Perfect Continuous Tenses Present Perfect Continuous

Exercise 199

Complete the sentences. Use the Present Perfect Continuous.

Example:

We're tired. We _____ hard all day. We're tired. We 've been working hard all day.

work

Sue's French is good. She _____ the language for ten years. I'm sorry I'm late. _____ you _____ long? I don't know London well. I _____ here for very long. Simon is a good driver. How long _____ he _____? I must go and see the doctor. I _____ well lately. The boys are playing soccer right now. They _____ for almost two hours. They must be getting tired. Alex is talking on the phone. He _____ on the phone for over a half an hour. I'm trying to study. I _____ to study for the last hour, but something always seems to interrupt me. I think I'd better go to the library. The baby is crying. She _____ for almost ten minutes. I wonder what's wrong? 10. It _____ all day. It is still raining right now. 11. My back hurts, so I _____ on the floor lately. The bed is too soft. 12. Right now I'm sitting at my computer. I _____ here since seven o'clock. 13. The situation continues to be serious., and troops _____ their lives to rescue people from the floods.

study wait not / live drive not / feel play talk try cry rain sleep sit risk

Exercise 200

Write a question for each situation.

Example:

• John looks sunburnt. You ask: (you / sit in the sun) __________________

• Have you been sitting in the sun?

1. You have just arrived to meet a friend who is waiting for you. You ask: (you

/ wait / long?) ________________________________________________

2. A friend of yours now is living in Baker Street. You want to know "How

long…?" You ask: (how long / you / live/ in Baker Street)? ____________

3. A friend tells you about his job - he sells computers. You want to know

"How long…?" You ask: (how long / you / sell / computers)? ___________

4. You meet a friend in the street. His face and hands are very dirty. You ask:

(what / you /do)? _____________________________________________

5. Your friend's family always go to Ireland for their holidays. You want to

know "How long…?" You ask: (how long / your family / go / there) _______

6. Your new group mate is going in for sports and looks very athletic. You

ask: (what kinds of sports / you / go in for)? _________________________

7. Years ago your mother started writing to a pen friend. They still write to

each other regularly now. You ask: (How long / you / write / to each other)?

8. Mr. May is a teacher. You ask: (How long / you / teach)?

9. Your dad collects butterflies. All his friends enjoy looking at his collection. They ask: (you / collect / only butterflies / or any other insects)?

10. Ben likes daydreaming. When you come into the room he doesn't notice

you. You ask: (what / you / dream of/ again)?

Exercise 201

Rewrite each sentence using the Present Perfect Continuous form of an appropriate verb and for or since. If necessary, look at the verbs below to help you.

Example:

• Henry moved to California three years ago.

• Henry has been living in California for three years.

1. The project to send astronauts to Mars began in 1991.

__________________________________________________________

2. Campbell began a life sentence for murder in 1992.

___________________________________________________________

3. Colin James took over as head of the company six months ago.

___________________________________________________________

4. Graham's knee injury began at the US Open earlier this year.

___________________________________________________________

5. Local authorities began to invest heavily in new computer systems at the

beginning of the 1990s.

___________________________________________________________

6. My father started driving his own car at the age of sixteen.

___________________________________________________________

7. There are fewer knives and forks in the canteen than a month ago.

___________________________________________________________

8. We played a lot of golf together last summer.

___________________________________________________________

9. Glasgow began to hold city festivals to celebrate the cultures of other countries several years ago. This year the focus is on Sweden.

___________________________________________________________

10. She is unemployed. She lost her job a month ago.

___________________________________________________________

go on disappear

invest live

run serve

suffer look for

not / play drive

Exercise 202

Fill in the blanks with for or since.

Tom and Mary have been building a house for 1 two years. They have been dreaming of finishing it _____ 2 last summer but they have been having problems _____ 3 a few months because of the weather. In fact, it has been raining and snowing _____ 4 October so they haven't been able to put the roof on yet. This weekend they are trying to put in the windows. They have only been working _____ 5 8 o'clock but they feel like they've been doing it _____ 6 hours because it is very difficult. They have been saving up _____ 7 a long time but they haven't been able to hire any workmen yet. Tom has been looking for an evening job _____ 8 a week and Mary has been working overtime _____ 9 Christmas, so they will have enough money soon. They haven't been going out _____ 10 they started saving - but when the house is finished they are going to have a big party to celebrate.

Exercise 203

Correct the mistakes in the following sentences.

1. Look! It had been snowing.

2. Your eyes are red - has you been crying?

3. It has being raining heavily all night.

4. Work to repair the bridge has been continuing throughout this summer.

5. Over the last six months I am been learning how to play the flute.

6. We've stayed at a small hotel near the sea.

7. We've been staying at this hotel a couple of times before.

8. Sales has been increasing for some time.

9. She's been driving since 3 years now.

10. How long ago have they been living next door to you?

CONVERSATIONS

Exercise 204

Complete these dialogues. Use the Present Perfect Continuous.

Dialogue 1

Tim: Joe: Tim: Joe: Tim: Joe: Tim: Joe: Tim: Joe: Tim: Joe:

Hello Joe. What 1 have you been doing (you / do)? I _____ 2 (play) tennis with Helen. Who is Helen? She's my new girlfriend. I _____ 3 (go) out with her for two weeks. Does she live here? Yes, she _____ 4 (live) here for two months. Why haven't I met her? Because she _____ 5 (leave) home early and she _____ 6 (come) back late every day for the last six weeks. Why _____ 7 (she / do) that? Because she _____ 8 (look for) a job. I must meet her some time. Well, let's all go out together tomorrow then.

Dialogue 2

Twelve students live in a big old house. Today they're all helping to clean it and tidy it up. Read the conversation and say how long they've been doing their jobs. Use a phrase with for.

Example:

• Gary has been throwing away rubbish for an hour and a half.

Adam: Gary: Melanie: Adam: Lisa: Gary: Lisa: Adam: Emma: Adam: Melanie: Gary: Adam:

What are you doing Gary? Throwing away rubbish. I started at half past ten, and it's twelve o'clock now, look. I'm washing up. I've been doing it since half past eleven. Sadie and I are tidying up. We started at half past ten. Has anyone seen a bucket? I've been looking for one since ten to twelve. I think Alison and Jason had a bucket. They're working in the garden. They've been there since nine o'clock. What's Don doing? He's cleaning the stairs. He's been doing that since Melanie started washing up. And I'm repairing this toaster. I started at eleven o'clock, but it still won't work. Trevor's mending the door bell. He began the job at about twenty to twelve. Daniel and Rebecca are brushing carpets. They started at ten. Let's all go out and have some lunch soon. Good idea.