I've Been Living Here for a Year
Present Perfect Continuous — duration and ongoing situations. One year after Maya arrived, everyone has been pushing hard: Leo at the café, Omar with medical exams, Priya training for a half-marathon.
📖 Reading: A Year of Changes
It has been exactly one year since Maya arrived in Toronto. She is sitting in Café Colibri, reflecting on how much her life has changed.
"I've been living here for twelve months now," she writes in her journal. "It still surprises me sometimes."
Leo has been running Café Colibri for almost a year. He has been working incredibly hard — arriving at 6 AM, rarely leaving before 9 PM.
"Have you been sleeping properly?" Maya asks him one afternoon.
"Not really," he admits. "I've been getting about five hours a night. I know — it's not enough."
Omar has been studying for his medical exams for the past three months. He has been spending ten hours a day in the library.
"I've been feeling exhausted," he tells them. "But I've also been making progress. I can feel it."
Priya has been training for a half-marathon. She has been running every morning since September.
"It's been raining all week," she says, "but I've been running anyway. You have to commit."
"You've all been working so hard," says Maya. "We need a holiday. I've been planning one, actually — shall I tell you about it?"
🔑 Vocabulary Box
Eight key words from this lesson.
| Word | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| reflect | To think carefully and deeply about something | v. — Maya is reflecting on her year. |
| commit | To dedicate yourself fully to something | v. — You have to commit to training. |
| exhausted | Extremely tired from effort or stress | adj. — Omar has been feeling exhausted. |
| progress | Forward movement towards a goal | n. — He's been making progress with his studies. |
| properly | In the correct or satisfactory way | adv. — Have you been sleeping properly? |
| rarely | Not very often; almost never | adv. — He rarely leaves before 9 PM. |
| ongoing | Continuing; still happening now | adj. — The training is an ongoing commitment. |
| admit | To confess or acknowledge something, often reluctantly | v. — He admits he hasn't been sleeping enough. |
📚 Key Verbs & Structures in This Lesson | |
have/has been + -ing | I've been living here. / She's been training every day. |
haven't/hasn't been + -ing | He hasn't been sleeping properly. |
How long have you been + -ing? | How long have you been studying medicine? |
since vs. for | I've been running since September. / For three months. |
📚 Grammar Focus
📚 Present Perfect Continuous — Form | |
Positive | I/You/We/They have been + -ing → I've been working. |
He/She/It | has been + -ing → She's been training. |
Negative | I haven't been sleeping. / He hasn't been eating well. |
Question | Have you been sleeping? / How long has she been running? |
Short answer | Yes, I have. / No, he hasn't. |
For and Since
📚 For and Since | |
for + period of time | I've been living here for a year. / For three months. |
since + point in time | She's been running since September. / Since 2023. |
How long...? | How long have you been studying? → For six months. |
Present Perfect Simple vs. Continuous
📚 Present Perfect Simple vs. Continuous | |
Simple = completed result | I've written three reports. (they're done) |
Continuous = ongoing action/process | I've been writing a report. (still in progress) |
Simple = permanent/state | I've lived here for years. (neutral fact) |
Continuous = temporary/emphasis on duration | I've been living here for a year. (focus on how long) |
🎭 Dialogue: How Long Have You Been Doing That?
Maya checks in on Omar. He's been studying twelve hours a day for three months — and the only thing keeping him going is Leo's very strong coffee.
Omar, you look tired. Have you been sleeping?
Not really. I've been studying for about twelve hours a day.
Twelve hours! How long have you been doing that?
Since the beginning of October — so about three months.
That's too much. Have you been taking any breaks at all?
I've been having coffee breaks at Café Colibri. Does that count?
Ha! Leo has been making very strong coffee lately.
I know. It's the only thing keeping me going.
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
How long has Leo been running Café Colibri?
Why hasn't Leo been sleeping properly?
How long has Omar been studying for his medical exams?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
Maya ___ in Toronto for exactly one year. (live — Present Perfect Continuous)
Leo ___ at the café since it opened. (work)
Omar ___ for his medical exams for three months. (study)
🎭 Now It's Your Turn — Role Play
Practice with a partner. Use the dialogue as a model and extend it.
- Student A: Ask your partner about 4 ongoing situations in their life.
- Student B: Answer using Present Perfect Continuous + for or since.
- Use: How long have you been…? / Have you been…? / What have you been doing lately?
- Topics: a language, a hobby, a job or study programme, a relationship or friendship.