Worksheet : Present perfect continuous

Qu'est-ce que le present perfect continuous ?

Le present perfect continuous est un temps composé qui associe le present perfect avec le continuous
(ou progressive). Il est utilisé pour parler d'actions qui ont commencé dans le passé et qui se poursuivent
jusqu'au moment présent. Ce temps met l'accent sur la durée et le caractère inachevé de l'action.

Comment former le present perfect continuous ?

Pour former le present perfect continuous, vous avez besoin de deux éléments :

1. L’auxiliaire have (ou has pour la troisième personne du singulier) + been (present perfect de
l’auxiliaire be)
2. Le verbe principal dans sa forme en -ing (continuous)

Voici la structure de base :

Sujet + have/has + been + verbe principal en -ing

Exemples :

She has been studying English. (Elle étudie l'anglais.)

They have been working on the project. (Ils travaillent sur le projet.)
I have been learning a new skill. (J'apprends une nouvelle compétence.)
I have been living in Paris for three years. (Je vis à Paris depuis trois ans.)
Mary has been working at this company since 2010. (Mary travaille dans cette entreprise depuis 2010.)

On peut l’utiliser pour décrire des actions qui ont été répétées dans le passé jusqu'au présent.

Exemples :

He has been visiting his grandparents every summer. (Il rend visite à ses grands-parents tous les étés.)
They have been practicing the piano for hours. (Ils pratiquent le piano depuis des heures.)

Le present perfect continuous permet de poser des questions sur des actions récentes.

Exemples :

Have you been studying for the exam? (As-tu étudié pour l'examen ?)

Has she been playing soccer this week? (A-t-elle joué au football cette semaine ?)

Ce temps peut être utilisé pour décrire une situation actuelle basée sur des actions passées.

Exemple : It's raining. It has been raining all morning. (Il pleut. Il pleut depuis ce matin.)

Present Perfect Continuous Worksheet

Part 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses (Present Perfect Continuous).

I __ ______________________(study) English for three years. She _________________________ (wait) for the bus
since 8 a.m. They _______________________ (play) football all afternoon. He ________________________ (work)
on his project lately. We _____________________________ (not / watch) TV recently. My parents
__________________________ (look) for a new house lately. The children ________________________(sleep) for
two hours. I _____________________ (try) to learn the guitar, but I haven't succeeded yet. It _________________
(rain) all day. You ______________________ (run) a lot lately. Are you training for something?

Part 2: Rewrite the sentences using the Present Perfect Continuous tense.

1. She has cleaned the house all morning.

2. They are playing tennis now.
3. He has read that book for two hours.
4. We are working on a new project.
5. I have cooked dinner since 6 p.m.

Part 3: Choose the correct option.

1. I (have been / have gone) waiting for you for an hour.
2. She (has been / has gone) working here since 2019.
3. They (have been working/ have worked) on this problem all day.
4. We (have been travelling / have travelled) to Spain many times.
5. He (has been / has been studying) French for two years.

Part 4: Answer the questions in complete sentences.

1. How long have you been learning English?
2. What have you been doing today?
3. How long has she been living in your city?
4. Why have they been arguing?
5. What have you been working on lately?

Part 5: Correct the mistakes in the following sentences.

1. I have been read that book.

2. She have been working here for five years.
3. They has been playing football all morning.
4. We been waiting for you.
5. He has been studying for three hours.

Part 6: Contextual paragraph completion

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

Example: I've been feeling tired because I __ (sleep) poorly lately.

Paragraph: Lately, I ____________________ (not / sleep) well. I ______________________ (wake up) several times
during the night, and I think it ___________________ (be) because of the stress at work. My colleague
____________________ (tell) me to try relaxation techniques, so I have been practicing yoga in the mornings.
Hopefully, I ____________________________ (feel) better soon.

