Time Expressions

Time expressions used with the Present Perfect Continuous include: for, since, all morning/afternoon/ week/day, etc., how long and since when (in questions).

Exercises

Exercise 59. Explain the use of the Present Perfect Continuous in the following sentences:

1. "I must say, William, you're looking distinctly pale, you know." – "Am I?" "I fear you've been overworking yourself lately. You don't get out of doors enough."

2. You bet I'm burning myself out. I've been doing it for so many years now — and who cares?

3. Your wife's been telling me that you've not been sleeping very well lately. I'm sorry to hear that.

4. "Mother, what do you suppose you look like?" "Oh, I know. But I've been cleaning the stairs."

5. Rosemary, I've been thinking. What we need is something different.

6. "I was the only boy in our school that had asthma," said the fat boy with a touch of pride. "And I've been wearing specs since I was three."

7. I don't want anyone to know I've been crying.

8. Oh, I am not really hot. It's just that I've been running.

9. Oh, dear, has the baby been howling ever since we left?

10. "Oh, it's grand to have you home again," he said. "I've been saving up things to tell you but now they've gone right out of my head and I can only be glad."

Exercise 60. Fill in the blanks with ‘for’ or ‘since’.

e.g. – The actors have been rehearsing the play for a month.

– Jane has been doing laundry since 8.30.

1. James has been wearing this suit ___ five years.

2. Mother has been cooking dinner ___ she returned from the market.

3. Alice has been skating on the pond ___ morning.

4. They have been revising the material for the exam __ three days.

5. She has been learning to drive a car ___ a fortnight.

6. It has been snowing heavily ___ Monday.

7. Ann has been practising yoga ___ three years.

8. The new secretary has been working here ___ April.

9. John has been living in Chicago ___ January.

10. David has been collecting coins___ he was a child.

Exercise 61. In pairs, ask and answer questions using the prompts given, as in the example.

e.g. SA: How long has Sam been working for the company?

SB: He has been working for this company for two years.

Sam / work / for this company / two years

Mary / teach / French /1990

the robbers / hide / in a farmhouse / a week

Peter / make / model planes /1992

Julie / play / the guitar / four years

the children / watch / TV / two hours

Exercise 62. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form of the Present Perfect Continuous.

1. What ...have you been doing… all week? (you/ do)

2. … his car all day? (Jim/repair)

3. I … this book for weeks. (read)

4. … a lot this year? (Ben/swim)

5. Mr Bell is busy. He … on the phone for an hour. (talk)

6. I've got a penfriend. I … to her for five years. (write)

7. John won't pass his exams. He … any homework lately. (not/do)

8. Molly …with me since last month. (stay)

9. We … on this project since December. (work)

10. Sam … how to ride a horse for three months. (learn)

Exercise 63. Match Column A with Column В to make correct sentences.

А	В
How long have you been waiting?	He's been planting trees all day.
Bill is in the garden.	That's why she's lost weight.
You've been studying all morning.	It's been snowing all day.
Anne's been exercising a lot recently.	She's been working hard all week.
It's cold outside.	I think it's time to stop now.
Jenny's tired.	For ten minutes
We've been practising all afternoon.	Lots of things. I've been busy.
What have you been doing since I last saw you?	Why don't you take a break?

Exercise 64. What have these people been doing? Make sentences using an appropriate verb in the Present Perfect Continuous.

e.g. Catherine went to the supermarket an hour ago. She's still there.

Catherine has been ehopping for an hour.

1. My mum began cooking three hours ago. She hasn't finished yet.

2. The teams started playing football twenty minutes ago. They haven't finished yet.

3. The headmaster started speaking two hours ago. He hasn't stopped yet.

4. Bill began building his house six months ago. He hasn't finished it yet.

5. I started doing my homework three hours ago. I haven't finished it yet.

Exercise 65. In pairs, ask and answer questions using the prompts given, as in the example.

SA: What's your favourite hobby?

SB: Fainting,

SA: How long have you been painting?

SB: I've been painting since I was fourteen years old.

1. favourite hobby

2. best friend / know

3. favourite TV programme / watch

4. your address / live

5. favourite magazine / read

taking photos since 1351.

Exercise 69. To practise the Present Perfect Continuous, say what has just been happening to cause the state of things expressed in the following sentences:

1. His clothes are wet. (to walk in the rain)

2. You look upset, (to say dreadful things about ...)

3. I'm so glad to be able to talk to someone, (to have a very dull time)

4. Why do you think I ought to give up my work? (to talk to the doctor)

5. You look excited, (to try to talk someone out of doing something)

6. He is very tired, (to overwork) the streets are wet. (to rain)

7. I can't write a loving letter now. (to write too many official papers)

8. The air in the room is hazy, (to smoke a great deal)

Exercise 70. Translate into English the following sentences.

1. Кет червона, бо загоряла на пляжі. Вона щороку їздить до Криму.

2. Шарон не палить уже п’ять років.

3. Ми вчимо ці слова з ранку і не можемо їх запам’ятати.

4. Хю втомлений. Він працює вже годину.

5. Чому Джудіт не грає на піаніно з ранку? Завтра в неї концерт.

6. Я вже чекаю годину. Лікар скоро прийде?

7. Генрі говорить про зміну роботи вже рік, але нічого не робить.

8. Стів не працює тут з 1995 року. Він працює на іншу фірму.

9. Як довго ти користуєшся цією посудомийкою? – Два роки.

10. Студенти пишуть тест уже дві пари. Я думаю, він дуже важкий.