50 Examples of Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Last updated on September 4th, 2026 at 02:47 pm

The present perfect continuous tense (also called the present perfect progressive) shows that an action started in the past and is still continuing now.

It can also describe something that just stopped but is still connected to the present. It’s formed with has been or have been + the main verb + -ing.

Below is a quick guide to the structure, when to use this tense, 50 example sentences, common mistakes, and answers to frequent questions.

What Is the Present Perfect Continuous Tense?

The present perfect continuous emphasizes the duration of an action — how long something has been happening.

It connects the past to the present: the action began at some point in the past and either is still happening now, or has just stopped with effects still felt today.

Structure of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense (Formula)

When to Use the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

• An action that started in the past and is still continuing — “I have been learning English for three years.”
• With for and since to show duration or a starting point — “She has been waiting since 9 AM.” / “He has been working here for five years.”
• A recently finished action with a present result — “I’m tired because I’ve been running.”
• To emphasize how long or how often something has happened — “They have been calling me all day.”

50 Examples of Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Let’s see 50 useful examples of the present perfect continuous tense:

1. The boy has been standing at the door since afternoon.
2. The girl has been waiting for her friend since morning.
3. We have not been going to the movies for one month.
4. The teacher has not been coming to school for three days.
5. The doctor has not been treating the patient for one hour.
6. Has he been living in Dhaka since last year?
7. She has not been doing her homework for two hours.
8. I have not been eating my lunch since morning.
9. Have they been traveling to Thailand since last month?
10. We have not been playing football for one month.
11. He has not been sleeping since morning.
12. She has not been driving the car since morning.
13. I have not been drinking water since morning.
14. We have not been watching TV for two hours.
15. The child has been sleeping since morning.
16. I have not been saying anything to you for one year.
17. The girl has not been listening to us for two hours.
18. We have been talking about the film for one hour.
19. Has he been waiting for you since morning?
20. She has not been working on her project since this morning.
21. I have been reading the book since this morning.
22. He has not been sleeping well lately.
23. She has not been eating anything since this morning.
24. We have not been taking the bus today; instead, we are walking to school.
25. He has not been coming here often recently, but he often came here at first.
26. The child has not been playing with her cousins.
27. I have not been watching cricket for three months.
28. He has been trying to contact you for an hour.
29. The patient has been lying on the bed for two hours.
30. Has he been writing a letter for you since morning?
31. The man has been standing there for ten minutes.
32. He has not been reading the novel since this morning.
33. He has not been following his routine correctly.
34. She has not been playing since afternoon.
35. I have not been participating in this program for one year.
36. The girl has not been obeying her duty properly.
37. The dog has not been barking since morning.
38. The baby has not been crying for three hours.
39. The boy has been running for three hours.
40. The child has been playing in the street since morning.
41. We have not been watching football for one year.
42. They have been working hard since morning.
43. The girls have been singing songs since morning.
44. The boys have been playing cricket since evening.
45. She has been talking on the phone for an hour.
46. They have been waiting for their friends in the bar since one o’clock.
47. I have been learning to play the guitar for six months.
48. We have been renovating our house since spring.
49. The company has been losing money for two quarters.
50. She has been feeling unwell since Monday.
51. Scientists have been studying the virus since it was first discovered.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using it with stative (non-action) verbs. Verbs like know, believe, own, and love aren’t normally used in continuous forms — say “I have known her for years,” not “I have been knowing her.”
• Confusing for and since. Use “for” with a duration (“for two hours”) and “since” with a starting point (“since 9 AM”).
• Forgetting “been.” The auxiliary is has/have + been + verb-ing — dropping “been” turns it into the wrong tense.
• Using it for a completed action with a specific finished time. If the action is clearly finished (“I finished my homework at 5 PM”), use the simple past instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Azizul Hakim

Founder and CEO at English Finders

Azizul Hakim is the founder & CEO at English Finders. He is a passionate writer, English instructor, and content creator. He holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. With more than a decade of experience, he aims to make English learning simple, engaging, and accessible for everyone.

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