Настоящее совершенное продолженное время

Study Notes

Form and Structure

The present perfect continuous tense describes an action that began in the past and continues up to the present.
It's formed using "have/has" + been + present participle (verb + -ing).
Examples:
- I have been working on this project for three hours.
- They have been playing tennis all afternoon.
- She has been studying English for five years.

Uses and Functions

Action continuing up to the present: This is the primary use. It emphasizes the duration of an action that started in the past and is still happening.
Recent actions with a continuing effect: The action might have finished a short time ago, but the effect continues now.
Duration in relation to the present: It helps describe how long an activity has gone on, highlighting the continuity.
Describing an experience that has changed you: This past experience might be ongoing, making you different now.

Examples in Context

"I have been feeling unwell all week." (Describes a recent, extended duration of illness.)
"They have been preparing for the marathon for months." (Highlights the length of their preparation.)
"She has been attending yoga classes, which is why she's more flexible." (Connects past action to a current state.)
"We have been waiting for the train for almost an hour." (Emphasizes the duration and continuing effect of waiting.)
"He has been working overtime recently, leading to exhaustion."
(Shows a relationship between past work and a current result.)

Common Mistakes

Confusing with simple present perfect: The present perfect simple describes an action that happened once or multiple times at an unspecified time; the continuous highlights that the action is ongoing.
Misuse of time expressions: While certain time expressions work with the present perfect continuous, the wrong ones can make the sentence semantically incorrect.
Incorrect use of adverbs for duration: Using an adverb like "recently" or "lately" isn't enough – the present perfect continuous must match the duration emphasis.
Forgetting the "been": It's a crucial component of the tense. Leaving it out will change the meaning.

Time Expressions

General duration and continuation:
- All day/week/month
- For three years/an hour/two months
- Since Monday/1990/last year
Emphasis on recentness:
- Recently
- Lately
- In the last few weeks/days
- Just
Emphasis on duration leading to a present state or consequence:
- For a long time,
- All morning/afternoon
- Since last week/2000
Incorrect usage example:
- "I am working on this project (incorrect, because it's not ongoing - should be "have been working")"

Description

Этот тест охватывает использование и структуру настоящего совершенного продолженного времени в английском языке. Вы узнаете, как правильно формировать это время и какие его функции. Проверьте свои знания с помощью примеров и объяснений.