English Grammar in Use With Answers » Unit 11: How long have you (been) ...?

Study this example situation:

Dan and jenny are married. They got married exactly 20 years ago, so today is their 20th wedding anniversary.

They have been married for 20 years.
We say: They are married. (present)

but  How long have they been married? (present perfect)
(not How long are they married?)
They have been married for 20 years.
(not They are married for 20 years)

We use the present perfect to talk about something that began in the past and still continues now.

Compare the present and the present perfect:

  • Paul is in hospital.
    but  He's been in hospital since Monday. (= He has been ... )
    (not Paul is in hospital since Monday)
  • Do you know each other well?
    but  Have you known each other for a long time?
    (not Do you know)
  • She's waiting for somebody.
    but  She's been waiting all morning.
  • Do they have a car?
    but  How long have they had their car?

I have known/had/lived etc. is the present perfect simple.
I have been learning / been waiting / been doing etc. is the present perfect continuous.

When we ask or say 'how long', the continuous is more usual (see Unit 10):
  • I've been learning English for six months.
  • It's been raining since lunchtime.
  • Richard has been doing the same job for 20 years.
  • 'How long have you been driving?'  'Since I was 17.'

Some verbs (for example, know/like/believe) are not normally used in the continuous:
  • How long have you known Jane? (not have you been knowing)
  • I've had a pain in my stomach all day. (not I've been having)

See also Units 4A and 10C. For have, see Unit 17.

You can use either the present perfect continuous or simple with live and work:
  • Julia has been living / has lived here for a long time.
  • How long have you been working / have you worked here?

But use the simple (I've lived / I've done etc.) with always:
  • I've always lived in the country. (not always been living)

We say 'I haven't done something since/for ... ' (present perfect simple):
  • I haven't seen Tom since Monday. (= Monday was the last time I saw him)
  • Sarah hasn't phoned for ages. (=the last time she phoned was ages ago)

11.1 Are the underlined verbs right or wrong? Correct them where necessary.

  1. _____ Ben is a friend of mine. I know him very well.
    __________
  2. _____ Ben is a friend of mine. I know him for a long time.
    __________
  3. _____ Sarah and Adam are married since July.
    __________
  4. _____ The weather is awful. It's raining again.
    __________
  5. _____ The weather is awful. It's raining all day.
    __________
  6. _____ I like your house. How long are you living there?
    __________
  7. _____ Gary is working in a shop for the last few months.
    __________
  8. _____ I don't know Tom well. We've only met a few times.
    __________
  9. _____ I gave up drinking coffee. I don't drink it for a year.
    __________
  10. _____ That's a very old bike. How long do you have it?
    __________

11.2 Read the situations and write questions from the words in brackets.

  1. A friend tells you that Paul is in hospital. You ask him:
    (how long / be / in hospital?) ?
  2. You meet a woman who tells you that she teaches English. You ask her:
    (how long / teach / English?) __________ ?
  3. You know that Jane is a good friend of Katherine's. You ask Jane:
    (how long / know / Katherine?) __________ ?
  4. Your friend's brother went to Australia some time ago and he's still there. You ask your friend:
    (how long / be / in Australia?) __________ ?
  5. Tom always wears the same jacket. It's a very old jacket. You ask him:
    (how long / have / that jacket?) __________ ?
  6. You are talking to a friend about Joe. Joe now works at the airport. You ask your friend:
    (how long / work / at the airport?) __________ ?
  7. A friend of yours is having guitar lessons. You ask him:
    (how long / have / guitar lessons?) __________ ?
  8. You meet somebody on a plane. She says that she lives in Chicago. You ask her:
    (always / live / in Chicago?) __________ ?

11.3 Complete B's answers to A's questions.

  1. A: Paul is in hospital, isn't he?
    B: Yes, he in hospital since Monday.
  2. A: Do you see Ann very often?
    B: No, I her for three months.
  3. A: Is Amy married?
    B: Yes, she __________ married for ten years.
  4. A: Are you waiting for me?
    B: Yes, I __________ for the last half hour.
  5. A: You know Mel, don't you?
    B: Yes, we __________ each other a long time.
  6. A: Do you still play tennis?
    B: No, I __________ tennis for years.
  7. A: Is joe watching TV?
    B: Yes, he __________ TV all evening.
  8. A: Do you watch TV a lot?
    B: No, I __________ TV for ages.
  9. A: Do you have a headache?
    B: Yes, I __________ a headache all morning.
  10. A: Adrian is never ill, is he?
    B: No, he __________ ill since I've known him.
  11. A: Are you feeling ill?
    B: Yes, I __________ ill all day.
  12. A: Sue lives in Berlin, doesn't she?
    B: Yes, she __________ in Berlin for the last few years.
  13. A: Do you go to the cinema a lot?
    B: No, I __________ to the cinema for ages.
  14. A: Would you like to go to New York one day?
    B: Yes, I __________ to go to New York. (use always / want)

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