Your taskFill in the gap in each sentence with the correct word or phrase.have been swimminghave been playinghas been workinghas been bakinghave been decoratinghas been cryinghave been eatinghas been shoutinghas been eatinghave been kneelinghas been cuttinghas been workinghave been walkinghave been burninghas been packing0 / 15 answeredYour score0 / 150%Keep practising! Focus on the explanations below.1Your hair is wet. You , haven't you? (swim)Correct answer: have been swimming▸ Why?Wet hair is the visible current result → PPC links the activity to the state. "Have swum" reports a completed total but loses the cause-and-effect that explains the present condition.2There's mud everywhere on the kitchen floor. The kids in the garden again. (play)Correct answer: have been playing▸ Why?PPC explains the visible mess by a recent/ongoing activity. "Have played" treats the activity as closed and loses the still-messy implication, weakening the explanation.3His hands are filthy. He on the car all morning. (work)Correct answer: has been working▸ Why?A visible state (filthy hands) + "all morning" → PPC. "Has worked" treats the activity as completed and weakens the cause-and-effect explanation the visible dirt depends on.4The kitchen smells wonderful. Someone bread. (bake)Correct answer: has been baking▸ Why?A present sensation (smell) caused by a recent ongoing activity → PPC. "Has baked" suggests the baking is fully over, but a strong lingering smell implies the activity is still in progress or only just finished.5I can see paint on your shirt. You , haven't you? (decorate)Correct answer: have been decorating▸ Why?PPC explains the visible evidence by a recent activity. "Have decorated" sounds final, but wet paint on the shirt suggests very recent (possibly continuing) work that PPC captures better.6Maria's eyes are red and puffy. She over that film again. (cry)Correct answer: has been crying▸ Why?PPC links the visible state (red, puffy eyes) to an ongoing/recent emotional cause. "Has cried" describes a single completed event and is far less idiomatic when explaining visible aftermath.7There are dirty plates everywhere. They for hours. (eat)Correct answer: have been eating▸ Why?The unfinished mess + "for hours" → PPC. "Have eaten" implies the meal is over and the plates would have been cleared, which the present mess contradicts.8His voice is hoarse. He at the football match all afternoon. (shout)Correct answer: has been shouting▸ Why?An audible current consequence (hoarseness) + "all afternoon" → PPC. "Has shouted" loses the prolonged cause-and-effect that the present hoarseness implies.9The carpet is covered in crumbs. The dog biscuits on it again. (eat)Correct answer: has been eating▸ Why?PPC explains the visible mess by a recurring/recent activity. "Has eaten" reports a closed event and misses the recurring pattern hinted at by "again".10My knees are killing me. I all day in the church. (kneel)Correct answer: have been kneeling▸ Why?A felt present state (pain) + "all day" → PPC. "Have knelt" gives a completed total and weakens the cause-of-pain meaning the first sentence sets up.11There's sawdust all over the floor — someone wood in the workshop. (cut)Correct answer: has been cutting▸ Why?Fresh sawdust signals a very recent (possibly ongoing) activity → PPC. "Has cut" treats the work as completed and loses the freshness the visible debris implies.12Sara has dark circles under her eyes. She overtime every night this week. (work)Correct answer: has been working▸ Why?A visible present state (tiredness) + a recurring recent pattern → PPC. "Has worked" loses the across-the-week repetition that best explains the dark circles.13Look at the state of your shoes! You in the muddy park, haven't you? (walk)Correct answer: have been walking▸ Why?The visible state of the shoes is the consequence of a recent activity → PPC. "Have walked" reports the trip as a closed event and loses the visible-aftermath flavour the question depends on.14I can smell smoke. The neighbours leaves in their garden. (burn)Correct answer: have been burning▸ Why?A present sensation (smell of smoke) caused by an ongoing activity → PPC. "Have burned" hints at completion, but the still-detectable smoke suggests the fire is still going.15His suitcase is by the door and he's still rushing around. He for his trip all morning. (pack)Correct answer: has been packing▸ Why?A visible scene (suitcase out, still rushing) + "all morning" → PPC. "Has packed" implies he is ready to leave, which "still rushing around" directly contradicts.Check AnswersPlease answer at least one question first.Found an error in this exercise? Let us know.