Gramática · G6
Present Perfect Continuous
flexing the hours you've put in
el present perfect continuo
In this unit
The present perfect continuous (have/has been + verb-ing) puts the spotlight on how long something has been going on, and usually that it's still going on now. You'll often pair it with for and since. In this unit you'll learn when to choose it instead of the simple present perfect, and why state verbs stay in the simple form.
El present perfect continuo (have/has been + verbo-ing) pone el foco en cuánto tiempo lleva pasando algo, y normalmente en que sigue pasando ahora. Se combina con for y since. Aquí verás cuándo elegirlo en lugar del present perfect simple y por qué los verbos de estado se quedan en la forma simple.
How you'll practise: Present perfect simple or continuous? · True or False? · Circle the mistake, then write the correct version below · Rewrite · Your real life.
El slang se queda en la frase. Toca la palabra con puntos — o clic derecho — y sale qué significa.
The story of English · la historia
Sometimes you need two ideas at once, and this tense gives you both. English already had a perfect (have + been, for 'connected to now') and a continuous (- ing, for 'still going'). But how do you say an action is BOTH still going AND has lasted up to now? You stack them: have been + -ing. That is why the tense exists — 'I've been studying for two hours' needs both parts. It became common only in the 1700s–1800s. Spanish has no single match; it uses 'llevar + gerundio' ('llevo dos horas estudiando'). Careful: 'he estado estudiando' can mean you've stopped.
A veces necesitas dos ideas a la vez, y este tiempo te da las dos. El inglés ya tenía un perfecto (have + been, para 'conectado con el ahora') y un continuo (-ing, para 'aún en marcha'). Pero, ¿cómo dices que una acción sigue Y ha durado hasta ahora? Los apilas: have been + -ing. Por eso existe el tiempo — 'I've been studying for two hours' necesita las dos partes. Solo se hizo común en los siglos XVIII–XIX. El español no tiene un solo equivalente; usa 'llevar + gerundio' ('llevo dos horas estudiando'). Ojo: 'he estado estudiando' puede dar a entender que has parado.
In plain English · en cristiano
The present perfect continuous (have/has been + -ing) spotlights how long and that it's still going. Pair it with for and since.
El present perfect continuo (have/has been + -ing) resalta cuánto tiempo y que sigue pasando. Combínalo con for y since.
El patrón · The pattern
HAVE / HAS BEEN + -ing · how long
I've been for an hour.
IN CONTEXT · en contexto
She's been grinding at the gym since six — she's .
How do we do this in spanish? · ¿Y en español?
Spanish says 'llevo esperando una hora'; English packs it into have been + -ing.
El español dice 'llevo esperando una hora'; el inglés lo mete en have been + - ing.
Want to learn it with the song?
Present Perfect — a quick rhyme 3nglishwith3li.com/songs
Letra · Lyrics
“‘How long have you been…?’ — the action’s still here,
‘have been’ + ‘-ing’ keeps it running, that’s clear.
It started before and it hasn’t let go;
‘I’ve been waiting for hours!’ — now you know.
For effort and time that still shows its face,
reach for ‘have been - ing’ — keep up the pace.”
escáneame todas las canciones→
Give it a proper go first, then check at the back.
Answers live at the back — no peeking till you’ve had a real go.
Examples worth “borrowing” — warm up with these
•I've been for an hour and I feel worse.
Llevo una hora tragando malas noticias y me siento peor.
•She's been grinding at the gym since six — she's .
Lleva dando cera en el gym desde las seis; está reventada.
•I've been feeling all week, .
Llevo toda la semana quemado, en secreto.
APresent perfect simple or continuous?
1. I () for an hour and I feel worse.
Llevo una hora tragando malas noticias y me siento peor.
2. She (grind) at the gym since six.
Lleva dando cera en el gym desde las seis.
3. We (wait) for this drop all week.
Llevamos toda la semana esperando este drop.
4. He (be) lately.
Últimamente está enganchado a internet.
BTrue or False?
1. The present perfect continuous stresses how long. ****
El present perfect continuo enfatiza cuánto tiempo.
2. State verbs (know, like) work well in the continuous. ****
Los verbos de estado funcionan bien en el continuo.
3.'for', 'since' and 'all day' fit this tense. ****
'for', 'since' y 'all day' encajan con este tiempo.
4.'have been knowing him' is correct. ****
'have been knowing him' es correcto.
CCircle the mistake, then write the correct version below.
1. I've been knowing him for years.
Lo conozco desde hace años.
2. She has been study all day.
Lleva estudiando todo el día.
3. We been waiting for ages.
Llevamos siglos esperando.
DRewrite with the present perfect continuous.
1. I've been feeling . (question)→
Me siento quemado. (pregunta)→
2. They've been streaming for hours. (negative)→
Llevan horas de directo. (negativa)→
3. He's been faining for that game. (question)→
Lleva con mono de ese juego. (pregunta)→
EYour real life. Write TWO sentences about things you've been doing lately.
•How long have you been into your current hyperfixation? Use 'for'/'since'.
¿Cuánto llevas con tu obsesión actual? Usa 'for'/'since'.
1.
2.
CAMBRIDGE PRACTICE · B1 Preliminary · Writing · Part 2
Exam tip. Use the present perfect continuous ('have been + -ing') for something you started before and are still doing. Write a short article (about 100 words): 'A hobby I've been really enjoying lately.' Say what it is, how long you've been doing it, and why you love it.
BOSS LEVEL · How Long?
Tick True if the continuous is the natural choice.
Marca True si el continuo es lo natural.
1. I've been for an hour and I feel worse. ****
Llevo una hora tragando malas noticias y estoy peor.
2. I've been knowing him for years. (spot the slip) ****
Lo conozco desde hace años. (encuentra el error)
3. She's been grinding at the gym since six. ****
Lleva dando cera en el gym desde las seis.
4. I'm and I've been feeling . ****
Vivo enganchado a internet y llevo tiempo quemado.
How did you do? Did you check the answers?
¿Qué tal? ¿Has mirado las soluciones al final?
✓ what i’ve nailed
LO QUE ME HE CLAVADO