Sorting photos has occupied the morning. The activity may still be going on or may have stopped recently. Blue hands can also be evidence of an activity that has just stopped.

The idea

Build have/has + been + -ing. Negate the first auxiliary: haven't been sleeping. In questions, move have/has before the subject. Use for, since and how long for duration; a repeated activity can continue across weeks without happening every minute.

Examples

  • I've been sorting photos all morning.
  • Ben has been learning Welsh since March.
  • Have you been using my desk?
  • We haven't been sleeping well lately.
  • Your hands are blue. Have you been painting?
  • They have been delivering food in the neighbourhood every Sunday for a year.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

The continuous does not guarantee that the activity is happening at this exact second or that the job is complete. State verbs normally keep the simple perfect in their usual state meaning: have known, not have been knowing.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. Ben ___ been learning Welsh since March. (have / has)

    Show answer or example answer

    has

    Ben is singular, so use has been learning.

  2. Choose the correct option. We haven't ___ sleeping well lately. (be / been)

    Show answer or example answer

    been

    Keep been between haven't and the -ing form: haven't been sleeping.

  3. Choose the correct option. Have you been ___ my desk? (use / using)

    Show answer or example answer

    using

    After have been, use the -ing form using. The final silent e of use disappears.

Use it today

Describe an activity occupying your week and a routine repeated recently. Add a question based on visible evidence. Say whether the activity is still continuing or has just stopped.