Verbs -
The Perfect Continuous Tenses
The present perfect tense is used for actions that began in the past and are in progress till the time of speaking, or for activities that have ended in the recent past after continuing for sometime. It focuses on the period of time or how long the activity has continued for till the present moment.
We often use expressions denoting time like for an hour, for a few weeks, all day, all winter, since Monday with the present perfect continuous tense.
We normally do not use the continuous form with verbs related to thoughts and opinions (think, believe, agree, know, love), and senses (hear, taste, see).
A. Complete these sentences using the present perfect continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
1. I have been using (use) the laptop for five years now.
2. The laptop has not been working (not work) well of late.
3. I have been considering (consider) buying a new laptop for some time now.
4. Meera has been helping (help) me in my search every day.
5. You have been thinking(you think) of buying a new laptop too?
6. I have been planning (plan) to go to the electronic mart since last week.
B. Rewrite these sentences as directed.
1. Most of the boys have been practicing day and night since Monday. (negative)
= Most of the boys have not been practicing day and night since Monday.
2. The florists have not been selling many flowers since spring. (positive)
= The florists have been selling many flowers since spring.
3. My mother has been allowing us junk food for long now. (negative)
= My mother has not been allowing us junk food for long now.
4. The receptionist has not been reporting on duty punctuality since last week. (interrogative)
= Has the receptionist not been reporting on duty punctuality since last week.
5. Shehzad has been attending his coaching classes regularly. (interrogative)
= Shehzad has not been attending his coaching classes regularly.
6. Krupa has been managing the labour very well since 2010. (negative)
= Krupa has not been managing the labour very well since 2010.
7. The maintenance department has not been doing a good job with keeping the society clean. (positive)
= The maintenance department has been doing a good job with keeping the society clean.
8. Ayesha has not been keeping well since she got back from her holiday. (interrogative)
= Ayesha has been keeping well since she got back from her holiday.
C. Complete these sentence using the past perfect continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
1. We had been waiting (wait) for half an hour before our food was served.
2. Kamaljit had not been working (not work) in the railways ever.
3. Mr. Sharma had been living (live) in a serviced apartment before he bought a house.
4. Had you been studying (you study) when the phone rang?
5. Had you been practicing (you practice) yoga regularly?
6. The worried parents had been thinking (think) of calling the police before the baby was found in the next block.
D. Rewrite the sentences as directed.
1. My mother had been buying vegetables from that shop till it closed. (negative)
= My mother had not been buying vegetables from that shop till it closed.
2. Alex and I had not been driving for two hours when the tyre got punctured. (positive)
= Alex and I had been driving for two hours when the tyre got punctured.
3. They had been waiting at the station for long. (interrogative)
= Had they been waiting at the station for long ?
4. The workers had not been digging the ground for two hours when I reached. (positive)
= The workers had been digging for two hours when I reached.
5. She had been training to be a pilot when she got married. (interrogative)
= Had she been training to be a pilot when she got married?
6. Father had not been going for a walk for a week. (positive)
= Father had been going for a walk for a week.
7. The gardener had been watering the plants regularly before the water shortage. (negative)
= The gardener had not been watering the plants regularly before the water shortage.
8. His mother had not been directing the play alone before the assistant joined in. (positive)
= His mother had been directing the play alone before the assistant joined in.
E. Rewrite these sentences using the future perfect continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
1. I shall have been living (live) in this house for five years by the end of this month.
2. I shall have not been going (not go) to the park for one week by Saturday.
3. My mother will have been driving(drive) the car for four hours by six o'clock.
4. The cricketer will have been playing (play) for six months by the time he recovered.
5. The relative of the patient will have been praying (pray) for three hours by noon.
6. The farmers will have not been reaping (not reap) any harvest for two years because of drought.
7. Kriti will have been performing (perform) the same act for two years by 2018.
8. Aunt Nia will have been waiting (waiting) for hours by the time we get to her house.
F. Complete this passage using the correct past perfect continuous or the present perfect continuous form of the verb in brackets.
Our ancestors had been living (live) in tough time for centuries. They had been facing (face) famines
and starvation all through years. They had been suffering (suffer) incurable diseases. They had been producing (produce) their own food, clothing and belongings. To sum it up, they had been fending (fend) for themselves whether in a forest or a village.
In contrast, we the modern humans, had been living (live) in a world of abundance; we had been getting (get) the best medical treatment, we had been using (use) technology to do our chores, we had been enjoying (enjoy) entertainment at the press of a button, and we had been eating (eat) foods cooked for us.
Still all is not rosy, as we had been struggling (struggle) to pay our taxes; we had been coping (cope) with traffic snarls; and, we had been breathing (breathe) polluted air.