Project updates: using the present perfect continuous
1
Think about these questions before listening. Share your ideas with a partner.
- Think about a project you have worked on at school or work. What was the biggest challenge you faced?
- When you need to give an update on your work, what kind of information is most important to share with your manager or team?
- In your opinion, what is the most important quality for a good team member to have when working on a project?
2
Answer the questions in your own words, using information from the audio recording.
01What specific problem has the team been trying to fix since Monday?
Sample answerThey have been trying to fix a bug in the new software.
02In which part of the project does the speaker feel they have made good progress?
Sample answerThe speaker feels they have made good progress with the user interface.
03How does the speaker feel about the project, even though it has been intense?
Sample answerAlthough the work is intense, the speaker is enjoying it as a challenge.
04Why is it important for the team to document their work clearly?
Sample answerIt's important because they need to prepare for the handover, so another person or team can understand the work.
3
Key vocabulary for work projects
Vocabulary
These expressions will help you give clear updates about your work.
Examples
To be on track — to be progressing according to the plan or schedule.
Use this to say that everything is going well. The opposite is 'to be behind schedule'.
To run into an issue — to experience an unexpected problem or difficulty.
This is a common and slightly informal way to talk about challenges. For example: 'We've run into an issue with the software.'
To meet a deadline — to finish a task or project by the agreed time or date.
This is a very important collocation in the workplace. The opposite is 'to miss a deadline'.
The next step is... — a phrase used to introduce the next action in a process or plan.
This is a great way to structure your update in a meeting and show what you plan to do next.
To get the green light — to receive official permission to start something.
This is a common idiom in business English. For example: 'We're waiting to get the green light from the director.'
4
Key project management terms
Learn some common words used when talking about projects at work.
Match each term on the left with its correct definition on the right.
Drag or click to match
Definitions
5
Grammar: Present perfect continuous
Grammar
We use the present perfect continuous (have/has been + -ing) for actions that began in the past and are still in progress. When you give a project update, this tense helps you emphasize the duration of your work.
Examples
I've been working on the client report all morning.
This emphasizes the duration of the activity ('all morning') which is still ongoing or has just finished.
She has been documenting the process since last week.
Use 'for' to talk about a period of time (e.g., 'for two weeks') and 'since' to talk about a starting point (e.g., 'since Monday').
They haven't been making much headway because the system is down.
The negative is formed with haven't/hasn't + been + -ing.
Key points
- Structure: have/has + been + verb-ing
- Focuses on the duration of an unfinished or recently finished action
- Avoid using it with stative verbs like 'know' or 'want'
6
Correct the project updates
Read the sentences below about work projects. Can you find the mistake in each one?
Each sentence contains one error. Find and correct it.
01We have been working on this project since two weeks.
Corrected version
We have been working on this project since for two weeks.
02The project manager have been leading the daily meetings.
Corrected version
The project manager have has been leading the daily meetings.
03We are working hard to do the deadline.
Corrected version
We are working hard to do meet the deadline.
04We have been document all our progress in the shared file.
Corrected version
We have been document documenting all our progress in the shared file.
05I think we are on the track to finish by Friday.
Corrected version
I think we are on the track to finish by Friday.
06We've been making good headwey on the main tasks.
Corrected version
We've been making good headwey headway on the main tasks.
07The next step is to get a green light from the director.
Corrected version
The next step is to get a the green light from the director.
7
Useful phrases: giving a project update in a meeting
Vocabulary
When you're in a team meeting, you often need to report on your work. These phrases will help you give a clear and professional update on what you've been doing, how it's going, and what's next.
Examples
So, to bring you up to speed... — a phrase to start your update and give the latest information.
Register: neutral/informal. Use this at the beginning of your update when your manager or team asks for the current status.
Lately, I've been focusing on... — used to describe your main activities over the recent past.
Register: neutral. This is a perfect way to introduce the specific tasks you have been working on using the present perfect continuous.
We've made some good headway with... — a way to report positive progress on a specific part of the project.
Register: neutral/slightly formal. This is a professional way to say you are moving forward successfully with a task.
We're slightly held up by... — a way to explain a minor delay or problem without sounding too negative.
Register: neutral. Use this when a problem is causing a delay but you expect to solve it soon. It's softer than saying 'we have a problem'.
Our main priority now is to... — used to state the most important next action or goal.
Register: neutral/formal. Use this to show you are focused and have a clear plan for what comes next.
Overall, we're in a good place. — a phrase to give a positive, general summary of the project's status.
Register: neutral/informal. Use this at the end of your update to reassure your team that things are generally going well.
8
A project status update
Read this project update from a team leader and complete the text.
Fill in each blank with the correct word or phrase from the word bank.
Word bank
Our team has been working hard this quarter. I'm happy to report that we are to finish the first phase by the end of the month. We did an issue with the supplier, but we've already solved it. Everyone is focused on trying to our final deadline. We are still waiting for the marketing team to the green light for the promotional campaign. Once we have their approval, the is to start creating the social media content. We've been making great progress, and I'm confident in our success.
9
A project manager's weekly update
A project manager writes a short blog post about the challenges and progress of their current project.
Read the passage below, then answer the comprehension questions.
For the past two months, my team and I have been developing a new mobile app for a local restaurant chain. At the start, everything was going smoothly, and we were perfectly on track to meet our deadline. Then, about two weeks ago, we ran into an issue with the payment system integration. It's been an intense period since then, but we've been making good headway. We've been holding extra meetings and communicating constantly with the payment provider to find a solution. I'm happy to report we are almost there. The next step is to complete the final round of testing, but we can't start that until we get the green light from the client. They have been reviewing our progress reports all week, so we expect a decision soon. It's challenging, but that's what makes the job interesting.
01What has the team been developing for the last two months?
Sample answerThey have been developing a new mobile app for a local restaurant chain.
02What specific problem did the team experience?
Sample answerThey ran into an issue with the payment system integration.
03What does the team need before they can begin the final testing?
Sample answerThey need to get the green light, or permission, from the client.
04What is the project manager's general attitude towards the project?
Sample answerThe project manager feels positive and optimistic, seeing the challenges as something that makes the job interesting.
10
Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.
- In your country, is it more common to tell your manager immediately when you run into an issue, or to try and solve it yourself first before saying anything? What are the advantages of each approach?
- Imagine your team has been working on an intense project. Is it better to meet the deadline with a lower quality result, or to miss the deadline to deliver a perfect result? Why?
- Some people believe detailed planning is the most important part of keeping a project on track. Others think being flexible is more important. Which do you think is more critical for a successful project?