Intermediate Grammar
Master English grammar one unit at a time. Clear notes, then 40+ interactive exercises with instant feedback – based on the topics in English Grammar in Use (Intermediate).
How long…?“have you been…?” – 44 interactive questions
📖 Grammar Reference – How long…?
Study the notes, then work through the six exercises.
1 Tier 1 – The Concept & Nuance: Inquiring About Unbroken Duration
When asking about an activity or state that began in the past and is still happening now, use How long have you been doing…? or How long have you had/known…? (with stative verbs).
– “How long has it been raining?”
– “How long have you had that car?”
2 Tier 2 – How Long Are You…? vs How Long Have You Been…?
| How long are you staying? | Future intention: “How long are you in London for?” |
| How long have you been staying? | Past duration up to now: “How long have you been in London so far?” |
3 Tier 3 – Top 3 Common Learner Pitfalls
– Rule: Past-to-present duration requires How long have you been + -ing.
– Rule: Stative verbs (know, have, be) take the simple present perfect.
– Rule: Use for for periods of time; use present perfect.
Made with care for English learners · allenglish4u.com
Original practice material inspired by the English Grammar in Use syllabus (Cambridge University Press). Example sentences and exercises are written by All English 4U.