost the same in the second case we would have said I have waited for two hours and by using the perfect continuous form it sort of emphasizing the waiting for temporary situations or habits.

So I’ve been jogging a lot recently which is something I don’t normally do.

If it was something I did normally do would say present simple I jog or I’ve been reading that book you suggested and haven’t quite finished it or for actions that have recently finished with relevant results now.

So it’s been raining which is why I’m wet or I’ve been studying late this week which is why I’m tired.