1.4 THE PERFECT PPROGRESSIVE TENSES

Form: Have + been + -ing (Present Participle)

Meaning: The perfect progressive tenses give the idea that one event is in progress immediately before, up to, until another time or event. The tenses are used to express the duration of the first event.

A.  PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

Example:

Tom has been studying for two hours.

Meaning:

Event in Progress: studying.

When? Before now, Up to now.

How Long? For two hours.

B.   PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

Example:

Tom had been studying for two hours before his friend came.

Meaning:

Event in progress: studying.

When? Before another event in the past.

How Long? For two hour.

C.   FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

Example:

Tom will have been studying for two hours by the time his friend arrives.

Meaning:

Event in progress: studying.

When? Before another event in the future.

How Long? For two hours.

EXERCISE 6: The perfect progressive tenses. (Chart 1-4)

Directions: Answer the questions.

1.    What are you doing right now?

2.    How long have you been (doing that)?

3.    What were you doing last night at nine o’clock?

4.    What time did you stop (doing that)?

5.    Why did you stop (doing that)?

6.    How Long had you been (doing that) before you stopped?

7.    What are you going to be doing at nine o’clock tomorrow night?

8.    What time are you going to stop (doing that)? Why?

9.    How Long will you have been (doing that) before you stop?

READ MORE 1.5  SUMMARY CHARTOF VERB TENSES