The present perfect continuous tense

Ex.17. Read and translate the sentences. Write out the verbs in the Present Perfect Continuous.

1. Mr. Grace has been teaching at the University of Leeds for ten years.

2. The professor has been explaining this math problem for an hour and the students still can’t understand it.

3. In 1956, the first fully automatic mobile phone system was developed by Ericson and was commercially released in Sweden. Since that time people have been using mobile phones.

4. They have been developing two new software programmes since the beginning of the year.

5. What have you been doing since I last saw you?

6. We have been advertising these products for six months.

7. Sorry, I haven’t finished typing. I’ve been dealing with customers all day.

8. The streets are all wet. It has been raining all night.

9. Tom and Mary have been going out together since Christmas.

10. Andrea and Laura haven’t been working together for long.

11. What’s the matter, Hannah? Your eyes are red. You’ve been crying, haven’t you? – No, I’m fine. I’ve just been watching a sad film, that’s all.

Ex.18. Write and read the he/she/it forms. Make other necessary changes.

1. I’ve been phoning Maggie all day, but there’s never a reply. – He __________.

2. I’ve been learning Chinese for three years, but I still can’t speak. – My friend _______________________________________________________________.

3. You have been coming back home late every day for the last month. – Mathew _______________________________________________________________.

4. You know that I have been working overtime lately. – You know that he _________________.

5. Philip’s parents have been waiting all week for the news from their son. – Philip’s mother __________________________________________________.

6. They have been building this bridge for ages. – This construction company ______________________________________.

7. I’ve been sorting out the mess on my desk all day. – Bill ______________________________________________________.

8. I’m tired. I have been ironing all day. – Natalie _________________________.

9. I have you been using this coffee machine for three years. – She ________________.

10. I’ve been packing our things all morning. – Monica______________________.

Ex.19. Complete the sentences, putting the verbs in brackets into the Present Perfect Continuous.

1. Tracy (talk) _______________ on the phone for about twenty minutes.

2. They (interview) _______________ the candidates for over two hours.

3. George says that their company is likely to change the management structure. They (plan) _______________ this for a long time.

4. Hi, Jack. Where have you been? We (look for) _______________ you all morning.

5. You (wear) _______________ this jacket for years. It’s old. I think we must buy a new one for you.

6. I (live) _______________ here since last year, but my neighbour Bill (live) _______________ in the house all his life.

7. Paul, you (smoke) _______________ too much recently. You should cut down on smoking.

8. Everything is white outside. It (snow) _______________ all night.

9. It smells delicious in here. _______________ you (bake) something?

10. Sorry, I’m a bit late. – That’s all right. I (not, wait) _______________ long.

Ex.20. Ask questions using the question words in brackets.

1. We have been working on this project for two years. (How long?)

2. Mike has been working with us since January. (Since when?)

3. He is an experienced specialist. But you know, he has been making too many

mistakes lately. (Who?)

4. I hear Sharon is looking for a new job. - Yes, she is. She has been looking

for it for about two or three months. (What?)

5. It seems strange but she has been avoiding me over the last few days. (Why?)

Ex.21. In pairs, ask and answer questions.

Model:

Valerie, run the hotel, since last year.

- Has Valerie been running the hotel since Mr. Norris retired?

- How long has Valerie been running the hotel? - She has been running it since last year.

2. People, use the telephone, 1876. – ____________________________________

3. People, watch television, the late 1930s. – ______________________________

4. People, print newspapers, the early 1600s. – ____________________________

5. People in Japan, travel by “bullet trains”, 1964. – ________________________

Ex.22. Make up sentences using the Present Perfect Continuous to indicate the recent activities of the person or temporary effects. You can use the prompts in the list below.

To eat pasta with ketchup, to wash the car; to play in the mud; to write for three hours/all morning; to run; to lie in the sun for too long

1. Look! Little Stella has lipstick and mascara all over her face.

- She has been playing with her mother’s cosmetics.

2. You are wet through. What have you been doing? – I ___________________ .

3. Look! Her skin is sunburned. – She ________________.

4. You have ketchup on your face. - __________________.

5. My hand is tired. - _______________.

6. The little boy is dirty from head to foot. - ____________.

Ex.23. Read these sentences and arrange them into two columns according to what they describe or indicate:

a) the duration of an action which started in the past and continues up to the present;

b) the recent activities of the person or temporary effects.

1. Mum, you’ve been baking something. I can smell it.

2. The lift hasn’t been working since morning.

3. I’ve been renting this flat for two years.

4. Sharon and Kenny look angry. Maybe they’ve been arguing.

5. I’m out of breath. I’ve been running all the way here.

6. How long have you been going out together?

7. Your eyes are red. Have you been crying? – No, I’ve been cutting onions.

8. We’ve been looking for a flat for ages.

9. It’s very late. Why aren’t you in bed? – I can’t sleep. Our neighbour’s dog has been barking for the last two hours.

10. You two look so exhausted. What have you been doing? - We’ve been sightseeing in the town.

11. We’ve been walking all afternoon. My feet are killing me.

Ex.24. Correct the mistakes if there are any.

1. They are been travelling for two weeks.

2. I’ve thinking about you all week.

3. I can’t say exactly how long I have been knowing Simon.

4. She have been making phone calls all morning.

5. He has been being ill for a couple of weeks.

6. It has been raining all day. I wonder when it will stop.

7. They have been hearing to music for two hours.

8. Mr. Robinson is working in the same place for over thirty years, and he is not planning to retire.

9. Do you have a driving license? – Yes. I have been having it for four years now.

10. I’m not surprised Katie has failed her exam. She has been not working hard recently.

11. You’re so red! How long were you sunbathing? All morning? – I haven’t been sunbathing. I’ve been reading in the sun.

Ex.25. Translate into English.

1. Пробачте. Що запізнився. Потрапив у затор (be stuck in a traffic jam/heavy traffic). Ви давно чекаєте? – Ні, всього хвилин десять.

2. Я увесь ранок копіюю ці папери, і ще не закінчила.

3. Марк стомився. Він увесь ранок фарбував ворота в гаражі.

4. Ти цілий ранок намагаєшся відремонтувати (fix) свій мотоцикл.

5. Уже півроку, як Том і Мері будують цей будинок.

6. Ми з Білом друзі. Ми знаємо один одного років десять.

7. Шерон, я просто з ніг валюсь (be ready to drop). Ми весь день з тобою ходимо магазинами, але так нічого й не купили.

8. Люди літають літаками з 1803 року.

9. Джесіка, у тебе очі червоні. Ти плакала?

10. Ти наскрізь змок (be wet through). Йшов без парасольки?