Unit 11. How long have you (been)... ?

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

• Amy is in hospital.
  She has been in hospital since Monday.
• We know each other very well
  We have known each other for a long time.

I have been doing something (present perfect continuous) = I started doing something in the past and I am still doing it ( or have just stopped )

• I've been learning English for a long time.
• Sorry I'm late. Have you been waiting long?

The action can be a repeated action.

• How long have you been driving?

I have done (simple) or I have been doing (continuous)

The coninuous is more usual with how long, since and for

• I've been learning English for a long time.

You can normally use either the continuous or simple with live and work.

• John has been living / has lived in London for a long time.

But we use the simple with always

• John has always lived in London.

You can use the continuous or the simple for actions repeated over a long period.

• I've been collecting / I've collected stamp since I was a child.

Some verbs (for example, know / like / believe) are nor normally used in the continuous.

• How long have you known Jane?
• I've had a pain in my stomach since I got up this morning.