Time expressions and adverbs that are used with the present perfect continuous tense.
The Present Perfect Continuous tense is used to describe actions that started in the past and are still continuing or have recently stopped, with a focus on duration. This tense emphasizes the ongoing nature of an activity.
Time Expressions
for an hour
for three days
for a while
for a long time
for ages
for several months
for many years
for decades
for the past few weeks
for the last couple of days
since 8 AM
since noon/midnight
since yesterday
since last week/month/year
since Monday
since January
since 2010
since childhood
since my teenage years
since I was a child
since I moved here
since we met
lately
recently
these days
all day/night/morning
the whole day
the entire evening
over the past few days/weeks/months
up to now
so far
every day this week
almost every day
constantly
continually
repeatedly
Usage Examples
for an hour
・She has been studying for an hour.
for three days
・I have been waiting for three days.
for a while
・They have been talking for a while.
for decades
・We have been living here for decades.
for several months
・He has been working for several months.
for the past few weeks
・The baby has been crying for the past few weeks.
for the last couple of days
・I have been practicing the piano for the last couple of days.
since 8 AM
・She has been studying since 8 AM.
since yesterday
・I have been feeling sick since yesterday.
since last year
・They have been dating since last year.
since Monday
・We have been working on this project since Monday.
since 2012
・She has been writing books since 2012.
since childhood
・I have been interested in art since childhood.
lately
・She has been working a lot lately.
these days
・People have been complaining about the heat these days.
all day
・We have been cleaning the house all day.
every day this week
・He has been jogging every day this week.
almost every day
・I have been feeling exhausted almost every day.