The Present Perfect Continuous (Progressive) Tense

Образование

have/has been + participle I (verb + ing)

Употребление

The Present Perfect Continuous Tense употребляется:

- для выражения длительного действия, которое началось в прошлом и еще совершается в настоящее время. При употреблении The Present Perfect Continuous Tense в данном значении всегда указан период, в течение которого совершается действие. Для обозначения времени используются обстоятельства for (в течение) и since (с тех пор, как; с):

I have been working for the same company for twelve years. — Я работаю

в одной и той же компании 12 лет.

How long have you been playing football? — Сколько времени ты играешь

в футбол?

- для выражения действия, которое продолжалось в течение определенного периода времени, но закончилось непосредственно перед моментом речи и связано с настоящим временем своим результатом:

Look! It has been snowing. (The ground is all white). — Смотри! Снег идет (уже давно). (Вся земля — белая.)

Если не указано время, в течение которого совершается действие, то употребляется The Present Continuous Tense:

I am reading a book. — Я читаю книгу.

I have been reading the book for 2 hours. — Я читаю книгу уже 2 часа.

Часто почти не существует разницы между Present Perfect и Present Perfect Continuous в данном значении:

I have worked for the same company for twelve years.

I have been working for the same company for twelve years.

Однако формы времени The Present Perfect Continuous Tense в современном английском употребляются чаще, чем формы The Present Perfect Tense, если только нет ограничений на использование глагола в данном времени. (см. тему The Present Continuous Tense)

 В предложениях, приводимых ниже, разница между временами The Present Perfect Tense и The Present Perfect Continuous Tense очевидна: одно из них (Present Perfect) передает идею завершенности действия; другое (Present Perfect Continuous) — длительности, процессуальности, незавершенности действия:

I have been reading your book (= I haven't finished it). — Я читаю твою книгу (т.е. я еще не закончил).

I have read your book (= I've finished it). — Я прочел твою книгу. (Я закончил читать ее.)

The Present Perfect Continuous Tense может употребляться и без указания длительности действия, если из контекста ясно, что действие началось в прошлом и продолжалось (или продолжается) до настоящего времени:

Please, excuse my dirty clothes. I have been tidying the room. — Пожалуйста, извините меня за грязную одежду. Я убираю комнату.

Перевод

Глагол, употребленный в Present Perfect Continuous, может переводиться на русский язык либо глаголом настоящего времени, либо глаголом прошедшего времени несовершенного вида:

I've been working for the same company for twelve years. — Я работаю в одной и   

той же компании 12 лет.

She's been crying. — Она плакала.

EXERCISES

  Exercise 1. Translate the following sentences into Russian. Make them negative and interrogative.

1. She is filling the case with the papers she has been working on all day. 2. I have been thinking about you all day, Emma. 3. You look hot. – Yes, I’ve been playing tennis. 4. He has been doing so for thirty years and he is not going to change his ways. 5. I am working in a shop now. I have been working here for about six years. 6. Mary has been going out with Steve for a year now, and they are planning to get married soon. 7. We have been writing invitation cards all morning. 8. Blair has been working for days to make this Christmas Day a very special one. 9. Can I tell you a secret? – Why not? You have been telling me your secrets since you were eight. 10. She has been having a headache since she got up this morning.

Exercise 2. Complete the sentences with the verbs using the Present Perfect Continuous Tense.

work, smoke, lie, do, wait, speak, run, make, snow, discuss, try, paint, waste, work

1. He … for two hours, tell him to rest a little.

2. They … a noise since I came here.

3. They … the case for hours but are unable to come to any decision.

4. You are red all over. How long you … in the sun today?

5. Greg has returned at last. Mary … for him so long.

6. How long you … to get in touch with your friend?

7. Your face is dirty with paint. What you …? You … the house?

8. I ask you to keep to the point. You … for fifteen minutes, but the subject of      

your report is not clear yet.

9. You look tired. You … hard?

10. He is a rather experienced specialist. He … his business for seven years.

11. There is a lot of snow in the street as it … since yesterday.

12. There’s sufficient light, you … electricity for nearly an hour.

13. Open the window. Somebody … here.

Exercise 3. Translate into English using the Present Perfect Continuous Tense.

1. Мы искали тебя целый день. 2. Они встречаются уже три года. 3. Все эти месяцы я напрасно тратил время? 4. Мы не работаем вместе уже пятнадцать лет. 5. Весь день шел дождь. 6. Он учит английский с самого детства. 7. У тебя глаза красные. Ты плакала? 8. Я работал над эти проектом три года.

