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Perfect Continuous Tenses Practice Grammar Exercises for English Language

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Perfect Continuous Tenses are crucial for expressing actions that began in the past and are still ongoing or have recently stopped, often with a focus on the duration or the effect of the action. Mastering the nuances of these tenses enhances your ability to convey more precise and dynamic information in English. This page is designed to provide comprehensive practice in both Present Perfect Continuous and Past Perfect Continuous tenses, allowing learners to solidify their understanding and usage through a variety of exercises. Through targeted grammar exercises, you will have the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned in practical contexts, from everyday conversations to more formal writing. Each exercise aims to reinforce the rules and patterns associated with Perfect Continuous Tenses, ensuring that you can recognize and use them with confidence. Whether you are preparing for exams, improving your general language skills, or seeking to elevate your professional communication, this resource will help you achieve a deeper, more intuitive grasp of English grammar.

Exercise 1

1. She *has been studying* for her exams all week (present perfect continuous of "to study"). 2. They *have been working* on the project since last month (present perfect continuous of "to work"). 3. He *had been running* for an hour before it started to rain (past perfect continuous of "to run"). 4. We *have been trying* to solve this problem for days (present perfect continuous of "to try"). 5. The team *had been training* hard before the tournament began (past perfect continuous of "to train"). 6. I *have been reading* this book for two weeks now (present perfect continuous of "to read"). 7. You *have been waiting* for the bus for over an hour (present perfect continuous of "to wait"). 8. She *had been cooking* dinner when the power went out (past perfect continuous of "to cook"). 9. They *have been traveling* around Europe for the past month (present perfect continuous of "to travel"). 10. We *had been living* in that house for five years before we moved (past perfect continuous of "to live").

Exercise 2

1. She *has been reading* that book for hours (Present Perfect Continuous, activity started in the past and continues now). 2. We *had been jogging* before it started raining (Past Perfect Continuous, activity before another past event). 3. By the time you arrive, I *will have been waiting* for two hours (Future Perfect Continuous, activity ongoing until a future point). 4. They *have been studying* for their exams all week (Present Perfect Continuous, ongoing activity up to the present). 5. He *had been living* in Paris for two years before moving to London (Past Perfect Continuous, past activity before another past event). 6. She *will have been working* at the company for five years next month (Future Perfect Continuous, ongoing activity up to a future point). 7. I *have been practicing* the piano every day for the last month (Present Perfect Continuous, continuous activity up to now). 8. The children *had been playing* in the garden until it got dark (Past Perfect Continuous, activity in the past before another past event). 9. By next year, they *will have been living* in this house for a decade (Future Perfect Continuous, ongoing activity up to a future point). 10. She *has been feeling* ill since last night (Present Perfect Continuous, ongoing state up to now).

Exercise 3

1. She *has been studying* for the exam all night (present perfect continuous, action ongoing until now). 2. They *have been working* on the project since last month (present perfect continuous, started in the past and still happening). 3. He *had been running* for an hour before he stopped to rest (past perfect continuous, action completed before another action). 4. We *have been waiting* for the bus for over 30 minutes (present perfect continuous, still waiting). 5. The children *have been playing* outside since this morning (present perfect continuous, started in the past and still happening). 6. By the time you arrived, I *had been cooking* dinner for two hours (past perfect continuous, action completed before another action). 7. She *has been learning* French for three years (present perfect continuous, ongoing learning). 8. They *had been living* in that house for a decade before they moved (past perfect continuous, action completed before another action). 9. He *has been practicing* the piano every day for the last month (present perfect continuous, ongoing practice). 10. The team *has been training* hard for the upcoming match (present perfect continuous, ongoing preparation).