Present Perfect Continuous — for / since / just
B1 — grammar, vocabulary, listening, reading, writing
Sofía: I have been designing the same logo for two weeks. The client wants it 'more blue, but less blue'.
Kenji: I have been studying Spanish since January. Today I learned that 'ahorita' can mean any moment in history.
Abuela Carmen: I have been cooking since 6 a.m. — Ben, have you finished setting the table?
Ben: Yes, I have! I just did. ...OK, OK, I'm doing it now.
Common mistake: “I have been working here since three years.” — Correct: “I have been working here for three years.”
The present perfect continuous (have been + -ing) measures how long something has been happening — 'since' marks the starting point, 'for' the amount of time, and 'just' says it finished a moment ago.
have been + -ing · since / for / just| Piece | Structure | Example |
|---|
| Structure | have/has been + verb-ing | I have been working all day |
| since + starting point | a specific date or moment | since 2020 · since Monday · since 8 a.m. |
| for + time range | an amount of time | for three hours · for ten years |
| just = a moment ago | Yes, I have. I just did. / I have just finished. | Have you finished the task? Yes, I have. I just did. |
| Question | How long have you been + -ing? | How long have you been living here? |
| Negative | haven't/hasn't been + -ing | She hasn't been sleeping well lately |
- since since 2020 — desde 2020 (punto de inicio)
- since since Monday — desde el lunes
- since since 8 a.m. — desde las 8 a.m.
- since since I was a child — desde que era niño/a
- for for two hours — durante dos horas (rango)
- for for three days — durante tres días
- for for ten years — durante diez años
- for for a long time — durante mucho tiempo
- I have been working here since 2020.
- Kenji has been studying Spanish for six months.
- Abuela Carmen has been cooking since 6 a.m.
- Sofía has been designing the same logo for two weeks.
- I haven't been sleeping well lately.
- Ben hasn't been paying attention for the last ten minutes.
- We haven't been practicing for a long time.
- How long have you been living in Medellín?
- Have you been waiting for a long time?
- Have you finished the task?
- Have you finished the task? Yes, I have. I just did.
- Have you been waiting long? No, I haven't. I just arrived.
- Has he been studying all night? Yes, he has.
Practice
- I have been working here ___ 2020. (since, for, just)
- Kenji has been studying Spanish ___ six months. (since, for, ago)
- Have you finished the task? — Yes, I have. I ___ did. (yet, since, just)
- 'Since' introduces the starting point (since 2020); 'for' introduces the amount of time (for three years).
- 'I have been working since three years' is correct.
- Abuela Carmen has been cooking ___ 6 a.m.
- Sofía has been designing the same logo ___ two weeks.
- How long ___ you been living in Medellín?
- Unscramble: I, have, been, studying, for, three, hours
- Unscramble: how, long, have, you, been, waiting
- Find the mistake: I have been working here since three years.
- Find the mistake: She has been study English for two years.
- Find the mistake: We have been living here for 2019.
- I have been sleeping well. — Write the negative form.
- She has been working all day. — Write the yes/no question.
- Have you finished the task? — Answer Yes with the short answer + 'just'.
- They have been practicing for a long time. — Write the negative form.
- He hasn't been listening. — Write the affirmative form.
- Have you been studying English for more than a year? (short answer)
- Have you been sleeping in class? (short answer, No)
Listening
Kenji: Sofía, how long have you been working as a designer?
Sofía: I have been designing since 2019 — so, for about seven years.
Kenji: And how long have you been waiting for that client's answer?
Sofía: For three days. I have been checking my email every five minutes.
Ben: News! The client has just answered!
Sofía: Finally! ...He wants it 'more blue, but less blue' again.
Reading
Abuela Carmen has been living in the same house since 1980, and she has been cooking in the same kitchen for more than forty years. 'People ask me: Abuela, how long have you been making this recipe? Since before your parents met, my dear.' This morning she has been preparing a special lunch since six o'clock, because Kenji's parents have just arrived from Japan. Kenji has been practicing one Spanish sentence for a week: 'Mucho gusto, la comida está deliciosa.' He has just said it perfectly — and Abuela Carmen has been smiling since that moment.
- Abuela Carmen has been living in the same house since 1980.
- She has been cooking in that kitchen for ten years.
- Kenji's parents have just arrived from Japan.
- Kenji has been practicing his sentence for a month.