Present Perfect Continuous: Negative & Emphatic Forms (C1)

Your task

Fill in the gap in each sentence with the correct word or phrase.

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Keep practising! Focus on the explanations below.

I very well lately and it's starting to affect work. (sleep, not)

Correct answer: haven't been sleeping

A continuing recent pattern, negated → PPC negative: "haven't been sleeping" / "have not been sleeping". "Lately" is a near-prototype PPC time signal.

Sorry — I to a word you've said. (listen, not)

Correct answer: haven't been listening

A continuing inattention spanning the conversation → PPC negative. "Haven't listened" would close the lack of attention off as a single completed failure; the apology is about the ongoing drift.

He enough exercise since he started the new job. (get, not)

Correct answer: hasn't been getting

Third-person singular PPC negative: "hasn't been getting" / "has not been getting". The since-clause anchors the ongoing reduced pattern.

to me, or have you been daydreaming the whole time? (you / listen, not)

Correct answer: Haven't you been listening

Negative PPC question: the contracted form "Haven't" is normal in writing → "Haven't you been listening". The full form "Have you not been listening" is also correct and slightly more formal.

We on the right things this quarter, and the results show it. (focus, not)

Correct answer: haven't been focusing

An ongoing reduced focus across the quarter, with a present consequence → PPC negative. "Haven't focused" reads as a single completed failure; the present-perfect-continuous keeps the pattern alive.

She insists she's fine, but I think she properly for weeks. (eat, not)

Correct answer: hasn't been eating

A continuing pattern of inadequate eating over an explicit duration → PPC negative. "Hasn't eaten" treats it as a closed period; the worry is about the still-running behaviour.

Don't say I'm being lazy — I extra hours all week! (work)

Correct answer: have been working

Emphatic affirmative PPC: the form is unchanged ("have been working"); in speech the emphasis falls on "HAVE". The contraction "'ve been working" is also accepted, though stress is harder to convey with the contracted auxiliary.

Why to any of my emails? It's been more than a week. (you / reply, not)

Correct answer: haven't you been replying

Wh- negative question: "Why haven't you been replying" / "Why have you not been replying". Both forms are correct; the contracted version is more conversational.

The kids along recently — something is clearly going on. (get, not)

Correct answer: haven't been getting

Plural subject + an ongoing recent pattern → PPC negative: "haven't been getting (along)" / "have not been getting (along)". "Recently" is a strong PPC cue.

No, that's not true — I for this exam non-stop! (study)

Correct answer: have been studying

Emphatic affirmative contradicting an accusation. The form is plain affirmative PPC; emphasis comes from stress on "have". Both "have been studying" and "'ve been studying" are accepted.

I know — I as much as I should, but I'm starting again tomorrow. (exercise, not)

Correct answer: haven't been exercising

A continuing pattern of inadequate exercise + a forward-looking commitment → PPC negative. The PPC keeps the pattern unfinished, which the promise of a fresh start depends on.

The new system properly since we deployed it last month. (function, not)

Correct answer: hasn't been functioning

A since-clause anchors the start of an ongoing failure → PPC negative. Third-person singular: "hasn't been functioning" / "has not been functioning".

this all along? Why didn't you tell me? (you / plan, not)

Correct answer: Haven't you been planning

Negative question for confirmation — the speaker assumes the answer is "yes". Both contracted and full forms work: "Haven't you been planning" / "Have you not been planning".

Look — I to fix this for weeks, but no one wants to listen. (try)

Correct answer: have been trying

Emphatic affirmative used to push back. The PPC form is unchanged; the rhetorical weight sits on the stressed auxiliary in speech.

Things as planned ever since the new policy came in. (go, not)

Correct answer: haven't been going

"Ever since" + an ongoing departure from the plan → PPC negative. Plural subject takes "haven't" / "have not". "Haven't gone" would treat the departure as one finished event.

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