Present Perfect Continuous Tense — Exercise 1 (Questions with Full Explanations and Verb Definition)
This Present Perfect Continuous practice set gives you 10 high-value questions plus detailed explanations for every option so you understand both form and meaning. Use this to master have/has been + verb-ing (duration, recent ongoing actions with present relevance, repeated actions, and cause/result). The distractors are intentionally close — two plausible answers and two decoys — to train careful reading and real understanding. Suitable for learners, teachers and exam prep.
Definition: Present Perfect Continuous (have/has + verb-ing form)
- Form: have / has + been + verb-ing.
- Examples: I have been working; She has been testing; Have they been waiting?
- Main uses:
- Actions that started in the past and are continuing now (use with for / since).
- Actions that have been happening recently / repeatedly with present result.
- Explaining present conditions by showing ongoing cause.
- Signal words: for, since, recently, lately, all day, how long, ever.
- Negatives/Questions: have/has not (haven’t/hasn’t) and Have/Has + subject + been + verb-ing + … + since/for + …?
- To learn more about it – Visit Here
Quiz Instructions
- Read each question and choose the best answer out of four given options.
- On top, header section of the quiz, you will see the “title of the quiz,’ ‘spending-time,’ ‘value of question in points,’ and ‘number of questions.”
- Below on footer, you will see Full Screen mode. As the name suggests, it covers the whole screen. It will save a lot of your time attempting the quiz.
- You can zoom the images given in the questions.
- After submitting the quiz, you can see your score and compare with other users.
- The Full Leaderboard link will take you to a page, where you can see all users attempts.
- Below the quiz box, there are explanation of each options. You can study and try again.
- Best of Luck!
Quiz Question, Answer and Explanation
Note: Do remember in the quiz box above, the questions and options will shuffle, so they won’t have the same sequence like 1, 2, 3, or A, B, C as below.
1. They ______ the integration tests all morning; the CI is slow.
A) have been running B) are running C) have run D) ran
Verb definition: run (tests) = to execute processes or checks.
Correct: A) have been running
Why A is correct: Present perfect continuous shows an action started earlier and continuing (all morning) with present result (CI is slow).
Why B wrong: are running is present continuous (valid for now) but lacks the up-to-now duration emphasis “all morning.”
Why C wrong: have run (present perfect simple) signals completion but not the continuous duration that explains current slowness.
Why D wrong: ran is simple past; it doesn’t link the activity to the present.
2. How long ______ you ______ that log aggregation issue?
A) have, been investigating B) are, investigating C) have, investigated D) did, investigate
Verb definition: investigate = to examine a problem.
Correct: A) have, been investigating
Why A is correct: “How long” requires a duration structure; present perfect continuous (have been investigating) asks about an action continuing up to now.
Why B wrong: Are you investigating asks about current activity but not duration “how long.”
Why C wrong: have investigated is present perfect simple — it’s about completion, not ongoing duration.
Why D wrong: did investigate is past; wrong for “how long” with present relevance.
3. She ______ the onboarding sequence for two hours and needs a break.
A) has been testing B) is testing C) tested D) tests
Verb definition: test = to trial or check a sequence.
Correct: A) has been testing
Why A is correct: Present perfect continuous with a specific duration (“two hours”) fits exactly.
Why B wrong: is testing is present continuous (current) but does not convey the duration up to now.
Why C wrong: tested (past) doesn’t show ongoing work leading to current fatigue.
Why D wrong: tests simple present habitual, wrong.
4. I ______ the dashboard since this morning — the graphs are still flickering.
A) have been refreshing B) am refreshing C) have refreshed D) refreshed
Verb: refresh = to reload to get updated data.
Correct: A) have been refreshing
Why A is correct: “Since this morning” needs present perfect continuous for action starting then and continuing now.
Why B wrong: am refreshing lacks the since/duration link.
Why C wrong: have refreshed suggests a completed refresh, not repeated action causing current flicker.
Why D wrong: past; incompatible with “since.”
5. They ______ multiple vendors for a replacement part over the last few days.
A) have been contacting B) contacted C) have contacted D) are contacting
Verb: contact = to get in touch.
Correct: A) have been contacting
Why A is correct: The continuous aspect captures repeated outreach over a period (“the last few days”).
Why B wrong: contacted simple past is one-time or completed — doesn’t emphasize repeated attempts.
Why C wrong: have contacted (present perfect simple) indicates they contacted, but not the repeated ongoing attempts.
Why D wrong: are contacting is present continuous; less explicit about repeated course over several days.
6. Why ______ the server ______ high CPU usage this afternoon?
A) has, been showing B) is, showing C) has, shown D) did, show
Verb: show = to display or indicate.
Correct: A) has / been showing
Why A is correct: Presents a problem that has been ongoing this afternoon and continues to the present — perfect continuous fits.
Why B wrong: is showing is present continuous but sounds like momentary state, not a problem occurring across the afternoon.
Why C wrong: has shown (present perfect) is possible but lacks the continuous nuance.
Why D wrong: did show past — wrong for present relevance.
7. We ______ the new policy to the team lately; feedback has been positive.
A) have been communicating B) communicated C) have communicated D) are communicating
Verb: communicate = to share information.
Correct: A) have been communicating
Why A is correct: “Lately” + ongoing outreach suggests present perfect continuous — the activity has been happening repeatedly and affects the present.
Why B wrong: simple past narrates actions but doesn’t highlight ongoing outreach.
Why C wrong: have communicated is possible but the continuous emphasizes the process and repeated interactions.
Why D wrong: present continuous is narrower, not capturing the repeated pattern across “lately.”
8. He ______ the metrics for weeks; that’s why he looks tired.
A) has been tracking B) tracks C) has tracked D) tracked
Verb: track = to monitor over time.
Correct: A) has been tracking
Why A is correct: Indicates activity started in past and continued for weeks, providing reason for current tiredness.
Why B wrong: simple present habitual (he tracks) doesn’t convey ongoing intensity.
Why C wrong: present perfect simple states completion/relevance but not continuous effort.
Why D wrong: past — wrong.
9. I ______ the replacement build all afternoon — want me to push it now?
A) have been verifying B) verified C) am verifying D) have verified
Verb: verify = to check correctness.
Correct: A) have been verifying
Why A is correct: “All afternoon” demands present perfect continuous; action ongoing with present consequence (push it).
Why B wrong: verified past lacks present continuity.
Why C wrong: am verifying is present continuous; possible but doesn’t stress the whole afternoon duration.
Why D wrong: have verified (perfect simple) implies completion; the question implies ongoing verification.
10. They ______ the streaming queue all morning; messages keep backing up.
A) have been monitoring B) monitored C) have monitored D) are monitoring
Verb: monitor = to observe system behavior continuously.
Correct: A) have been monitoring
Why A is correct: Continuous monitoring over time explains current backlog.
Why B wrong: simple past too narrative.
Why C wrong: present perfect simple doesn’t stress continuous observation.
Why D wrong: present continuous less explicit about the duration.