Before speaking about perfect continuous tense forms, we have to learn the continuous and perfect simple aspects of the tenses in English. As we know, in general continuous forms of tenses are used to describe the actions happening at a particular time in present or past. In other words — actions are not usually finished and are going on.
In turn, every continuous aspects of the tenses in English require the auxiliary verb to be, in one or other form, and Participle I to make a sentence in continuous aspect that is progressing. Continuous forms of tenses are also called progressive tense forms in English. Participle I is a form of the verb which is made by adding -ing to the base form of a verb
I am writing an article. (present continuous — the action is going on)
He was writing an article. (past continuous — the action was going on at a particular time in the past)
The aspects of the tenses in English, which contain the word perfect, require the auxiliary verb to have and Participle II. Participle II is also a form of the verb, which is made by adding -d, -ed to the base form of a regular verb. This means that in order to make Participle II form of an irregular verb we cannot apply the spelling rule above which states adding -d, -ed to the base form of a verb. The Participle II form of the irregular verbs have developed over centuries within the history of the English language and we have to learn them by heart in order to use them correctly in any tense aspects of English.
He has done the task already.
Have you ever been to the USA?
Unlike indefinite tense aspects (Present Indefinite and Past Indefinite) perfect continuous aspects of tenses in English require two auxiliary verbs simultaneously at the same sentence to make this tense aspect, while Present Indefinite and Past Indefinite tense aspects in positive sentences can be made even not using an auxiliary verb.
I like ice cream.
He worked as the head of a school between 2000 and 2003.
«like» and «worked» are the main verbs in the sentences above, but there is not an auxiliary verb used in these sentences. But, to make a sentence in Present Perfect Continuous or in Past Perfect Continuous tense aspects we have to use one of the forms of the verb to have (have/has/had) as the first auxiliary verb and besides this we have to add the Participle II form of the verb to be. Only after that, we also have to put the main verb in Participle I form. In the result we can make the construction of these tense aspects as «Subject+have/has/had+been+Participle II» where Participle II is the main verb of the sentence.
How long have you been wearing glasses?
I have been writing an essay. [1]
Some students confuse Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous. But there are some differences between them. Firstly, Present Perfect Simple is used to say how much, how many things or how many times someone has done something:
How much of that book have you read?
They’ve played tennis three times this week. [2]
But, Present Perfect Continuous is used to say how long something has been happening:
How long have you been reading that book?
They’ve been playing tennis since 2 o’clock. [2]
In other words, we can say that Present Perfect Simple deals with the quantity and volume of an action while Present Perfect Continuous deals with the time of an action lasted from the past till now.
Second, we use Present Perfect Simple to say that an action has been completed, but we use Present Perfect Continuous to say that something has been done and it does not matter if it has been finished or not:
I have already read this book. (The action has been finished)
I have been reading this book. (The action is not finished. The speaker wants to say that it began sometime in the past and lasted up to now for some time, and it is possible that it is going on).
In this last case we can understand that actions in Present Perfect Continuous can be finished by now or going on at the time of speaking.
Third, Present Perfect Simple is used to show that there is the result of an action given with this tense. The result is usually understood by the action and not given with other words. Present Perfect Continuous is used to show that an action caused the situation now and this action is given in Present Perfect Continuous. The situation now is usually given in the context and it is explained with Present Perfect Continuous.
At last my working hours have finished for this week. (in this example the meaning «that I don’t have to work for the rest of this week» is understood with the verb in Present Perfect Simple and we don’t give this meaning with a sentence)
I am tired. I have been working hard today. (in this example ««I am tired» is the situation now and the reason of this explained with the second sentence. Or we can understand these sentences in Present Perfect Continuous with the words such as «because, that’s why» between them:
- «I am tired because I have been working hard today»;
- Ihave been working hard today that’s why I am tired.)
This third case is not given in many grammar books. This case is understood for Present Perfect Continuous using it many times in practice.
References:
- John Eastwood. Oxford Practice Grammar. Intermediate with tests. Oxford University Press. 2011.
- Raymond Murphy. English Grammar in Use. A self-study reference and practice book for intermediate learners of English. Fourth Edition. Cambridge University Press. 2012.
