Definizione di Present Perfect Continuous Tense (Present Perfect Progressive Tense)
Il Present Perfect Continuous Tense (noto anche come Present Perfect Progressive Tense) è una forma verbale che si usa per parlare di un’azione che è cominciata nel passato, è proseguita fino al presente ed è stata completata poco prima della conversazione, oppure continua ancora.
Non c’è un vero e proprio tempo verbale equivalente a questa forma in italiano, anche se possiamo tradurlo in modo simile a come faremmo con il Present Continuous o con il Present Simple, a seconda dei casi.
Per esempio:
- I have been training in the gym for 1 hour. – Mi sto allenando in palestra da un ora.
- I haven’t been sleeping for 40 hours. – Non dormo da 40 ore.
Come si forma il Present Perfect Continuous Tense (Present Perfect Progressive Tense) in inglese
Le frasi affermative, negative e interrogative con il Present Perfect Continuous Tense si formano nel modo seguente, come indicato nella tabella 1.
Forma affermativa | Forma negativa | Forma interrogativa | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Forma completa | Forma contratta | Forma Completa | Forma contratta | |
I have been running | I've been running | I have not been running | I haven't been running | Have I been running? |
You have been running | You've been running | You have not been running | You haven't been running | Have you been running? |
He has been running | He's been running | He has not been running | He hasn't been running | Is he been running? |
She has been running | She's been running | She has not been running | She hasn't been running | Is she been running? |
It has been running | It's been running | It has not been running | It hasn't been running | Is it been running? |
We have been running | We've been running | We have not been running | We haven't been running | Have we been running? |
You have been running | You've been running | You have not been running | You haven't been running | Have you been running? |
They have been running | They've been running | They have not been running | They haven't been running | Have they been running? |
Esercizi
Exercise n 43. Costruisci delle frasi in forma negativa e interrogativa partendo dalle seguenti frasi affermative.
Per esempio:
- They have been fighting all morning. – They haven’t been fighting all morning. / Have they been fighting all morning?
- Mickey has been studying for the driving test for two weeks now.
- Peter has been sleeping for three hours.
- Edward has been waiting for Bella all his life.
- We have been talking for forty minutes.
- John has been working since 6 am.
- Emily has been skating for 3 years.
- I have been waiting for you for 1 hour.
- It has been snowing the whole day.
- They have been working on the new magazine issue the whole night.
- The guys have been walking in the park for two hours.
Exercise n 44. Trasforma le seguenti affermazioni in frasi interrogative che implicano una scelta, utilizzando la congiunzione oppositiva or (oppositional conjunction) per collegare la frase al termine indicato tra parentesi, come mostrato nell’esempio.
Esempio:
- Avelyn has been reading a book the whole afternoon (evening). – Has Avelyn been reading a book the whole afternoon or evening?
- The chef has been cooking this stew for thirty minutes (that lobster).
- I have been waiting for a bus (a train).
- The kids have been jumping for 20 minutes (dancing).
- They have been traveling for six months (three).
- The farmer has been working the whole day (gardener).
- Bob has been skiing for 1 hour (snowboarding).
- It has been raining since yesterday (snowing).
- Lena has been sunbathing for 30 minutes (swimming).
- Greg has been learning Spanish for 2 months (Italian).
- The policeman has been interrogating Ann for 2 hours (Vicky).
Exercise n 45. Trasforma le seguenti frasi affermative in domande speciali, utilizzando le parole indicate tra parentesi.
Per esempio:
- He has been running for 40 minutes (How long). – How long has he been running?
Fai attenzione quando si tratta delle domande rivolte al soggetto! Con questo tipo di domande il verbo ausiliare sarà sempre la terza persona singolare del verbo to have.
Per esempio:
- The children have been studying hard all the week. – Who has been studying hard all the week?
- Spark has been sitting under the rain for 1 hour (Why).
- Frank has already been writing a book for 1 year (How long).
- The ballerina has been training for 4 hours (How long).
- The team have been discussing the new project since morning (What).
- Augusta and Martin have been working for hours (Who).
- The doctors have been providing first aid since morning (What).
- Dan has been playing video games since he came home (What … for since …).
- The neighbors have been shouting all afternoon (Who).
- Willy has been driving all night (What). He is exhausted now.
- The student has been learning a lecture for 2 hours (Who)
Exercise n 46. Trasforma le seguenti frasi affermative in frasi contenenti le tag questions.
Per esempio:
- You have been talking over the phone for 20 minutes. – You have been talking over the phone for 20 minutes, haven’t you?
- Laura has been washing up for 5 minutes.
- Bruce has been working out.
- Edgar has been working as a lawyer for 3 years.
- The Robins have been trying to sell their apartment since May.
- Quinn has been installing new software since morning.
- Mary Jane hasn’t been working all day long.
- Mr. Urishi has been trying to get hold of you the whole morning.
- The maids have been cleaning for 2 hours.
- Finn has been learning marketing for six months.
- Sophie has been choosing new shoes for half a day.
Quando si usa il Present Perfect Continuous Tense?
- Quando l’azione è iniziata nel passato, ma è continuata fino al momento della conversazione e proseguirà anche dopo.
The kids have been playing since morning. - Quando l’azione si era prolungata nel passato, è stata completata di recente e ha avuto delle conseguenze ancora attuali nel presente.
