TOPIC 1: The Present Perfect Tense vs. the Present Perfect Progressive Tense You learned about the present perfect tense in the first lesson. Remember that it's formed with have/has + past participle.
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We have seen that movie.
The present perfect describes an action that is finished, but it refers to a time frame that is not finished.
We have visited San Francisco twice. (In our lives.)
/ worked five days last week, but I've only worked twice this week.
There is also a progressive or continuous form of this tense, the present perfect progressive. It's formed with have/has been + verb + ing.
We have been watching that movie for two hours.
The present perfect progressive describes an action that began in the past and continues into the present.
We have been visiting San Francisco for two weeks. (We are still in San Francisco.) / have been thinking about calling you. (I started thinking about it at some point in the past, and I am still thinking about it.)
Some verbs can be used interchangeably and mean the same things in both tenses, such as live, work and teach. Notice that these verbs suggest actions that take place over a long period of time or as a process, or something that is practiced habitually, such as a hobby or a tradition.
/ have worked in schools all my life.
I have been working in schools all my life.
We have come/been coming to this restaurant on our anniversary for years.
It's not common to use the verb be in the present perfect progressive tense.
/ have been here for two hours.
We have been on the nominating committee for four months.
However, in informal conversational English, it is possible to hear the present perfect progressive form of be, often to talk about someone's behavior. Keep in mind that this is a very relaxed, conversational form.
You've been (being) a real jerk ever since we got here!
She's been (being) extra helpful since the baby was born.
PRACTICE EXERCISE 1: Complete each sentence with either the present perfect or the present perfect progressive form of the verb in parentheses. Keep in mind that if an action continues you need to use the present perfect progressive, but if it has ended use the present perfect.
1. We (have) _________ three thunderstorms this week, but it's sunny now.
2. The neighbors' dog (bark) __________ since IO:OO P.M.
3. My computer (make) __________ an odd sound since I turned it on.
4. The moon light (shimmer) ___________ on the lake all night.
5. That phone (ring) _________ about fifty times today!
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6. The baby (cry) _________ since we put her in bed.
7. Ms. Braylton (teach) ________ English for about twenty years now.
8. How long (collect) _________ you _________ glass bottles?
9. She (send) _________ me three e-mails this morning.
10. This (be) ________ such a wonderful evening.
TOPIC 2: The Present Perfect Progressive Tense vs. the Past Perfect Progressive Tense
The past perfect progressive tense is formed with had been + verb + ing.
The doctor had been seeing patients all afternoon when I walked in.
As you have seen, the present perfect progressive is used to describe actions begun in the past and continuing into the present.
The Drakes have been living in Toronto for a long time.
The past perfect progressive is used to describe actions that began and continued to happen in the past before another action happened.
The Gonzalez family had been living in Seattle until Mr. Gonzalez got a promotion and the family relocated to Miami.
Linda was exhausted last week because she hadn't been sleeping very well.
Notice that this tense is used to emphasize the relationship between two past actions, one of which began and continued in the past before another one.
PRACTICE EXERCISE 2: Complete the sentences with either the present perfect progressive or past perfect progressive of the verb given in parentheses.
1. Janet (not feel) __________ well for days before she finally went to the doctor.
2. Joe (study) _________ for two hours, so he'll take a break now.
3. The paper in my printer (get) __________ stuck for the last few days.
4. We (have) __________ meetings every day to discuss this problem until Bill finally came up with a good way to make it work.
5. Barry (work) _________ hard on the project for months before the new director arrived.
6. We (come) _________ to this restaurant for years, so they know us here.
7. My car (work) __________ poorly until I took it in to the mechanic.
8. The tree (not get) __________ enough water lately
9. The printer (buzz) _________ until I turned it off and then on again.
10. Tom and Luann (see) _________ each other, but they broke up last week.
TOPIC 3: The Future Progressive Tense
The future progressive is formed with will be + verb + ing:
Jane will be working on her paper all weekend long.
There is also a future progressive formed with go: be going to + be + verb + ing. This
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form is based on the immediate future, which was covered in Lesson 4, and usually expresses actions that are in the near future.
Jane is going to be working on her paper all night.
Both express the same thing: an action that begins in the future and continues for a period of time further into the future. This tense can emphasize that an action will occur over a period of time, rather than happen as a one-time action.
/'// be cooking all afternoon for the dinner party.
We'll be staying at the beach house for two weeks.
It can also describe a future action that is interrupted by another action.
We'll be sleeping when you get in tonight, so please be quiet.
The movie will be starting when we get to the theater.
Often in conversational English the future progressive can be used simply to express a plan or intention. In these cases it means the same as the simple future.
Lisa will be starting graduate school in September.
We'll be leaving in five minutes.
PRACTICE EXERCISE 3: Complete the sentences with either form of the future progressive tense.
1. We (visit) _________ my cousin over the holiday weekend.
2. Dan (get) _________ home when his favorite show starts.
3. The Dreyers (move) _________ to Denmark next October.
4. Jerry (study) _________ all evening long.
5. We (clean) _________ the house during the whole weekend.
6. The election (take) __________ place next Tuesday.
7. When (go) _________ you __________ to Los Angeles?
8. What time (call) __________ you _________ me tonight?
9. The teachers (meet) _________ with parents all week long.
10. If you get home before 6:00, I (work) __________ still __________ .