词汇

grammar_british-grammar_present-perfect-continuous-i-have-been-working

释义

Present perfect continuous (I have been working)

Present perfect continuous: form

We use have/has + been + the -ing form of the verb.

she, he, it

I, you, we, they

has

have

been working.

−

she, he, it

I, you, we, they

(full form)

has not

have not

been working.

she, he, it

I, you, we, they

(short form)

hasn’t

haven’t

? +

Has

Have

she, he, it

I, you, we, they

been working?

? −

(full form)

Has

Have

she, he, it

I, you, we, they

not

been working?

(short form)

Hasn’t

Haven’t

she, he, it

I, you, we, they

Present perfect continuous: uses

Recent past activities

We use the present perfect continuous to talk about a finished activity in the recent past. Using the present perfect continuous focuses on the activity.

We don’t give a specific time. Even though the activity is finished, we can see the result in the present:

I’ve just beencleaning the car. (The car is wet and clean.)

It’sbeensnowing. (The ground is covered in snow.)

What have you been buying?

One continuing event

We use the present perfect continuous for a single activity that began at a point in the past and is still continuing:

I’vebeenreading your book – it’s great. (I’m still reading it.)

He’s been living in the village since 1995. (He is still living in the village.)

She has been writing her autobiography since 1987.

Repeated continuing events

We use the present perfect continuous to talk about repeated activities which started at a particular time in the past and are still continuing up until now:

I’vebeen going to Spain on holiday every year since 1987.

I haven’t been eating much lunch lately. I’vebeengoing to the gym at lunchtimes.

She’sbeenplaying tennis on and off for three years.

How long …?

We often use the present perfect continuous to ask and answer questions about the duration of an activity. We use the question How long …+ present perfect continuous:

A:
How longhaveyoubeen waitingfor me?

B:
About ten minutes. Not too long. (I’ve been waiting for about ten minutes.)