The present perfect continuous tense

Positive

1. The present perfect continuous tense is used for action that started in the past and continued or is continuing now or has just ended.It admits of active voice only.The verb ending in "ing" is used after "has been,have been."
   

   Examples

   1.I have been struggling to rise (have been struggling and still struggle or have been struggling up to now.)
   2.Kanwal has been researching in the university since 2009.
   3.I have been helping my neighbors.Now I shall be helping my friends.
   4.We have been reading an English newspaper for two years.(...still read it or do not read it.)
2. "For" is used for duration and "since" for a point of time in the past.The present perfect tense is also used for for action started in the past that is still continuing or that has just ended.
   

   Examples

   5.My friends have been working in the factory for a long time.
   6.They have been lived in Germany for three years.
   (or)They have lived in Germany for three years.
   7.He has been studying French since February 13,2008.
3. Progressive or continuous forms of verbs are used to express an action that continuous for a period of time.So we do not use verbs in continuous form that cannot express action continuing for a period of time.For example,we cannot say "I have been seizing (making use of) a lot of chances in this city:""The war has been ceasing (stopping) in Kashmir."Other such verbs,phrases or idioms can be "get born," "pass away," "retire," "die," "respect," "die in harness (continue to work until one's death."
   

   Such verbs pertaining (related) to the senses:"smell," "notice," "appreciate;" pertaining to the feelings:"like," "dislike," "hate;" pertaining to thought: "excuse," "understand," "suppose" and pertaining to ownership or possession:"own," "possess," "dispossess."

Negative

1. In negative sentences,we use "not" between "has," "have," and "been."In questions,we use "has" before the subject."When," "where," "do," "why," etc. are used before "has," "have."
   

   Examples

   8.I have not been meeting those students.
   9.You have not been writing on this subject for two months.
   10.She has not been painting since nightfall.
   11.Have some officers of this organization not been planning for a year to go abroad for advanced studies?
   12.Why has she not been acting on our advice?
2. Present perfect is often used for verbs giving a negative meaning and for action that has not continued earlier.
   

   Examples

   13.They have not met me since the day before yesterday.
   14.Has she not written an essay for several days?
   15.We have not seen any TV play for the last seven months.
   16.Has Japan not provided extraordinary (unusual) economic aid to several Asian countries since 2006?
   17.The common people have not seen true rulers for long.
   18.We have not studied in any college for years.
   19.My friends have not gone to a hill station for two years.
   20.Why has she not written to us since the end of the last year?