A woman comes in. She is out of breath, and her face is red. You can see what happened. She has been running.

The running has stopped. But you can still see the result. This is the second use of the Present Perfect Continuous: an activity stopped a short time ago, and you can still see, hear, or feel the result.

Every sentence has two parts. The first part is the result you see now. The second part is the activity that caused it. People often say the result first.

You can also use the Present Perfect Simple with a result. The difference is the kind of action. The Simple form is for one event. The Continuous form is for an activity that takes time.

The same clues appear again and again. Learn to match each clue with the likely activity:

Each sentence describes either a long activity with a result you can see now, or one finished event. Click "Continuous" or "Simple" to say which Present Perfect form is already used correctly.

• 1
  He has been fixing the fence all afternoon — he's covered in dirt.

  Continuous Simple

  ✓ Correct — a long activity with a result you can see now needs the Continuous.
• 2
  She has broken her arm.

  Continuous Simple

  ✓ Correct — one finished event, not a long activity.
• 3
  He has fallen off his bike.

  Continuous Simple

  ✓ Correct — one sudden event, not a long activity.
• 4
  It has been raining all night — the streets are flooded.

  Continuous Simple

  ✓ Correct — the flooded streets are the result of many hours of rain.
• 5
  They have been arguing for an hour — everyone can hear them.

  Continuous Simple

  ✓ Correct — a long activity, and you can hear the result now.
• 6
  I have lost my keys.

  Continuous Simple

  ✓ Correct — one finished event with a result now. It is not a long activity.
• 7
  She has been cooking since six — the kitchen's a mess.

  Continuous Simple

  ✓ Correct — a long activity, and the mess is the result.
• 8
  He has finished his homework.

  Continuous Simple

  ✓ Correct — one finished event, not a long activity.

Type the correct Present Perfect Continuous form of the verb given.

• 1
  He's out of breath — he around the block. (run)
• 2
  Her hands are cold — she outside. (wait)
• 3
  The kitchen smells wonderful — she since dawn. (cook)
• 4
  His hands are sore — he boxes all day. (carry)
• 5
  The ground is wet — it . (rain)
• 6
  He's covered in oil — he the car. (repair)
• 7
  The children are muddy — they outside. (play)
• 8
  My legs ache — I the stairs all day. (climb)

Click your answer for each sentence.

• 1
  She has been shouting — her throat is sore.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — the structure and the result you can see both fit.
• 2
  He cleaned the garage — he's covered in dust.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — this is wrong. The Past Simple doesn't connect to the present result: "He has been cleaning the garage."
• 3
  She is cooking all afternoon — the kitchen's a mess.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — this is wrong. The activity has finished, so it needs the Present Perfect Continuous: "She has been cooking all afternoon."
• 4
  It has been raining — the ground is wet.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — the structure and the result you can see both fit.
• 5
  He has been dancing — his feet are sore.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — the structure and the result you can see both fit.
• 6
  I have sat at this desk all day — my back aches.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — this is wrong. A long activity needs the Present Perfect Continuous: "I have been sitting at this desk all day."
• 7
  They have been climbing — they're exhausted.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — the structure and the result you can see both fit.
• 8
  He has walking to work since his car broke down.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — this is wrong. It's missing "been": "He has been walking to work."

You can see the clues. Write a Present Perfect Continuous question to find out what happened.

• 1
  Your friend's voice is weak. (you / shout)
• 2
  Someone arrives out of breath. (you / run)
• 3
  The house smells of fresh bread. (she / cook)
• 4
  You smell of smoke. (you / smoke)
• 5
  His clothes are wet. (he / walk)
• 6
  The workers are worn out. (they / work)
• 7
  Someone looks impatient and tired. (How long / you / wait)
• 8
  The streets are flooded. (it / rain)

Read each question carefully. Select the sentence that matches the description.

• Structure: have/has + been + verb-ing. Do not forget been.
• One event (she has broken her arm) uses the Present Perfect Simple. A long activity uses the Present Perfect Continuous.
• If the activity has stopped, do not use the Present Continuous.
• You need a result you can see now. If there is no result, use the Past Simple.