Exercises

Unit $9$

$9\mathrm{.}1$

Is it raining?

No$,$ but the ground is wet.

It has been raining.

Have$/$has been $-$ing is the present perfect continuous:

$\backslash$table$[[\backslash$table$[[$I$/$we$/$they$/$you have $(=$ I've etc.$)],[$he$/$she$/$it has $(=$ he's etc.$)]],$been,$\backslash$table$[[$doing$],[$waiting$],[$playing etc.$]]]]$

We use the present perfect continuous for an activity that has recently stopped or just stopped. There is a connection with now:

You're out of breath. Have you been running? $(=$ you're out of breath now$)$

Paul is very tired. He's been working very hard. $(=$ he's tired now$)$

$$ Why are your clothes so dirty? What have you been doing?

I've been talking to Amanda about the problem and she agrees with me$.$

Where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere.

It has been raining for two hours.

Study this example situation:

It began raining two hours ago and it is still raining.

How long has it been raining?

It has been raining for two hours.

We use the present perfect continuous in this way with how long, for dots and since $....$ The activity is still happening $($as in this example$)$ or has just stopped.

How long have you been learning English? $(=$ you're still learning English$)$

$$ Tim is still watching television. He's been watching television all day.

Where have you been? I've been looking for you for the last half hour

$$ Chris hasn't been feeling well recently.

You can use the present prefect continuous for actions repeated over a period of time:

$$ Debbie is a very good tennis player. She's been playing since she was eight.

$$ Every morning they meet in the same caf$.$ They've been going there for years.

Compare I am doing $($see Unit $1)$ and I have been doing:

$18$

Present perfect continuous and simple $$ Units $10-11$ Present perfect $+$ for$/$since $$ Units $11-12$