B1-02 · B1 Threshold · 02 / 12

Present Perfect Continuous

  • Not: Use have/has been + V-ing for actions that started in the past and still continue.
  • Not: Ask and answer "how long" questions correctly.
  • TR: Bir suredir devam eden eylemleri anlatmak.
Start the 8-question quizAdapts to your answers · every miss links back to the rule

Rule in 60 secondsThe one pattern to memorise.

  • Form: have/has been + V-ing (I have been waiting, she has been working).
  • Not: Use it when the duration or the ongoing process matters.
  • TR: Ne kadar suredir devam ediyor sorusunun cevabi bu tense.

FormsHow it looks in sentences.

SubjectAffirmativeNegativeQuestion
I / you / we / theyI have been waitingI haven't been waitingHave you been waiting?
he / she / itShe has been waitingShe hasn't been waitingHas she been waiting?
  • Core pattern: have/has been + verb-ing.
  • TR: been sart, sonra -ing gelir.
  • Typical markers: for (for 2 hours), since (since morning), how long, all day/week.
  • Short answers: "How long have you been learning English?" — "For three years."
  • Formül: have/has + been + V-ing
  • Örnek: I have been studying SINCE 9 am.
  • Örnek: She has been working here FOR six months.
  • Örnek: HOW LONG have you been waiting?
  • Not: Simple vs continuous:
  • Simple (have done): result finished — "I have painted the room."
  • Continuous (have been doing): process ongoing — "I have been painting the room all day."
  • TR: Bitmis sonuc mu, devam eden surec mi? Ona gore sec.

3 classic trapsWhere Turkish speakers slip.

  • Tuzak 1 — Using it for finished single actions:I have been visiting Paris in 2020. → ✅ I visited Paris in 2020. / I have visited Paris.
  • TR: Tek seferlik bitmis olayda continuous kullanma.
  • Tuzak 2 — Stative verbs in continuous:I have been knowing him for years. → ✅ I have known him for years.
  • TR: know, like, love, want, believe genelde -ing almaz.
  • Tuzak 3 — Forgetting "been":I have waiting for an hour. → ✅ I have been waiting for an hour.
  • TR: been olmadan cumle yanlis olur.

10 example sentencesRead aloud, twice.

  • I have been waiting for you for an hour. — Bir saattir seni bekliyorum.
  • She has been studying English since January. — Ocak ayindan beri Ingilizce calisiyor.
  • How long have you been working here?. — Ne kadar suredir burada calisiyorsun?
  • They have been playing football all afternoon. — Butun ogleden sonra futbol oynuyorlar.
  • My eyes hurt because I have been reading for hours. — Gozlerim aciyor cunku saatlerdir okuyorum.
  • He has been living in Ankara for five years. — Bes yildir Ankara'da yasiyor.
  • It has been raining since morning. — Sabahtan beri yagmur yagiyor.
  • We have been trying to call you all day. — Butun gun seni aramaya calisiyoruz.
  • She has been cooking, that's why the kitchen is messy. — Yemek yapiyordu, mutfak o yuzden daginik.
  • How long has it been snowing?. — Ne kadar suredir kar yagiyor?

Quick checkCover the answers, say yours first.

  • Soru 1: I ___ (wait) for two hours. → I have been waiting for two hours.
  • Soru 2: ___ you ___ (learn) English since 2020? → Have you been learning English since 2020?
  • Soru 3: Fix: "I have been knowing her for years." → I have known her for years.
  • Soru 4: Simple or continuous? "Result finished: I have ___ (paint) the wall." → painted.
  • Soru 5: She has been working here ___ March. (for/since) → since.
  • Soru 6: Fix: "I have waiting long." → I have been waiting long.
  • Soru 7: "How long ___ she ___ (live) here?" → has she been living.
  • Soru 8: Stative verb check: love → simple (have loved), not continuous.

SourcesKeep reading.