Present Perfect Continuous – English Grammar Exercises for B1
You are writing an email to a distant relative. You want to update them on your grandparents’ health after they were discharged from the hospital. You are using this grammar to reassure the relative that the recovery is an ongoing, positive, and continuous process. Choose the best option (a, b, or c) to complete the sentences.
1 I am writing to give you some good news! Grandpa ______ comfortably in his own bed since he came home.
(a) rests
(b) has been resting
(c) have been resting
2 You don’t need to worry anymore. They ______ much larger meals lately to regain their strength.
(a) have been eating
(b) are eating
(c) has been eating
3 Grandma ______ her light leg exercises every morning, exactly as the doctor ordered.
(a) is doing
(b) has doing
(c) has been doing
4 The weather has been nice, so they ______ around the garden for a few minutes each afternoon.
(a) have been walking
(b) walk
(c) have walk
5 Grandpa is being very responsible. He ______ his medicine right on schedule all week.
(a) takes
(b) has been taking
(c) has taking
6 His bad cough is almost gone because he ______ a special warm herbal tea recently.
(a) is drinking
(b) have been drinking
(c) has been drinking
7 The visiting nurse says that his blood pressure ______ steadily since last Tuesday.
(a) has been improving
(b) improves
(c) have been improving
8 Grandma ______ to stay very positive and cheerful since they left the hospital.
(a) has trying
(b) tries
(c) has been trying
9 You will be happy to hear that Grandpa ______ about you a lot recently!
(a) has been asking
(b) is asking
(c) has ask
10 I ______ their recovery closely every day, and I can genuinely see real progress.
(a) have been monitoring
(b) monitor
(c) have been monitor
11 The home care doctor ______ their vital signs twice a week since the discharge.
(a) is checking
(b) has been checking
(c) have been checking
12 They ______ much better at night now that they are away from the noisy hospital monitors.
(a) have been sleeping
(b) are sleeping
(c) have be sleeping
13 Grandpa’s leg ______ nicely, and he doesn’t even need the wheelchair to move around the living room anymore.
(a) heals
(b) have been healing
(c) has been healing
14 I ______ that they are finally safe and comfortable now that they are back home.
(a) have known
(b) have been knowing
(c) am knowing
15 Grandma ______ the new healthy diet plan perfectly for the last two weeks.
(a) has following
(b) has been following
(c) follows
16 They ______ short visits from the neighbors for a few days now, so you should definitely call them!
(a) have been accepting
(b) are accepting
(c) have accepting
17 I ______ Grandpa read the newspaper every morning to keep his mind active and sharp.
(a) help
(b) have been helping
(c) have help
18 They ______ forward to your upcoming visit next month, so please don’t cancel!
(a) look
(b) are been looking
(c) have been looking
19 Grandpa ______ that he wants to go fishing again as soon as he is 100% recovered.
(a) has saying
(b) has been saying
(c) is saying
20 I ______ so grateful for all the love and support our family has received from you lately.
(a) have been being
(b) have been
(c) am being
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (b)
Explanation:
- Correct (b): “Has been resting” correctly matches the singular subject “Grandpa” and emphasizes the continuous positive process since returning home.
- Incorrect (a): Common mistake. Present Simple (“rests”) states a general fact, missing the “since he came home” timeframe.
- Incorrect (c): Structural error. “Grandpa” requires “has”, not “have”.
2 (a)
Explanation:
- Correct (a): “Have been eating” shows an ongoing recent improvement (lately).
- Incorrect (b): Common mistake. Present Continuous (“are eating”) focuses on the exact present moment, ignoring the word “lately”.
- Incorrect (c): Structural error. “They” requires “have”.
3 (c)
Explanation:
- Correct (c): Highlights the repeated, continuous healthy habit she started recently.
- Incorrect (a): Common mistake. “Is doing” means she is doing it right now while the email is being written.
- Incorrect (b): Structural error. Missing the word “been”.
4 (a)
Explanation:
- Correct (a): Emphasizes the ongoing daily habit of walking that has helped their recovery.
- Incorrect (b): Common mistake. “Walk” implies a lifelong routine, missing the recent recovery context.
- Incorrect (c): Structural error. Requires the “-ing” form (“walking”).
5 (b)
Explanation:
- Correct (b): Shows continuous adherence to the medication schedule over “all week.”
- Incorrect (a): Common mistake. “Takes” implies a permanent truth rather than a specific recent effort.
- Incorrect (c): Structural error. Missing “been”.
6 (c)
Explanation:
- Correct (c): The continuous drinking of the tea recently explains the present positive result (cough is gone).
- Incorrect (a): Common mistake. Does not cover the timeline marked by “recently”.
- Incorrect (b): Structural error. “He” requires “has”.
7 (a)
Explanation:
- Correct (a): Describes an evolving, progressive health situation (improving steadily).
- Incorrect (b): Common mistake. Present Simple ignores the “since last Tuesday” timeline.
