Friday, March 30, 2012

The Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Put the verbs in brackets into the present perfect continuous tense:

1. I (make) cakes. That is why my hands are all covered with flour.
I have been making cakes.

2. Her phone (ring) for ten minutes. I wonder why she doesn't answer it.
Her phone has been ringing for ten minutes.

3. He (work)a lot. That is why he looks so tired.
He has been working a lot.

4. There is sawdust (serrín) in your hair. I'm not surprised. I (cut) down a tree.
I have been cutting down a tree.

5. Have you seen my bag anywhere? I (look) for it for ages.
I have been looking for it for ages.

6. What do you (do)? ~ I (work) in the laboratory.
What have you been doing? I have been working in the laboratory.

7. He (study) Russian for two years and doesn't even know the alphabet yet.
He has been studying Russian for two years and

8. How long you (wait) for me? I (wait) about half an hour.
How long have you been waiting for me? I have been waiting for an hour.

9. It (rain) for two days now. There'11 be a flood soon.

10. We (argue) about this for two hours now. Perhaps we should stop.
11. I (shower). That's why my hair is all wet.
12. You (drive) all day. Let me drive now.

13. How long you (wear) glasses?

14. The petrol gauge (indicador) (say) 'Empty' for quite a long time now. Don't you think we should get some petrol?

15.. I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. I (try) to make a telephone call to Rome.

16 You (not eat) enough lately. That's why you feel irritable.

17. He (speak) for an hour now. I think he'll finish soon.

18. That helicopter (fly) around the house for the last hour; do you think it's taking photographs?

19. The radio (play) since 7 a.m. I wish someone would turn it off.

20. I (shop) all day and I don't have a penny left.

21. We (live) here since 1977.

22. I'm on a diet. I (eat) nothing but bananas for the last month.

23. The children (look) forward to this holiday for months.

24. That pipe (tubería) (leak/drip) for ages. We must get it repaired.

25. Tom (dig) in the garden all afternoon and I (help) him.