Answers Key:

Part 1: 1. have been studying, 2. has been waiting, 3. have been playing, 4. has been working, 5. haven't been
watching, 6. have been looking, 7. have been sleeping, 8. have been trying, 9. has been raining, 10. have been
running.
Part 2: (sample answers) 1. She has been cleaning the house all morning. 2. They have been playing tennis
now. 3. He has been reading that book for two hours. 4. We have been working on a new project. 5. I have
been cooking dinner since 6 p.m.
Part 3: 1. have been, 2. has been, 3. have been, 4. have been, 5. has been.
Part 4: (sample answers)
I've been learning English for three years.
I've been working on my project all day.
She has been living in my city for five years.
They've been arguing about something important.
I've been working on my thesis lately.
Part 5: Corrected sentences: 1. I have been reading that book. 2. She has been working here for five years. 3.
They have been playing football all morning. 4. We have been waiting for you. 5. He has been studying for
three hours.
Part 6: (sample completion)
I've been feeling tired because I haven't been sleeping poorly lately.

Paragraph: Lately, I haven’t been sleeping(not / sleep) well. I woke up(wake up) several times during the
night, and I think it is(be) because of the stress at work. My colleague told (tell) me to try relaxation
techniques, so I have been practicing yoga in the mornings. Hopefully, I will feel(feel) better soon.

Part 7: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

1. I __ (exercise) every morning this week.

2. She __ (study) for her exams all weekend.
3. We __ (not / see) each other lately.
4. The dog __ (scratch) itself a lot today.
5. They __ (build) the new park for months.
6. He __ (not / sleep) well these nights.
7. You __ (look) for your keys all morning.
8. My sister __ (paint) her room recently.
9. The workers __ (repair) the road all day.
10. I __ (try) to contact you, but I couldn’t reach you.

Part 8: Match the sentences with their meanings.

 1. She has been working here since 2015 a. The activity started in the past and is still ongoing.
2.They’ve been waiting for hours. b. The activity has been happening repeatedly or
continuously.
3.I’ve been feeling sick all day. c. The activity just recently finished.
4.We’ve been planning this trip for months. d. The activity has been happening for a specific
period in the past and continues now.
5.He has been running every morning. e. The activity happened recently but is now
finished.

Part 9: Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the Present Perfect Continuous.

A: Hi! You look tired. B: Yeah, I __ (work) late every night this week.
A: Oh no! Why __ (you / work) so much?
B: I _ (prepare) for the big presentation. It _ (be) stressful.
A: I understand. How long __ (you / do) this project?
B: Since last month. I __ (try) to finish it before the deadline.

Part 10: Write questions for the following answers using the Present Perfect Continuous.

Answer: I’ve been reading this book for two hours. Question: __?
Answer: She’s been working here since 2010. Question: __?
Answer: They’ve been traveling around Europe for a month. Question: __?
Answer: We’ve been waiting for the train for 15 minutes. Question: __?
Answer: He’s been fixing his bike all morning. Question: __?

Part 11: Correct the mistakes in the following sentences.

I have been played tennis today. She have been studying all night. They has been working on the project for
weeks. We been waiting here for an hour. He have been painting the house recently.

Part 12: Write a paragraph about your recent activities using the Present Perfect Continuous tense. (At least
5 sentences)

Answer Key Part 7: Fill in the blanks

1. have been exercising

2. has been studying
3. haven't seen / haven't been seeing
4. has been scratching
5. have been building
6. hasn't been sleeping
7. have been looking
8. has been painting
9. have been repairing
10. have been trying

Part 8: Match the sentences with their meanings

1. d. The activity has been happening for a specific period in the past and continues now.
2. a. The activity started in the past and is still ongoing.
3. c. The activity just recently finished.
4. b. The activity has been happening repeatedly or continuously.
5. e. The activity happened recently but is now finished.

Part 9: Complete the dialogue

A: Hi! You look tired.

B: Yeah, I have been working late every night this week.
A: Oh no! Why have you been working so much?
B: I have been preparing for the big presentation. It has been stressful.
A: I understand. How long have you been doing this project?
B: Since last month. I have been trying to finish it before the deadline.

Part 10: Write questions

1. How long have you been reading this book?

2. How long have you been working here?
3. How long have they been traveling around Europe?
4. How long have you been waiting for the train?
5. How long has he been fixing his bike?

Part 11: Correct the mistakes

1. I have been playing tennis today.

2. She has been studying all night.
3. They have been working on the project for weeks.
4. We have been waiting here for an hour.
5. He has been painting the house recently.