Activities: “The perfect continuous tenses in English: What are they and how to use them?”

For each of the verbs below, provide the past perfect continuous, the present perfect continuous, and the future perfect continuous form. For each set, the subject pronoun is given in parentheses, as in the example. For this problem, do not use contractions (e.g. “they’ll”)

ex: work (he)

• past perfect continuous: he had been working

• present perfect continuous: he has been working

• future perfect continuous: he will have been working

Use your knowledge about perfect continuous vs. perfect tenses to answer the questions below:

1. In which sentence was the food ready to eat when we sat down?

   Select your answer

   When we sat down at the table, my mom had cooked dinner.When we sat down at the table, my mom had been cooking dinner.

   Check Answer
2. Which sentence implies that my sister does not yet know where she will stay or exactly when she will go?

   Select your answer

   My sister has planned a trip to New York.My sister has been planning a trip to New York.

   Check Answer
3. My brother Marcus moves all the time. Which phrasing is better?

   Select your answer

   Recently, my brother lives in Amsterdam, but he is moving next month.Recently, my brother has been living in Amsterdam, but he is moving next month.

   Check Answer
4. My sister Andy is almost always traveling and she will keep traveling in the future. Which phrasing is better?

   Select your answer

   My sister Andy has traveled a lot, but she is at home right now.My sister Andy has been traveling a lot, but she is at home right now.

   Check Answer
5. Today, May jumped once. Which phrasing is better?

   Select your answer

   May has jumped today.May has been jumping today.

   Check Answer
6. Patrick forgets his keys almost every time he leaves the house. Which phrasing is better?

   Select your answer

   Patrick has forgotten his keys.Patrick has been forgetting his keys.

   Check Answer
7. Patrick forgot his keys today and he called me for help. Which phrasing is better?

   Select your answer

   Patrick has forgotten his keys.Patrick has been forgetting his keys.

   Check Answer