Complete with a verb from the list in the present perfect continuous.

bark cry do eat play shop not sleep watch

A Your sister’s lost a lot of weight!

B Yes. She ’s been eating a lot less recently.

1 A Your eyes are red.___________ you __________?

B Yes. I ______________ a sad film.

2 A It’s very late. Why aren’t you in bed?

B I can’t sleep. That dog _____________ for the last to hours.

3 A You look tired.

B I know. I ____________ well recently.

4 A Wow! You bought a lot of things!

B Yes, we __________ all day.

5 A You look hot! What _________ you__________?

B I ____________ in the garden with the children.

 

)Speaking. What have you been doing?

Well, this month I’ve been serving customers as one of the staff is ill. I’ve also been doing the accounts, writing letters, ordering new stock. And I’ve bought a new delivery van.

Basically, I’ve been learning my lines. I suppose I’ve learnt about half of them now. I play an American, so I’ve also been taking lessons in American English.

I’ve been doing all the usual things-driving around, visiting clients, giving out free samples. One thing I haven’t done yet is fill in this month’s expenses claim. I must do that.

1 a Read these texts. What do you think the people’s jobs are?

b What is the difference between the Present perfect simple (I’ve done) and the Present perfect continuous (I’ve been doing)

2 Work in pairs. Find out whether your partner has been doing any of these things recently.

- going out a lot - spending a lot of money

- working hard - watching TV a lot

- going to bed late - travelling a lot

 

Example:A Have you been going out a lot recently?

B Yes, I have. I’ve been out four times this week.

No, I haven’t. I’ve been painting my flat.

No, I only went out once last week.

 

Look at the pictures. What do you think the people have (or haven’t) been doing?

Example:Picture A He’s been watching the late movie.

He hasn’t been sleeping well. He’s been working very hard.

& Reading

Read the conversations. What are the conversations about? Imagine what the people have or (haven’t) been doing?

1 A We’ve just got to do something. I mean she came home again after midnight last night.

B I know, she hasn’t looked at a book for weeks. She’s never going to pass her exam at this rate.

2 A I bet you’ll be glad to see them go, wont’ you?

B Yeah, it’s exhausting, I mean it’s nice to see them because they live so far away, but, well it is hard work.

3 A He’s so different. He used to be so shy and quit.

B I know it really is incredible. I think he’s changed since his divorce, don’t you?