1. Indicate an action that began in the past and continues to the present. Use the present perfect continuous tense to indicate an action that began in the past and is still happening in the present. Examples: He has been sleeping since 7 last night. The present perfect continuous mostly puts emphasis on the duration or the period that an act / action has been continuing over. It is used in a sentence to imply that an action which had started in the recent past continues into the present. Consequently, from the past to the current time, there is a progression taking place. We form the present perfect simple with have + past participle. I've never been to Africa. For more information on forms of the present perfect (simple), see Present perfect simple: positive. We form the present perfect continuous with have + been + -ing form. It's been raining since ten o'clock this morning. Perfect English Grammar. Also called the present perfect progressive. Read about how to make the present perfect continuous tense here. Download this explanation in PDF here. Unfinished actions. 1: To say how long for unfinished actions which started in the past and continue to the present. .

rules present perfect continuous tense