Present Perfect Continuous Tense Stories with Exercises & PDF

What have you been doing lately? Growing tomatoes, training for a race, or learning a new language? These present perfect continuous tense stories show how to talk about activities that started in the past and continue now—or have recently stopped with visible results.

Read three short stories, study the highlighted verb forms, and practice with grammar exercises and reading questions. You will find an answer key after each activity.

Present perfect continuous tense stories with grammar exercises

How to Use the Present Perfect Continuous

The present perfect continuous, also called the present perfect progressive, uses this pattern:

Subject + have/has + been + verb-ing

Positive: I have been learning Spanish.
Negative: She has not been sleeping well.
Question: Have you been practicing every day?

Use for with a length of time: for three months. Use since with a starting point: since January.

This tense often emphasizes an activity or its duration. Compare:

“Sarah has been planting flowers.” The focus is on the activity.
“Sarah has planted ten flowers.” The focus is on the completed result.

For more examples of completed results and experiences, read our present perfect tense stories. You can also review these present perfect continuous example sentences.

Story 1: Sarah’s New Hobby — Gardening

Illustration for Sarah’s gardening story

Sarah’s shoes are muddy, and there is soil on her sleeves. She has been working in the garden all morning.

She has been learning how to garden for the past few months. At first, she planted a few flowers and herbs in a small patch behind her house. Some grew well. Others did not survive.

“I think I gave that one too much water,” she says, pointing to an empty pot.

Recently, Sarah has been growing tomatoes and peppers. She checks them every morning before work. She has been keeping a notebook since she planted the first seeds, recording when she waters the plants and how much they grow.

Her friends have been asking for photos, so she sends them a picture each weekend.

Today, her neighbor Ben stops by the fence.

“Have you been growing all these vegetables yourself?” he asks.

“Yes, but I’m still learning. I have been trying to keep the snails away from my plants.”

Ben smiles. “They seem to like your garden as much as you do.”

Sarah’s tomatoes are still green, but several peppers are almost ready to pick. Her hard work is beginning to show.

She has been thinking about adding a fruit tree next year. For now, though, she has enough to do—and a pair of very muddy shoes to clean.

Exercise 1: Complete the Sentences

Use the present perfect continuous form of the verb in brackets.

Sarah __________ (work) in the garden all morning.
She __________ (learn) how to garden for the past few months.
Recently, she __________ (grow) tomatoes and peppers.
Her friends __________ (ask) for photos.
She __________ (try) to keep snails away from her plants.

Reading Questions

Why are Sarah’s shoes muddy?
What does she record in her notebook?
What has she been thinking about adding next year?

Click to see the answers to Story 1

Grammar Answers

has been working
has been learning
has been growing
have been asking
has been trying

Story 2: Mark’s Marathon Training

Illustration for Mark’s marathon training story

Mark is standing outside his house, looking at his running shoes. Six months ago, a short run felt difficult. Now, his first marathon is only a few days away.

He has been preparing for the race for over six months. His coach has been helping him follow a training plan that includes running, rest days, and time to recover.

For most of that time, Mark has been running before work. Some mornings are easy. On others, he would rather stay in bed.

His friend Sam has been joining him for a run every Saturday.

“Have you been checking the weather forecast again?” Sam asks when they meet.

“Only about ten times today,” Mark says.

As race day gets closer, Mark has been feeling both excited and nervous. This week, he has been taking things more gently, following his coach’s plan.

His family have been making signs to hold beside the course. His daughter refuses to show him hers.

“It’s a surprise,” she says. “But there might be a picture of a very slow superhero.”

Mark laughs. He is not expecting to win. His goal is to reach the finish line and enjoy the experience.

For months, he has been working toward this one day. Now, he is almost ready to find out what it feels like.

Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Form

Mark (has been preparing / have been preparing) for over six months.
His coach has been (help / helping) him follow a training plan.
Mark has been running (for / since) more than six months.
Sam (has been joining / has joining) him every Saturday.
Mark has been (feel / feeling) excited and nervous.

Reading Questions

What does Mark’s training plan include?
Who has been running with him on Saturdays?
What is Mark’s goal for the race?

Click to see the answers to Story 2

Grammar Answers

has been preparing
helping
for
has been joining
feeling

Story 3: Lisa’s Language Journey

Illustration for Lisa’s story about learning Spanish

Lisa is listening to a voice message in Spanish. This time, she understands it without pressing play again. It is a small moment, but it makes her smile.

She has been studying Spanish for the past year. She takes classes twice a week, and she has been using a language app to review vocabulary between lessons.

Her main goal is to feel comfortable having everyday conversations. She plans to visit Spain next summer and wants to do more than point at a menu.

Recently, Lisa has been speaking with a language partner called Elena. They meet online once a week and take turns practicing Spanish and English.

“What have you been doing this week?” Elena asks.

“I have been practicing how to talk about food,” Lisa replies. “I’m ready to order lunch. I’m less ready to understand the answer.”

Elena laughs and helps her practice a short restaurant conversation.

Lisa has been keeping a list of useful expressions since their first meeting. She has been listening to short Spanish recordings on her way to work, too.

Grammar still causes problems. Lately, she has been mixing up two past tenses, so her tutor gives her extra examples.

Even with these difficulties, her confidence has been growing. She makes mistakes, asks questions, and tries again.

Now she records a reply to Elena’s message. It is not perfect, but she sends it anyway.

Exercise 3: Make Questions

Put the words in the correct order. Start each question with a capital letter.

Lisa / how long / been / has / studying Spanish / ?
been / has / using a language app / she / ?
with Elena / Lisa / been / has / speaking / ?
keeping / has / what / Lisa / been / ?
been / has / her confidence / growing / ?

Reading Questions

Why does Lisa want to improve her conversation skills?
How do Lisa and Elena help each other?
What grammar difficulty has Lisa been having lately?

Click to see the answers to Story 3

Grammar Answers

How long has Lisa been studying Spanish?
Has she been using a language app?
Has Lisa been speaking with Elena?
What has Lisa been keeping?
Has her confidence been growing?

Extra Practice: For or Since?

Complete each sentence with for or since.

Sarah has been gardening __________ a few months.
She has been keeping notes __________ she planted the first seeds.
Mark has been preparing __________ over six months.
Lisa has been studying Spanish __________ a year.
Lisa has been keeping a list __________ her first meeting with Elena.

Click to see the answers

for
since
for
for
since

Your Turn: What Have You Been Learning?

Write five to seven sentences about an activity you started in the past and still do now. It could be learning English, playing an instrument, or practicing a sport.

What have you been learning or practicing?
How long have you been doing it?
Who has been helping you?
What difficulties have you been having?

Example: I have been learning English for six months. Recently, I have been reading short stories after dinner. My friend has been helping me with new words.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Missing “been”: Write “She has been studying,” not “She has studying.”
Using the wrong verb form: Write “They have been running,” not “They have been run.”
Confusing for and since: Write “for three months” or “since June.”
Using continuous forms with state verbs: Write “I have known her for a year,” not “I have been knowing her for a year.”

Remember that “has been” alone does not make a sentence present perfect continuous. In “He has been tired,” tired is an adjective. The continuous pattern needs an -ing verb, as in “He has been training.”