Present Perfect Continuous Tense Exercises with Answers

Struggling to nail the present perfect continuous tense? You’re not alone! This tricky tense, used to describe ongoing actions with a connection to the present, often trips up even advanced English learners. But fear not! This blog post is packed with practical present perfect continuous tense exercises designed to solidify your understanding and boost your confidence. Get ready to put your knowledge to the test and finally master this essential grammar point.

Find similar blogs on Tenses here!

What is Present Perfect Continuous Tense?

Before you start solving present perfect continuous tense exercises, it is beneficial to revise the definition and examples of this form of tense. Let us start!!

The present perfect continuous tense is a verb tense used to describe the following actions. 

1. Started in the Past: The action began at some point before the present moment.   
2. Continued to the Present: The action is still ongoing, or it has recently stopped, but its effects are still relevant.
3. Emphasise Duration: It often highlights the length of time the action has been happening.

Let us now look at the following structure for better understanding:

The tense is formed using:

• “has” or “have” (depending on the subject)   
• “been”   
• the present participle (the “-ing” form) of the main verb.   
• Example: “I have been working,” “She has been studying.”

Read More: Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Present Perfect Continuous Tense Exercises

Once you have gained a basic understanding of the present perfect continuous tense, it is now time to practice the following exercises to check on the knowledge which you have gained. 

Present Perfect Continuous Tense Exercises 1: Fill in the Blanks

Instructions: Complete the sentences with the present perfect continuous form of the verbs in brackets.

1. They ________ (study) for the exam all morning.
2. I ________ (wait) for the bus for 20 minutes.
3. She ________ (cook) dinner since 6 o’clock.
4. We ________ (travel) around Europe for a month.
5. He ________ (repair) the car all day.

Answers:

1. Have been studying
2. Have been waiting
3. Has been cooking
4. Have been travelling
5. Has been repairing

Present Perfect Continuous Tense Exercises 2: Sentence Transformation

Instructions: Rewrite the following sentences using the present perfect continuous tense.

1. She started playing the piano an hour ago and she is still playing.
2. They began working on the project last week and they are still working on it.
3. It started raining this morning and it is still raining.
4. I started learning French three years ago and I am still learning.
5. He began exercising at 7 am and he is still exercising.

Answers:

1. She has been playing the piano for an hour.
2. They have been working on the project since last week.
3. It has been raining since this morning.
4. I have been learning French for three years.
5. He has been exercising since 7 am.

Present Perfect Continuous Tense Exercises 3: Question Formation

Instructions: Create questions using present perfect continuous tense. 

1. (You / read) ________ that book for long?
2. (She / work) ________ on this report all day?
3. (They / live) ________ in this city for many years?
4. (He / practice) ________ the guitar since yesterday?
5. (It / snow) ________ since this morning?

Answers:

1. Have you been reading that book for long?
2. Has she been working on this report all day?
3. Have they been living in this city for many years?
4. Has he been practicing the guitar since yesterday?
5. Has it been snowing since this morning?

Present Perfect Continuous Tense Exercises 4: Choose the Correct Tense

Instructions: Choose the correct tense ( present perfect continuous, or simple present perfect).

1. I ________ (work) here for five years. (have worked / have been working)
2. They ________ (play) football since 3 PM. (have played / have been playing)
3. She ________ (write) three novels. (has written / has been writing)
4. We ________ (wait) for the train for an hour. (have waited / have been waiting)
5. He ________ (finish) his homework. (has finished / has been finishing)

Answers:

1. Have been woking
2. Have been playing
3. Has written
4. Have been waiting
5. Has finished

Present Perfect Continuous Tense Exercises 5: Real- Life Scenarios

Instructions: Imagine these situations and write sentences using the present perfect continuous tense. 

1. You see your friend is very sweaty and breathing heavily.
2. You notice your neighbor’s plants are very well watered and the ground is soaked.
3. Your coworker is coughing a lot and looks tired.
4. Your hands are covered in flour.
5. You hear loud hammering noises coming from next door.

Answers:

1. He/She has been running.
2. They have been watering the plants.
3. He/She has been coughing.
4. I have been baking.
5. They have been doing some construction work.

Also Read: Past Tense and Present Tense Exercise

Bonus Present Perfect Continuous Tense Exercises for 10th Board Exam

Here are some additional present perfect continuous tense exercises to practice for the board exam.

Bonus Exercise: Error Correction

Instructions: Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences. Some sentences may be correct.

1. I have waited for you since two hours.
2. She has been cook dinner all afternoon.
3. They been playing video games since they got home.
4. Have you been study for the test?
5. He has being working on this project for a long time.
6. We have been know each other for years.
7. I have been lived in this house since 2010.
8. They has been travel around the world.
9. She have been reading that book.
10. It have been raining all night.

Answers:

1. Incorrect: I have waited for you since two hours.

• Correct: I have been waiting for you for two hours. (“for” is used with a duration of time, and “been waiting” is needed.)

2. Incorrect: She has been cook dinner all afternoon.

• Correct: She has been cooking dinner all afternoon. (The “-ing” form of the verb is required.)

3. Incorrect: They been playing video games since they got home.

• Correct: They have been playing video games since they got home. (“have” is needed.)

4. Incorrect: Have you been study for the test?

• Correct: Have you been studying for the test? (The “-ing” form of the verb is required.)

5. Incorrect: He has being working on this project for a long time.

• Correct: He has been working on this project for a long time. (“been” is needed, not “being”.)

6. Incorrect: We have been know each other for years.

• Correct: We have known each other for years. (This should be the present perfect simple tense, as “know” is a stative verb.)

7. Incorrect: I have been lived in this house since 2010.

• Correct: I have lived in this house since 2010. (This should be the present perfect simple tense, as “live” is a stative verb when referring to a permanent situation.)

8. Incorrect: They has been travel around the world.

• Correct: They have been traveling around the world. (“have” is used with “they,” and the “-ing” form of the verb is needed.)

9. Incorrect: She have been reading that book.

• Correct: She has been reading that book. (“has” is used with “she”.)

10. Incorrect: It have been raining all night.

• Correct: It has been raining all night. (“has” is used with “it”.)

Why is Understanding Present Perfect Continuous Important?

The present perfect continuous tense is important as it allows one to express nuanced meanings about actions that connect the past to the present. Let us now look at the following  breakdown of its significance:

1. Emphasise on Duration: It highlights how long an action has been taking place. This is crucial for conveying the extent of an activity and its impact. For example, “I have been waiting for hours” emphasises the frustration or impatience associated with a long wait.
2. Connection Between Past and Present: It bridges the gap between past actions and their present consequences. This helps us understand why something is happening now. For example, “She’s tired because she has been working all day” explains the current state of tiredness.
3. Expressing Ongoing Actions: It accurately describes actions that started in the past and are still in progress. This is essential for conveying continuous activities. For example, “They have been building a new school” implies that the construction is still ongoing.
4. Improving Fluency and Accuracy: For those learning English, mastering this tense increases overall English fluency and accuracy. It allows for more natural-sounding speech and writing.

Find related blogs on Learn English from here!

Future Continuous Tense Adverbs	Tenses Tests You Should Have to Test Yourself!
Tenses Quiz With Answers	Present Unreal Conditional Tense Examples
Simple Future Tense Examples	Future Unreal Conditional Examples

FAQs

This was all about “Present Perfect Continuous Tense Exercises.” Hopefully, you understand the concept and where it’s used. You can also follow Leverage Edu for more exciting and informative blogs on Learn English.