The activity or the result: have been doing against have done

Examples

1. I have written three of the four sections.

2. I have been writing all morning and I am not finished.

3. She has known about it since March.

4. They have been arguing about the fence for two years.

Common mistakes

• ✗Wrong: I have been reading that book three times.

  ✓Right: I have read that book three times.

  A number of completed times takes the simple, not the continuous.

• ✗Wrong: How long have you read that book?

  ✓Right: How long have you been reading that book?

  How long with an ongoing activity takes the continuous.

• ✗Wrong: I have been knowing her since school.

  ✓Right: I have known her since school.

  know is a state verb and has no continuous form.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

   1. AI have been cleaned all day.
   2. BI clean all day, so the house looks better.
   3. CI have cleaned all day, so the house looks better.
   4. DI have been cleaning all day, so the house looks better.
   Show answer

   Answer: D I have been cleaning all day, so the house looks better.

   all day describes the activity, so the continuous.

2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

   1. AShe has been sent four emails this morning.
   2. BShe has sent four emails this morning.
   3. CShe sends four emails this morning.
   4. DShe has been sending four emails this morning.
   Show answer

   Answer: B She has sent four emails this morning.

   A countable result takes the simple.

3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

   1. AThey have been lived here since 2018.
   2. BThey have been living here since 2018.
   3. CThey are living here since 2018.
   4. DThey have lived here since 2018 and left.
   Show answer

   Answer: B They have been living here since 2018.

   A period running up to now takes the continuous with since.

4. 4Fill in the gap.

   You look exhausted. What _____ ?

   1. Ado you do
   2. Bare you done
   3. Chave you been doing
   4. Dhave you done
   Show answer

   Answer: C You look exhausted. What have you been doing ?

   The visible state points at the recent activity.

5. 5Fill in the gap.

   How many times have you _____ to complain?

   1. Aring
   2. Brung
   3. Cringing
   4. Dbeen ringing
   Show answer

   Answer: B How many times have you rung to complain?

   How many times counts completed actions.

6. 6Fill in the gap.

   It _____ since Tuesday and the path is under water.

   1. Ahas rained once
   2. Brains
   3. Cis raining since
   4. Dhas been raining
   Show answer

   Answer: D It has been raining since Tuesday and the path is under water.

   A continuing activity since a point in time.

7. 7Fill in the gap.

   I _____ that name somewhere before, but I cannot place it.

   1. Aam hearing
   2. Bhear
   3. Chave been hearing
   4. Dhave heard
   Show answer

   Answer: D I have heard that name somewhere before, but I cannot place it.

   A single completed experience takes the simple.

8. 8Fill in the gap.

   She _____ a doctor for eleven years now.

   1. Ais being
   2. Bhas been being
   3. Chas been having
   4. Dhas been
   Show answer

   Answer: D She has been a doctor for eleven years now.

   be is a state verb; the simple carries the duration.

9. 9This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

   Which sentence is wrong?

   1. AI finished the report yesterday.
   2. BI have been working on the report.
   3. CI have finished the report.
   4. DI have been finishing the report.
   Show answer

   Answer: D I have been finishing the report.

   finish names a completed point, so it resists the continuous.

10. 10This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. AHow long have you known him?
    2. BHow long have you known him for three years?
    3. CHow long have you been waiting?
    4. DI have known him for three years.
    Show answer

    Answer: B How long have you known him for three years?

    how long and for three years cannot sit in the same question.