Present Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect Сontinuous сочетает в себе значение перфекта и длительного действия

и образуется при помощи вспомoгательного глагола to be в форме Present Perfect
(have been, has been) и Participle 1 (ing - ending) смыслового глагола:

Have/has been + Participle 1

Present Perfect Continuous употребляется в двух случаях:

1. Present Perfect Continuous употребляется для выражения длительного действия,

которое началось в прошлом, длилось до момента речи (Perfect) и еще
совершается в настоящее время (Continuous). При употреблении этого
времени всегда указан период времени, в течении которого совершается
действие.
Период времени обозначается предлогами For (for an hour, for a year, for a long
time…) since (since yesterday, since three o’clock, since 2008..), а также
обстоятельствами времени the whole month, all day long, all the year round,
lately, recently и т.д.
Present Perfect Continuous употребляется для выражения длительного действия
в вопросах, начинающихся с how long? и since when? В этом случае данное
время переводиться на русский язык глаголом в настоящем времени:
Например: What’s the time? We have been rehearsing this scene for an hour already!
Который час? Мы репетируем эту сцену уже час!
Look out of the window. It has been raining since early morning. – Выгляни в окно. С
раннего утра идет дождь.
How long has she been playing the leading part in the play? – For 5 years already.
Как долго она уже играет главную роль в этой пьесе? – Уже 5 лет.

С глаголами, не употребляющимися с группой Continuous ( to see, to hear, to feel, to

notice, to like, to dislike, to know, to understand, to remember, to forget , to believe, to
seem, to want, to wish и т.д.) вместо Present Perfect Continuous употребляется Present
Perfect.
Ряд глаголов таких, как to live, to work, to live, to work, to teach, to stand, to wait, to
sleep, to lie, to rain, to sit, to study могут употребляться как и в Present Perfect,
Continuous так и в Present Perfect практически в едином значении. Это зависит от
желания говорящего подчеркнуть длительность действия или сам факт его свершения.
Например: I have studied English for 5 years. – Я учу английский язык 5 лет.
I have been studying English for 5 years. - Я учу английский язык 5 лет.

2. Present Perfect Continuous употребляется также для выражения длительного

действия, которое началось в прошлом, длилось какое-то время, привело к
какому-то результату и закончилось непосредственно перед моментом
речи. Период речи, в течении которого совершалось действие, может быть не
указан. В этом случае Present Perfect Continuous переводиться глаголами
прошедшего времени.
Например: You look exhausted. – I have been working hard all day long. – Ты
выглядишь уставшим. - Я много работал весь день.

1. Read the sentences and translate them into Russian. Make as many sentences of
that kind as possible.
1. Tell your precious son to switch off his computer. He has been playing computer
games for three hours. 
2. A charming girl is lying in the sun. She came to the beach at 10 a.m. It's 2 p.m. now.
So she has been sunbathing for 4 hours!
3. The discussion between the management and the staff started at 4 p.m. They have
been discussing the management suggestion for two and a half hours and they
haven't come to any decision yet.
4. Mag has been applauding her favourite actress for 15 minutes already. Her acting
always appeals to Mag. 
5. Their company has been producing candies and sweets since they started their
business 3 years ago. They are successful. 
6. The tourists have been going through Passport Control for an hour already and they
haven't passed it yet.
7. I am not allowed to take a car. The roads are covered with deep snow.- No wonder, It
has been snowing hard the whole hight. 
8. She has a pain in the side. Unfortunately she has been eating rich food for the whole
week. 
9. Is Bob disappointed with anything? -Yes, he has been waiting for his sweetheart in
vain (напрасно). She hasn't come.
10. You look untidy, why?- I have been lying under my bed during the whole
thunderstorm. I was afraid of ball lightning.
11. Why are your hands so curiously red, yellow and blue? I have been painting a bench
for my children. 
12.Since when has your brother been waiting for promotion?- Since they promised him
to promote two years ago.
13.What has been happening here since I left?- We have been giving a party.
14.Who has been sitting in the box for half the act and now has left?- The theater
director.
15.How long have you been practicing your language skills? – For 5 years alredy.

