English grammar: Present perfect continuous

What this grammar point covers

The present perfect continuous is an English tense used to talk about actions that started in the past and are still continuing, or have recently stopped but have a result in the present.

When to use it

Use this tense to talk about actions that began in the past and are still happening now, or have just finished but have an effect now. It is also used to show the duration of an action.

Key forms

• have/has + been + verb-ing
• I have been working.
• She has been studying.

Examples

Tips

• Don't forget to use 'been' after 'have/has'.
• Use the '-ing' form of the verb.
• Use 'has' with he, she, it; use 'have' with I, you, we, they.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some verbs (called stative verbs) are not usually used in continuous forms, like 'know', 'believe', 'like'.