Becareful with some signal words! There are some signal words such as ever that can only be used with a perfect tense. But note that other signal words can be used with many tenses. For example, although we learn the prepositions of time for and since with the Present Perfect Tense, for can also be used with the Past Simple, Present Continuous Signalwords for the Present Continuous. Click edit button to change this code. What are signal words for the Present Continuous? Signal words tell you what tense to use. In the Present Continuous these words are used in situations which happen at the time of speaking. now; today; at the moment; right now; Look! Listen! Definepresent-perfect. Present-perfect as a noun means A verb in the present perfect tense.. Fast Money. Home Grammar Verbs Present Perfect Continuous The present perfect continuous also called the present perfect progressive is a verb form that we use to describe an action that started in the past and either recently finished or is still continuing. Although only about .7% of verbs in speech are in the past perfect, this verb tense can be very useful in certain reading to learn how to form the present perfect continuous and when to use it, including tons of examples and charts!Just to avoid confusion, continuous and progressive are just different names for this same thing. In some countries, one term is more common than the other, but continuous is more common overall, so we use that term. Chart for Present Perfect Continuous in English The present perfect continuous is a little bit tricky. If you find a website that claims to explain it in just a few sentences, you should be suspicious. We use this tense in a number of different situations, and it can have different meanings in those different situations. We can look at three common ways that the present perfect progressive is used to describe new routines, to describe recently completed actions, and for actions that are still Routines and HabitsIn general, we use the simple present to talk about routines and habits If I go jogging every day or a couple of times a week, I can simply say, I jog, right?But what if this is a new habit? Maybe I have gone jogging every day for the past two weeks, so it is a routine, but it might feel funny to just say I jog. I am a jogger. In situations like this, where we want to demonstrate that a habit or routine is somewhat new, the present perfect continuous is the form that we want to use. Here are a few more examples This has been a difficult month. She has been working long hours. I’ve been going to the gym lately. We’ve been cooking at home more recently Recently Completed ActionsWe also use the present perfect continuous to talk about actions that have just recently ended, especially when there is still evidence of that action. For example, after you paint, you may still have paint on your hands. To explain this, you would use the present perfect progressive Sorry, my hands are dirty. I've just been painting. Take a look at these other examples The house is a mess because we've just been redecorating. Sorry, I'm all sweaty. I've been exercising. Why are you two crying? Have you been fighting? Notice that in each of these examples, there is sensory evidence the mess, sweating, crying of the recently completed actions painting, exercising, fighting. This is almost always the case when using the present perfect continuous in this Still Happening with For and SinceThis is probably the most common way that this verb form is used. This is very important When we see the present perfect continuous with for or since, the action started at a specific time in the past and is still happening. Here are some examples Michele has been living in Boston since June. Juana's been writing her thesis for 6 months. In the first example, Michele still lives in Boston. In the second example, Juana still works at Apple. Again, when you see for or since with this verb tense, the action or situation described by the main verb is still continuing. See Signal Words, below, for more information about how we use for and are more examples with for and since Cara's been working at FedEx for 3 years now. I've been thinking about changing jobs for a long time. We've been developing a new strategic plan since late last year. You have been traveling back and forth to California since you got married, right? Forming the Present Perfect continuousFormulaForming the present perfect continuous isn’t difficult. You will always use the same formula have/has + been + VERBingYou could also think of it as simple steps, tooFirst, choose either have if the subject is plural or the pronouns I, you, we, or they or has if the subject is a singular noun, he, she, or it. Then use been. Then use your main verb with is the verb work conjugated into the present perfect continuous. Present Perfect Continuous Tense Verb Conjugation Singular Plural 1st person I have been working. we have been working. 2nd person you have been working. you have been working. 3rd person he has been working. they have been working. she has been working. it has been working. Notice that we can see both the perfect and the continuous aspect in this form. Have been is the perfect aspect. Been verb-ing is continuous Forms of the Present Perfect continuousNegative SentencesYou always have two helping verbs in the present perfect continuous have/has and been. To make a negative, simply put not in between them! She has not been living here for a long time. I have not been reading much recently. They have not been working late. Because the present perfect continuous uses so many words, we often use contractions with not to make it a little shorter She hasn't been living here for a long time. I haven't been reading much recently. QuestionsTo make a question, simply put has/have before the subject. Has she been living here for a long time? Have you been working out lately? You look great! What have you been reading? When have you been going to bed lately? Passive VoiceMaking passive sentences with more complex verb forms like the present perfect continuous is extremely uncommon and almost always awkward in English. We really recommend that you rephrase a sentence to avoid creating such an awkward sentence. We have been being observed a lot at work. See the awkwardness in the sentence above? If you really need to make a passive sentence in this verb form, we often use the get passive to avoid the unnatural combination of been get in the present perfect progressive has been getting, have been getting and then the perfect form of the main verb. We have been getting observed a lot at work lately. I've been getting kicked off the internet every 5 minutes. Signal WordsRecently or LatelyWhen we are talking about new routines and habits, it’s common to use the word recently or lately, which both have the same meaning in this sense. There is some flexibility in where we can put these words in a sentence, but the beginning or end of the clause is a safe a look at these examples Lately, I've been thinking a lot about Aunt Maude. We've been having second thoughts about moving recently. JustWe can use the adverb just to emphasize that an action was completed in the immediate past, right before now. Because the present perfect continuous can talk about actions that stopped right before now, it is common to use just with it. Have a look at these examples Don't mind these ridiculous old clothes. I've just been gardening. Hey Paul! I can't believe you're here. We've just been talking about you! For We already said, the most important signal words with the present perfect progressive are for and since. They are important because they change the meaning. Whenever you see for and since with this verb form, you know the action is still we use for, we specify the duration of the action. This could be the number of minutes or weeks or years. It could also be a more general phrase like a really long time or a little while. People have been living on this land for thousands of years. It's been raining for hours I've been studying English for half my life! SinceWhile for is used with a duration, since is used to specify the point in time when the action began. That could be a time or date. It can also be another event described with a clause, like since I was a child. People have been living on this land since about 800 It's been raining since noon. I've been studying English since I was a child. check out these other free grammar resources Related Content

time signal present perfect continuous tense