- Incorrect (c): Structural error. “Blood pressure” is singular and takes “has”.
8 (c)
Explanation:
- Correct (c): Trying to stay positive is an ongoing mental and physical effort since leaving the hospital.
- Incorrect (b): Common mistake. Loses the past-to-present connection.
- Incorrect (a): Structural error. Missing “been”.
9 (a)
Explanation:
- Correct (a): Grandpa repeatedly asking about the relative is an ongoing recent action.
- Incorrect (b): Common mistake. “Is asking” implies he is asking at this exact second.
- Incorrect (c): Structural error. Requires “been” and an “-ing” verb.
10 (a)
Explanation:
- Correct (a): Emphasizes the writer’s continuous care and observation over the recovery period.
- Incorrect (b): Common mistake. “Monitor” sounds like a cold, permanent job duty rather than a recent, loving effort.
- Incorrect (c): Structural error. Missing the “-ing” ending.
11 (b)
Explanation:
- Correct (b): A repeated action (twice a week) that connects a past starting point (discharge) to now.
- Incorrect (a): Common mistake. Present Continuous cannot express an action repeated since a point in the past.
- Incorrect (c): Structural error. “The home care doctor” is singular (“has”).
12 (a)
Explanation:
- Correct (a): Shows a recently developed, continuous positive state compared to the hospital.
- Incorrect (b): Common mistake. Focuses only on this moment, rather than the pattern of nights since they came home.
- Incorrect (c): Structural error. “Be” should be “been”.
13 (c)
Explanation:
- Correct (c): Healing is a continuous biological process. The present perfect continuous highlights this ongoing progress.
- Incorrect (a): Common mistake. Present Simple (“heals”) implies a general medical fact, not his specific recent progress.
- Incorrect (b): Structural error. “Leg” is singular and requires “has”.
14 (a)
Explanation:
- Correct (a): Exception! “Know” is a stative verb (a state of mind). It cannot take the “-ing” form. Present Perfect Simple must be used to express this long-lasting feeling of relief.
- Incorrect (b): Common mistake. Applying the continuous grammar rule to a stative verb.
- Incorrect (c): Structural error. “Know” cannot be used in Present Continuous either.
15 (b)
Explanation:
- Correct (b): Following the diet is a continuous, uninterrupted effort over “the last two weeks.”
- Incorrect (c): Common mistake. “Follows” implies a permanent lifestyle, rather than the recent strict adherence.
- Incorrect (a): Structural error. Missing “been”.
16 (a)
Explanation:
- Correct (a): A recently started habit that is still ongoing, signaling that they are strong enough for visitors.
- Incorrect (b): Common mistake. “Are accepting” does not account for the “for a few days now” duration.
- Incorrect (c): Structural error. Missing “been”.
17 (b)
Explanation:
- Correct (b): Emphasizes the helpful, ongoing morning routine the writer has established recently.
- Incorrect (a): Common mistake. “Help” suggests a permanent, lifelong routine.
- Incorrect (c): Structural error. Missing “been” and requires “-ing”.
18 (c)
Explanation:
- Correct (c): “Have been looking forward to” is a very natural English phrase to show continuous anticipation.
- Incorrect (a): Common mistake. Lacks the emphasis on the duration of their excitement.
- Incorrect (b): Structural error. “Are been” is an impossible grammatical structure.
19 (b)
Explanation:
- Correct (b): Indicates that Grandpa has repeatedly mentioned this desire recently.
- Incorrect (c): Common mistake. “Is saying” implies he is actively speaking those words right now.
- Incorrect (a): Structural error. Missing “been”.
20 (b)
Explanation:
- Correct (b): Exception! “Be” is a stative verb. Even though the feeling is tied to the recent period (“lately”), we cannot use it in the continuous form here. We must use Present Perfect Simple (“have been”).
- Incorrect (a): Common mistake. “Have been being” is incorrect when expressing a state of emotion or existence.
- Incorrect (c): Structural error. Does not fit the past-to-present timeline.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
Present Perfect Continuous (have/has been + V-ing) for Recovery Updates
- Focusing on “Day-by-Day” Progress:
When reporting on someone’s health or recovery, using this tense is incredibly reassuring. It tells the listener that the healing isn’t just a single event, but a steady, ongoing, and successful process. - Example: He has been getting stronger every day.
- Highlighting New, Healthy Habits:
If the patient has started doing good things recently (eating well, exercising, sleeping), this tense perfectly describes these positive new routines. - Example: She has been sleeping much better lately.
- Common Time Expressions in this Context:
- lately / recently
- since he/she came home
- all week
- for the last few days
- The Stative Verb Trap:
Even when writing an emotional update, verbs that describe states of mind, existence, or emotion (e.g., know, believe, understand, be) cannot be used in the “-ing” form. You must stick to the Present Perfect Simple. - Correct: I have been so happy since they recovered.
- Incorrect: I have been being so happy since they recovered.