PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOS

USE

• WE USE THIS TIME WHEN WE WANT TO EXPRESS THE SENSE OF THE CONTINUITY OF AN ACTION THAT HAS BEGUN AND IS STILL LASTING IN THE PRESENT OR JUST ENDED

STRUCTURE

• The present perfect continuous is formed with the verb "to have" accompanied by a participle (BEEN) and a verb ending in ING. subject + have / has + verb + ing + complement

AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES

• Subject + auxiliary verb (to have) + "been" + gerund
• CONJUGATION: I HAVE BEEN SINGING= yo he estado cantando

NEGATIVE SENTENCES

• subject + auxiliary verb (to have) + "not" + "been" + gerund
• CONJUGATION: THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PLAYING ALL DAY= ellos no han estado jugando todo el dia.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES

• auxiliary verb (to have) + subject + "been" + gerund?
• CONJUGATION: HAVE I BEEN WORKING? = ¿he estado trabajando?

examples

• AFFIRMATIVE: I HAVE BEEN EATING
• NEGATIVE: I HAVEN`T BEEN EATING
• INTERROGATIVE: HAVE I BEEN EATING?

CURIOUS FACT

• Not all actions can be expressed in the present perfect continuous. There are some verbs that only admit the continuous form or the perfect form, but not combined.

THANK YOU