100 Present Perfect Continuous Questions for IELTS Speaking Practice
Richard | Love to Learn English
The Present Perfect Continuous tense is vital for describing actions that began in the past and are still continuing, or have recently stopped but have a present result. It’s a tense that frequently comes up in the IELTS Speaking test when you're asked about activities that you have been doing recently, changes, or habits that have been ongoing.
To help you prepare, here are 100 Present Perfect Continuous questions you can use to practice. This range of questions will help you get comfortable with using the tense across various topics, enhancing your fluency and coherence in the exam.
How to Construct the Present Perfect Continuous Tense
The Present Perfect Continuous tense is used to talk about actions that started in the past but are still happening, or actions that were ongoing but recently stopped and have a present result.
Structure of Present Perfect Continuous:
Subject + have/has + been + verb(-ing) + (rest of the sentence)
Subject: The person or thing doing the action (e.g., "I", "you", "he", "they").
Have/Has: Use "have" with "I", "you", "we", "they", and "has" with "he", "she", "it".
Been: "Been" is always used after "have" or "has".
Verb(-ing): The main verb takes the -ing form to indicate an ongoing action (e.g., "working", "learning", "waiting").
100 Present Perfect Continuous Questions for IELTS Practice
Questions about Work and Career:
How long have you been working at your current job?
Have you been thinking about changing careers recently?
What new skills have you been learning at work lately?
How long have your colleagues been using the new software?
Has your company been offering any training programs recently?
How long have you been looking for a new job?
What kind of projects have you been working on at work?
Have you been receiving any feedback on your recent performance?
How long have you been attending meetings with your team?
Have you been applying for any jobs in other countries?
Questions about Education:
How long have you been preparing for the IELTS exam?
Have you been taking any extra classes to improve your English skills?
What subject have you been focusing on the most lately?
How long have you been studying at your current school or university?
Has your teacher been recommending any extra resources for study?
How long have you been trying to improve your vocabulary?
Have you been preparing for any other exams recently?
What books have you been reading to improve your knowledge?
How long have you been practicing your English listening skills?
Have you been studying with friends or on your own?
Questions about Hobbies and Interests:
What hobbies have you been pursuing in your free time?
How long have you been playing that instrument?
Have you been working on any creative projects recently?
How long have you been practicing that sport?
Have you been learning any new skills or crafts lately?
What kind of music have you been listening to recently?
How long have you been doing yoga or meditation?
Have you been taking photography classes or working on your photography?
How long have you been collecting those items?
Have you been trying to improve your cooking skills?
Questions about Health and Fitness:
How long have you been following your current fitness routine?
Have you been trying to lose weight recently?
What kind of exercise have you been doing lately?
How long have you been working with a personal trainer?
Have you been eating healthier food recently?
How long have you been dealing with that health issue?
Have you been seeing any improvement in your fitness level?
What workouts have you been focusing on this month?
How long have you been taking care of your mental health?
Have you been trying any new sports or physical activities?
Questions about Travel:
How long have you been planning your next holiday?
Have you been visiting any new countries recently?
What places have you been wanting to visit for a while?
Have you been saving money for a big trip?
How long have you been preparing for your trip?
Have you been learning the local language of the country you plan to visit?
How long have you been traveling with that group of friends?
Have you been researching the best travel destinations recently?
How long have you been waiting for a chance to travel abroad?
Have you been trying to find good travel deals?
Questions about Family and Relationships:
How long have you been living with your family?
Have you been planning to visit any family members recently?
How long have you been dating your partner?
Have your parents been encouraging you to pursue any specific career path?
What family traditions have you been following recently?
How long have you and your partner been considering marriage?
Have you been spending much time with your family lately?
How long have you been keeping in touch with your old friends?
Have you been getting along well with your siblings recently?
How long have your relatives been living in that city?
Questions about Technology and Innovation:
How long have you been using that new gadget?
Have you been upgrading your technology recently?
How long have you been waiting for the new software update?
Have developers been improving the app lately?
How long have you been relying on your smartphone for daily tasks?
Have you been trying out any new apps for learning or productivity?
How long have you been using that online service?
Have you been testing any new devices recently?
How long have you been researching new technology trends?
Have you been working on any tech-related projects?
Questions about Daily Life:
How long have you been following your current daily routine?
Have you been cooking at home more often recently?
How long have you been commuting to work?
Have you been managing your time more effectively lately?
How long have you been trying to improve your productivity?
Have you been trying to balance work and personal life?
How long have you been relying on that transportation method?
Have you been helping out with any community activities recently?
How long have you been volunteering in your free time?
Have you been feeling more stressed or relaxed recently?
Questions about Future Plans (referring to ongoing actions):
How long have you been planning your future career path?
Have you been saving money for a big purchase recently?
How long have you been preparing for your future studies?
Have you been considering moving to another country in the future?
How long have you been working on improving your skills for your future career?
Have you been discussing your future goals with anyone recently?
How long have you been thinking about continuing your education?
Have you been looking for opportunities to advance in your career?
How long have you been preparing for your future financial plans?
Have you been considering new career paths for the future?
Miscellaneous Questions:
How long have you been learning English?
Have you been feeling more confident in your English-speaking abilities?
How long have you been waiting for your IELTS results?
Have you been experiencing any challenges with your IELTS preparation?
How long have you been considering studying abroad?
Have you been noticing any changes in the environment recently?
How long have you been feeling excited about your future plans?
Have you been thinking about making any big life changes?
How long have you been planning to take your IELTS exam?
Have you been feeling more motivated to reach your goals?
Final Thoughts
Practicing these 100 Present Perfect Continuous questions will help you become more comfortable using this tense in your IELTS Speaking and Writing exams. Incorporate them into your study routine, and you’ll find that describing past actions and events will come more naturally to you. Good luck!
Next steps?
To receive personalized feedback and further guidance, don’t forget to book a free 30-minute IELTS consultation by contacting me at info@lovetolearnenglish.com
In Part 1 of the IELTS Writing test, you may be asked to describe a process. While process questions are less common than charts or graphs, they do appear occasionally. Fortunately, process questions are generally easier to answer, though many people overlook preparing for them. This is a missed opportunity, as it doesn’t take long to become familiar with these types of questions and learn how to respond effectively.