The present perfect progressive tense is used to express an activity which started in the past, has been in progress throughout a period and which has consequences up to now. Depending on the context the activity can still be or may not be in progress at the present time.
It is created by using the following: have been ( in the singular third person – has been) + verb with ing.
Positive sentence:
I have (I’ve) been waiting here for two hours (I began to wait two hours ago and still I am).
It has (It’s) been raining the whole day.
Negative:
He has not (hasn’t) waiting more than ten minutes.
They have not (haven’t) been living here very long.
Question:
Has he been working on it since morning?
Have they been painting the house for a week?
OTHER EXAMPLES:
How long have you been playing?
I have (I’ve) been playing for two hours.
They have (They’ve) been working for us for 20 years.
The roads are icy. It has (It’s) been freezing all night.
She has not been practicing since last week.
The difference between simple and progressive present perfect tenses:
We have been painting the garage since yesterday. (There is still painting work going on in the garage).
We have painted the garage. (The painting work in the garage was finished).
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