Topic 1.1: Grammar. Present perfect continuous: Review and expand.

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TOPIC 1: Present perfect continuous: Review and expand.

CLASS VIDEO

GRAMMAR

VOCABULARY

                                          AG.1.1.1

Plot: The sequence of events that make up the main story of a movie or show.
Setting: The place, time, and context in which the story takes place.
Character: A fictional individual who takes part in the story, with distinct traits.
Genre: A category that describes the style or type of content, such as comedy, drama, or science fiction.
Tone: The overall emotional attitude of the work, such as cheerful, dark, or satirical.
Pacing: The speed at which the story unfolds, whether slow, fast, or balanced.
Script: The written text containing the dialogue, actions, and scenes of the work.
Direction: The way the director brings the story to life through creative decisions.
Acting: The performance given by actors in portraying their characters.
Visual style: The aesthetic appearance of the work, including lighting, colors, and composition.

Present perfect continuous: Review and expand.

The present perfect continuous tense helps us talk about actions that began in the past and are still going on or have just finished. It focuses on the action itself, its repetition, or its duration. This tense is useful in both everyday communication and more scientific or technical contexts where observations and changes are emphasized.

Present perfect continuous: form

We use the auxiliary verbs “have” or “has” + “been” + the “-ing” form of the verb to build this tense. It’s used in affirmative, negative, and interrogative forms, both full and contracted.

Structure:

Subject + have/has + been + verbing + complement.

Examples:

                                          AG.1.1.2

1. Plot has been changing throughout the series.
     La trama ha estado cambiando a lo largo de la serie.

2. The setting has been evolving in every episode.
     El escenario ha estado evolucionando en cada episodio.

3. The character has been growing emotionally over time.
     El personaje ha estado creciendo emocionalmente con el tiempo.

Recent past activities

We use this tense to talk about actions that were completed recently but still have a noticeable impact. The focus is on the activity itself, and we don't specify a time frame.

Examples:

                                          AG.1.1.3

1. They’ve just been discussing the genre of the movie.
     Ellos acaban de estar discutiendo el género de la película.

2. The tone has been shifting in the latest episodes.
     El tono ha estado cambiando en los últimos episodios.

3. I’ve just been watching a thrilling pacing.
     Acabo de estar viendo un ritmo emocionante.

Even though the activity is finished, the effect is still evident.

One continuing event

We use the present perfect continuous to describe an ongoing activity that started in the past and continues up until now.

Examples:

                                          AG.1.1.4

1. The director has been focusing on the script for months.
     El director ha estado enfocándose en el guion durante meses.

2. They’ve been improving the direction with each episode.
     Han estado mejorando la dirección con cada episodio.

3. She has been practicing her acting for years.
     Ella ha estado practicando su actuación durante años.

The action started in the past and is still happening now.

Repeated continuing events

This tense also describes activities that began at a specific time in the past and are repeated regularly up until the present.

Examples:

                                          AG.1.1.5

1. I’ve been watching this visual style every weekend.
     He estado viendo este estilo visual cada fin de semana.

2. They’ve been using the plot structure repeatedly.
     Han estado utilizando la estructura de la trama repetidamente.

3. We’ve been following the pacing throughout the season.
     Hemos estado siguiendo el ritmo a lo largo de la temporada.

These actions repeat over time and continue into the present.

How long …?

We use this tense to ask or answer questions about the duration of an ongoing action. The question "How long" helps emphasize the duration of the activity.

Examples:

                                          AG.1.1.6

1. How long have they been rehearsing for the genre adaptation?
     ¿Desde cuándo han estado ensayando para la adaptación del género?

2. How long has he been studying the setting of the film?
     ¿Desde cuándo ha estado estudiando el escenario de la película?

3. How long have you been analyzing the acting?
     ¿Desde cuándo has estado analizando la actuación?

We use "how long" + present perfect continuous to ask about the duration.

EXERCISES:

Help the teacher translate the following sentences into English:

1. La trama ha estado sorprendiendo al público desde el primer episodio.

2. El escenario ha estado cambiando drásticamente cada temporada.

3. Ella ha estado perfeccionando su actuación para este papel complejo.

4. Han estado ajustando el ritmo para generar más suspenso.

5. Hemos estado explorando un tono más oscuro en los últimos episodios.

SOLVED EXERCISES ERG.1.1.1.

To do the solved exercise ERG.1.1.1, click on EXERCISE: EXERCISE

PROPOSED EXERCISES EPG.1.1.1

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