Have you ever said “I’ve lived here for ten years” or “I’ve been living here for ten years” and wondered what the difference is? Both are correct—but they don’t mean exactly the same thing! The Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous tenses are both used to talk about actions connected to the present, but they each show time in a slightly different way. In this set of Present Perfect & Present Perfect Continuous worksheets, you’ll practice telling the difference between results and ongoing actions, finished experiences and still-happening situations. These exercises will help you use both tenses naturally and clearly in real-life conversations.
Present Perfect & Present Perfect Continuous Worksheets
1.
Task 1: Choose the correct option
Task 2: Complete the sentences with the correct form of verbs in brackets
Task 3: Put the words in order to make sentences
Answer key:
1. Choose the correct option
a. Lily has been painting her bedroom all afternoon.
b. I haven’t been eating much lately.
c. We have known each other since kindergarten.
d. Tom has been fixing his bike for two hours.
e. How long have you been working here?
f. He has been taking the same bus for years.
g. They have been making progress on the project.
h. Sarah has lived in New York for six years. (Both present perfect & continuous are okay, but “has lived” emphasizes result.)
i. What have they been doing all morning?
j. The kids have been building a sandcastle for hours.
2. Complete the sentences with the correct form
a. My parents have been traveling across Europe for three weeks.
b. We have been waiting for the train since 9 a.m.
c. Sam has not finished his lunch yet.
d. I have been reading a really good book lately.
e. How long have you been living in this apartment?
f. Mia has been taking piano lessons for five years.
g. I haven’t seen you at the gym recently.
3. Put the words in order
a. How long have you been cooking?
b. I have never visited Japan.
c. Tom has been studying for hours.
d. We have been friends since school.
e. It has been raining for three days.
2. Choose the correct answer to complete the sentences.
Answer key:
- has been working
- have lost
- have you been studying
- have written
- has been playing
- have been
- have been trying
Present Perfect & Present Perfect Continuous Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks
Direction:
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses: use either the present perfect or present perfect continuous tense.
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She __________ (live) in New York since 2015.
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I __________ (not finish) my homework yet.
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They __________ (study) for the exam all morning.
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He __________ (visit) Paris several times.
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We __________ (wait) for the bus for over an hour.
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I __________ (know) her since we were kids.
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You __________ (watch) too much TV lately.
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He __________ (work) on that project for three weeks.
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The kids __________ (eat) all the cookies.
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We __________ (look) for a new apartment for months.
Answer Key
| # | Correct Answer | Tense Used |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | has been living | Present Perfect Continuous |
| 2 | haven’t finished | Present Perfect |
| 3 | have been studying | Present Perfect Continuous |
| 4 | has visited | Present Perfect |
| 5 | have been waiting | Present Perfect Continuous |
| 6 | have known | Present Perfect |
| 7 | have been watching | Present Perfect Continuous |
| 8 | has been working | Present Perfect Continuous |
| 9 | have eaten | Present Perfect |
| 10 | have been looking | Present Perfect Continuous |
Exercise 2: Correct the Mistake
Direction:
Each sentence below contains a mistake in the present perfect or present perfect continuous tense. Find and correct the mistake.
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She has living in Tokyo since last year.
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I have ate breakfast already.
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They has been working on the report since Monday.
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We have been know each other for a long time.
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He have finished his homework.
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The children has been playing outside all afternoon.
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You have watch that movie three times.
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He have been listening to the same song for an hour.
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I has never been to Spain.
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We has been learning English for two years.
Answer Key
| # | Incorrect | Corrected Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | has living | She has been living in Tokyo since last year. |
| 2 | have ate | I have eaten breakfast already. |
| 3 | has been working | They have been working on the report since Monday. |
| 4 | have been know | We have known each other for a long time. |
| 5 | have finished | He has finished his homework. |
| 6 | has been playing | The children have been playing outside all afternoon. |
| 7 | have watch | You have watched that movie three times. |
| 8 | have been listening | He has been listening to the same song for an hour. |
| 9 | has never been | I have never been to Spain. |
| 10 | has been learning | We have been learning English for two years. |
Exercise 3: Unscramble the Words
Direction:
Unscramble the words to make a correct sentence in the present perfect or present perfect continuous tense.
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been / has / he / working / hard / all week
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have / I / finished / already / homework / my
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visited / have / Paris / they / never
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reading / has / she / that / been / book / morning / all
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the / have / cleaned / they / room
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have / waiting / been / we / bus / the / for / 30 minutes
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the / you / movie / seen / have / yet
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not / we / have / heard / news / any
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has / studying / been / he / for / hours / two
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been / raining / it / has / morning / all
Answer Key
| # | Correct Sentence |
|---|---|
| 1 | He has been working hard all week. |
| 2 | I have already finished my homework. |
| 3 | They have never visited Paris. |
| 4 | She has been reading that book all morning. |
| 5 | They have cleaned the room. |
| 6 | We have been waiting for the bus for 30 minutes. |
| 7 | Have you seen the movie yet? |
| 8 | We have not heard any news. |
| 9 | He has been studying for two hours. |
| 10 | It has been raining all morning. |
Exercise 4: Choose the Correct Form
Direction:
Choose the correct verb form (a, b, or c) to complete each sentence.
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I _______ here since 2010.
a) have lived b) have been living c) has lived -
She _______ her keys, so she can’t get in.
a) has lost b) have been losing c) has been lose -
They _______ for over an hour.
a) have waited b) have been waiting c) has been wait -
He _______ to three countries this year.
a) have been b) has gone c) has been -
We _______ for this opportunity all our lives.
a) have waited b) have been waiting c) has waited -
You _______ the same book for weeks!
a) have read b) have been reading c) has read -
My friends _______ to the new café.
a) have gone b) has gone c) have been going -
She _______ very hard lately.
a) have worked b) has worked c) has been working -
They _______ in this neighborhood for a long time.
a) have lived b) has been living c) have been live -
I _______ already _______ lunch.
a) have / eaten b) has / eaten c) have / eating
Answer Key
| # | Correct Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | b – have been living | Emphasizes ongoing action since 2010 |
| 2 | a – has lost | Completed action with present result |
| 3 | b – have been waiting | Duration-focused ongoing action |
| 4 | c – has been | Experience up to the present |
| 5 | b – have been waiting | Ongoing waiting process |
| 6 | b – have been reading | Action that’s still happening |
| 7 | a – have gone | Completed visit |
| 8 | c – has been working | Continuous effort recently |
| 9 | a – have lived | State continuing to the present |
| 10 | a – have / eaten | Completed action relevant now |
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