2. Translate into English

1. Честно говоря, пьеса нудная и состав исполнителей плохой. Зрители
постепенно покидают зал с середины первого акта.- У меня тоже нет никакого
настроения смотреть ее до конца.
2. -Чем ты занят?-С тех пор, как я пришел на работу, я пытаюсь получить
необходимую мне информацию в открытом доступе.
3. Он много курит?- Нет, он не курит уже 10 лет. Он проявляет активный интерес
к дайвингу и вообще ведет здоровый образ жизни.
4. Уже несколько часов Ваш муж пытается достать билеты на премьеру, не так
ли?- Да, он обожает балет.
5. Посмотри, который час. Ты пришел сегодня очень поздно. Не разочаровывай
меня. Ты же не развлекался с друзьями вместо того, чтобы готовиться к
экзаменам, не правда ли?-Извини, мама.
6.Он постоянно тебя вовлекает в проблемы. Он не надежный человек. Как долго
ты его знаешь?- Мы вместе работаем уже 5 лет.
7.Наконец мы приближаемся к станции назначения, я не могу больше
разговаривать.-Сколько у вас занял путь? 16 часов и единственное, что меня
отвлекало в дороге, это то, что по любопытному совпадению мы
путешествовали всю дорогу в моей однокласснице.
8.Кто ищет меня с утра по всему городу? Ричард? Я его только что видела.
9.Майкл в последнее время очень занят. С какого времени он репетирует
главную роль в опере?- С марта месяца. Он считает, эта роль повлияет на eго
будущую карьеру на сцене.
3.Put the verbs in brackets into the present perfect continuous tense
1 I (make) cakes. That is why my hands are all covered with flour.
2 Her phone (ring) for ten minutes. I wonder why she doesn't answer it.
3 He (overwork). That is why he looks so tired.
4 There is sawdust in your hair. ~ I'm not surprised. I (cut) down a tree.
5 Have you seen my bag anywhere? I (look) for it for ages.
6 What you (do)? ~ I (work) in the laboratory.
7 He (study) Russian for two years and doesn't even know the alphabet yet.
8 How long you (wait) for me? ~ I (wait) about half an hour.
9 It (rain) for two days now. There'11 be a flood soon.
10 We (argue) about this for two hours now. Perhaps we should stop
11 I (bathe). That's why my hair is all wet.
12 You (drive) all day. Let me drive now.
13 How long you (wear) glasses?
14 The petrol gauge (say) 'Empty' for quite a long time now. Don't think we should
get some petrol?
15 I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. I (try) to make a telephone call Rome.
16 You (not eat) enough lately. That's why you feel irritable,
17 He (speak) for an hour now. I expect he'll soon be finished.
18 That helicopter (fly) round the house for the last hour; do you think it's taking
photographs?
19 The radio (play) since 7 a.m. I wish someone would turn it off.
20 I (shop) all day and I haven't a penny left.
21 We (live) here since 1977.
22 I'm on a diet. I (eat) nothing but bananas for the last month.
23 The children (look) forward to this holiday for months.
24 That pipe (leak) for ages. We must get it mended.
25 Tom (dig) in the garden all afternoon and I (help) him.
26 I (ask) you to mend that window for six weeks. When are you going to do it?
27 Someone (use) my bicycle. The chain's fallen off.
28 How long you (drive)? ~ I (drive) for ten years.
29 The trial (go) on for a long time. I wonder what the verdict will be.
30 It (snow) for three days now. The roads will be blocked if it doesn't stop soon.

Put the verbs in brackets into the present perfect or the present perfect continuous
tense. (In some cases either could be used.)
1 We (walk) ten kilometres.
2 We (walk) for three hours.
3 You (walk) too fast. That's why you are tired.
4 I (make) sausage rolls for the party all the morning.
5 How many you (make)? ~ I (make) 200.
6 That boy (eat) seven ice-creams.
7 He (not stop) eating since he arrived.
8 The driver (drink). I think someone else ought to drive.
9 I (pull) up 100 dandelions.
10 I (pull) up dandelions all day.
11 What you (do)? ~ We (pick) apples.
12 How many you (pick)? ~ We (pick) ten basketfuls.
13 I (sleep) on every bed in this house and I don't like any of them.
14 He (sleep) since ten o'clock. It's time he woke up.
15 He (ride); that's why he is wearing breeches.
16 I (ride) all the horses in this stable.
17 What a lovely smell! ~ Mary (make) jam.
18 The students (work) very well this term.
19 I only (hear) from him twice since he went away.
20 I (hear) from her regularly. She is a very good correspondent.
21 I (grease) my car. That's why my hands are so dirty.
22 I (polish) this table all the morning and she isn't satisfied with it yet.
23 I (work) for him for ten years and he never once (say) 'Good morning' to me.
24 He (teach) in this school for five years.
25 I (teach) hundreds of students but I never (meet) such a hopeless class as this.
26 Why you (be) so long in the garage? ~ The tyres were flat; I (pump) them up.
27 I (pump) up three tyres. Would you like to do the fourth?
28 I (look) for mushrooms but I (not find) any.
29 He (cough) a lot lately. He ought to give up smoking.
30 You (hear) the news? Tom and Ann are engaged! ~ That's not new; I (know) it for
ages!
31 I (try) to finish this letter for the last half-hour. I wish you'd go away or stop
talking. ~ I hardly (say) anything.
32 The driver of that car (sound) his horn for the last ten minutes.
33 It (rain) for two hours and the ground is too wet to play on, so the match (be)
postponed.
34 He (hope) for a rise in salary for six months but he (not dare) to ask for it yet.
35 Mr Smith, you (whisper) to the student on your right for the last five minutes. You
(help) him with his exam paper or he (help) you?
36 Why you (make) such a horrible noise? ~ I (lose) my key and I (try) to wake my
wife by throwing stones at he window. ~ You (throw) stones at the wrong window.
You live next door.

Fill the spaces in the following sentences by using for or since.

1 We've been fishing . . . two hours.
2 I've been working in this office . . . a month.
3 They've been living in France . . . 1970.
4 He has been in prison . . . a year.
5 I've known that . . . a long time.
6 That man has been standing there . . . six o'clock.
7 She has driven the same car . . . 1975.
8 Things have changed . . . I was a girl.
9 The kettle has been boiling . . . a quarter of an hour.
10 The central heating has been on . . . October.
11 That trunk has been in the hall . . . a year.
12 He has been very ill . . . the last month.
13 I've been using this machine . . . twelve years.
14 We've been waiting . . . half an hour.
15 Mr Pitt has been in hospital . . . his accident.
16 He hasn't spoken to me . . . the last committee meeting.
17 I have been very patient with you . . . several years.
18 They have been on strike . . . November.
19 The strike has lasted . . . six months.
20 It has been very foggy . . . early morning.
21 They have been quarrelling ever . . . they got married.