  Exercise 4. Open the brackets and put the verbs into the proper tense, either the Present Continuous or the Present Perfect Continuous Tense.

1. Don't come in. He (take) an exam. He (take) his exam for half an hour already. 2. I (read) Shakespeare in your absence and now I (try) to learn this beautiful sonnet. 3. Where are the children? — They (play volleyball). They (play volleyball) since two o'clock. 4. I (learn) to type for a month and can say that my typing (improve). 5. Nick (come) round to see us tonight. 6. Where’s my daughter? – She (talk) to a policeman. – What’s happened? – She (drive) without a license. 7. Our friends (leave) – How long they (stay) with you? 8. I (sleep) badly recently, doctor. What can I do about it? 9. You (lie)! Stop it, and tell the truth like a man. 10. He (stay) at his sister's for six weeks. He (try) to find a flat to live in. 11. We can't dance as my father (work) in the study. He (prepare) a report. He (write) it for the whole day. 12. Do you see what the child (do) with your hat? Take it from him. 13. They still (discuss) the article? But they (do) it since twelve o'clock! 14. The prices (go up). They (rise) since 1991. 15. What a strong wind (blow)! It (blow) since yesterday.

Exercise 5. Open the brackets and put the verbs into the Present Perfect Continuous Tense or the Present Perfect Tense.

1. I (write) the letter, so perhaps you would post it for me. 2. For the last two years he (write) a history of the Civil War. 3. I (collect) the pictures with bridges since I graduated from the University. Now I (collect) enough to organize an interesting exhibition. 4. I (try) to get into contact with them for a long time, but now I (give) it up as hopeless. 5. You ever (witness) an earthquake? I just (tell) my children stories about the dreadful consequences of it. 6. My shortsighted uncle (lose) his spectacles. We (look) for them everywhere but we can't find them. 7. How long you (know) about it? – I (know) it all the time. 8. You ever (work) as interpreter? — Yes, that is what I (do) for the last five months. 9. They (make up) their quarrel? — I don't know. I only know that they (not be) on speaking terms since September. 10. Our pilot (ask) for permission to take off for ten minutes already, but he (get) no answer yet. 11. I (wonder) all the morning what a conceited young woman she (become). 12. You (open) the door at last. I (ring) for an hour at least, it seems to me. 13. Look, the typist (talk) all the time, she already (miss) several words. 14. They (struggle) with this problem for about a month and they (solve) it at last. 15. You (see) Harry again. He (put) this idea into your head.

Exercise 6. Open the brackets and put the verbs into the Present Indefinite, the Present Continuous, the Past Indefinite, the Past Continuous, the Present Perfect Tense, the Present Perfect Continuous Tense.

1. While I (wait) for him to call up, he (have) a good time in the bar. 2. It (snow) steadily the whole week and it still (snow).3. Margaret, you (read) my letters. Don’t deny it. 4. I (read) the book you lent me but I (not/finish) it yet.5. When I (come) home, Mother (make) breakfast and Father (have) his mother tea. 6. We (climb) for six hours already, but we (not/reach) the top of the mountain. 7. I (know) him very well. We (know) each other since I came to live in this house. 8. I must not let my eyes get all red and swollen, or Henry’ll know I (cry). 9. Where he (be)? – He (sit) at his desk. He (not/move) since she (leave). 10. He (finish) the first part of his book and now he (write) the second. 11. Sorry I’m late. – That’s all right. I (not/wait) long. 12. I (meet) Ann at her father’s house twenty years ago and (know) her ever since. 13. I (make) my report when you (enter) the room. 14. Why your hair (be) wet? You (swim)?

Exercise 7. Translate into English using the Past Indefinite, the Past Continuous, the Present Continuous, the Present Perfect, the Present Perfect Continuous.

1. Я его только что видела. Он переходил улицу. 2. Они уже приняли решение (to take a decision) по этому вопросу? – Нет. Они все еще спорят (to argue). Они обсуждают этот вопрос уже два часа и еще не пришли ни к какому решению. 3. Последнее время вы больше работаете. 4. Утро было солнечным, но с одиннадцати погода изменилась, и сейчас идет дождь. 5. Когда он в последний раз написал вам? 6. Студенты пишут контрольную уже два часа. Пока только двое сдали работу. 7. Он тренирует эту команду всего два года, но они сделали большие успехи. 8. Мэри уже приехала? – Да, она здесь уже два дня. Она приехала в пятницу. 9. Мы ждем здесь с трех часов, и никто не сказал нам, что делать. 10. Вы плохо выглядите. Вы много работали на этой неделе? – Да. Я работаю над переводом уже десять дней, но сделал только половину.