Lesson

How long have you..?

Present perfect questions

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

How long have you...?

Use 'How long have you...?' to ask about the duration of an action or state that started in the past and continues to the present. This structure uses the present perfect (simple or continuous).

  • Ask about duration up to now: How long have you worked here?
  • Use present perfect: have/has + past participle (or have/has + been + -ing).
  • Answer with 'for' + duration or 'since' + start point.

Remember: present perfect links past to the present.

Table

Structure & Examples

Question form Meaning Example (question → answer)
How long have you worked here? Ask about total time working here (still working). How long have you worked here? → I've worked here for five years.
How long have you been a manager? Ask about duration of a role continuing now. How long have you been a manager? → I've been a manager since 2019.
How long have you known the client? Ask about knowing someone up to now. How long have you known the client? → I've known them for ten years.
How long have you been using this software? Ask about continuous activity up to present. How long have you been using this software? → I've been using it for six months.

Tip

Key rule: Form and answers

Form questions with present perfect and answer with 'for' or 'since'.

  • Question form: How long + have/has + subject + past participle → How long have you worked here?
  • Answer with 'for' + duration: I've worked here for three years.
  • Answer with 'since' + start point: I've worked here since 2018.

Use 'have been + -ing' to emphasize an ongoing activity (How long have you been working?).

Example

Examples in context

How long have you worked at this company?

How long have you been responsible for the marketing team?

How long have you known our main supplier?

How long have you been using the project management tool?

Tip

Common mistakes to avoid

Watch out for these universal errors when forming or answering 'How long...' questions.

  • Using past simple instead of present perfect: 'How long did you work here?' (asks about a finished period).
  • Answering with 'ago' when the action continues: Wrong — 'I started three years ago.' Better — 'I've worked here for three years.'
  • Mixing 'for' and 'since': use 'for' with durations (for two years) and 'since' with start points (since 2019).
  • Incorrect word order in questions: place 'have' before the subject (How long have you...?).

Focus on tense and word order to make the question and answer correct.

Quiz

Choose the correct question to ask about duration at a job:

Hint: Check tense (present perfect) and word order for questions.

Quiz

Complete: How long _____ at the company?

Hint: Think about question word order and using present perfect for ongoing durations.

Quiz

Choose the best response to: 'How long have you been a manager?'

Hint: Focus on 'for' vs 'since' and the correct present perfect form for states.

Key Points

GrammarPoint

present perfect

grammar_point CEFR B1 //ˈprɛzənt ˈpɜːrfɪkt//

A verb tense (have/has + past participle) used to link past actions or states to the present.

How long have you worked here?

Vocabulary

for

preposition CEFR A2 //fɔːr//

Used to indicate a duration of time (e.g., for three years).

I've worked at the company for five years.

Vocabulary

since

preposition CEFR A2 //sɪns//

Used to indicate the starting point of a period (e.g., since 2018).

She has been in sales since 2016.

Vocabulary

duration

noun CEFR B1 //djʊəˈreɪʃən//

The length of time that something lasts.

Please state the duration of your current project.

GrammarPoint

have been + -ing

grammar_point CEFR B2 //hæv biːn ˈɪŋ//

Present perfect continuous form used to emphasize ongoing activity that started in the past and continues now.

How long have you been working on that account?

Vocabulary

role

noun CEFR B1 //roʊl//

A position or function within a company or organisation.

How long have you held this role?