Your eyes are red. Have you been crying?
Nota bene: non dimenticare che ci sono dei verbi in inglese che non esprimono l’azione ma lo stato, attitudine, le relazioni tra gli oggetti o persone e non possono essere usati con il Present Perfect Continuous. Puoi trovare più informazioni su questi verbi qui.
Exercise n 47. Coniuga i verbi tra parentesi utilizzando la forma verbale più corretta del Present Perfect Continuous e spiega perché viene utilizzata per ognuna di queste frasi.
- They ... (work) on the farm since morning.
- What ... they … (do) for the last 30 minutes?
- Tina is a talented singer. She ... (sing) since she was 4 years old.
- It … (snow) at night. There are a lot of snowdrifts outside.
- The musicians ... (play) for three hours without a break.
- Jim ... (play) football for almost 3 minutes. Now he is taking a shower.
- You don’t get the idea because you … (listen) to the program.
- How long … Kelly … (learn) Portuguese?
- They … (play ) chess for hours.
- Alice … (train) in the gym since 5 pm.
Exercise n 48. Traduci queste frasi usando il Present Perfect Continuous.
- Da quando fai yoga?
- Mio marito sta giocando ai videogiochi da 8 ore. Voglio il divorzio!
- La nonna sta cucinando il ragù da 2 ore.
- Da quanto tempo stanno uscendo insieme?
- Sta piovendo da quattro ore.
- Marissa l’ha aspettato per troppo tempo.
- Stavi parlando 2 ore! Il tuo cellulare è scarico.
- Ha letto un libro tutta la notte. Ha molto sonno.
- Aspetto una tua chiamata da tutto il giorno.
- Lei studia canto da tre mesi.
Riassunto sull'utilizzo e le differenze tra Present Perfect e Perfect Continuous (Present Perfect Progressive Tense)
Present Perfect | Present Perfect Continuous |
---|---|
L’azione è stata completata recentemente
| L’azione è iniziata nel passato ed è proseguita fino al momento presente
|
Non sappiamo quanto durava l’azione e non importa
| L’azione durava un certo periodo di tempo e ha influenzato il presente
|
Esprime insoddisfazione
| |
Enfasi sul fatto che l’azione è stata ripetuta più volte
| Enfasi sulla continuazione
|
Alcuni termini con cui il Present Perfect si usa spesso: just,ever,never,always,already,yet,for,since,so far,how long,recently,today,this week/month/year,once. | Alcuni termini con cui il Present Perfect Continuous si usa spesso: since, for, how long. |
I verbi live, study, work vengono usati sia nel Present Perfect, che nel Present Perfect Continuous. | |
Non dimenticare i verbi che indicano uno stato, un’attitudine o le relazioni tra oggetti o persone non possono essere usati con il Present Perfect Continuous, come ad esempio: love, like, hate, know, believe, see, want, etc. |
Exercise n 49. Coniuga i verbi tra parentesi scegliendo la forma verbale più corretta tra Present Perfect e Present Perfect Continuous.
- They … (work) on the project all morning. Have a look, what do you think of it?
- The lawyer … just (phone) you.
- He … (play poker) for two hours instead of working.
- Luisa ... (sing) the whole evening. Her voice became hoarse.
- Jane … (finish) to bake a cake for Lily’s party.
- The police … already ... (check) my documents.
- The boys … (play) football since afternoon. Aren’t they exhausted?
- … you (send) me a voice message? Could you write an email instead?
- Why … you (go) to bed yet?
- The detective … (look) for you the whole morning. Where … you … (be)?
- I … (read) the document four times and I still don’t understand it.
- How long … you (run)?
- She … already (study) French for 1 year. But she wants to become more fluent.
- Sam … (fall) down and his knee is bleeding now.
- I … never … (be) to an amusement park in my life!
Exercise n 50. Coniuga i verbi tra parentesi scegliendo la forma verbale più corretta tra Present Perfect e Present Perfect Continuous.
- An important file … (disappear) from my computer.
- Strawberries … (disappear) from my garden since Tom and Alison moved into the house next door.
- I .... (spend) 3000 dollars to pay the fines this year.
- You (talk) for 2 hours. Could you please do it outside? I can’t focus.
- Lara (know) the owner of this bar since 2010.
- Why … you (call) before?
- I … (think) about him since I first saw him.
- The alarm … (ring) for 20 minutes.
- It ... (snow). I see a lot of snowdrifts in the street.
- … you ever (be) to Baltimore?
Exercise n 51. Traduci queste frasi usando il Present Perfect Continuous.
- Nicky sta suonando la chitarra già da un’ora.
- Veronica sta studiando l’inglese già da mesi.
- Ho già sistemato la mia stanza.
- Sei mai stato a Berlino?
- Non vado in palestra da una settimana.
- Rose sta pensando della proposta già da tre giorni.
- Oggi ho incontrato cinque clienti.
- Sta nevicando da ieri.
- I tuoi amici ti stanno aspettando da 20 minuti.
- Sto scrivendo una relazione da 3 ore e non ho ancora finito.
- Ultimamente ho mangiato troppo.
- Non sono mai andato a cavallo.
- È caduto dal letto.
- La segretaria le ha mandato cinque email.
- Quanto tempo mi hai aspettato?