Uses and Comparison

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1. State of Action
As mentioned earlier, present perfect focuses on events that recently started or
started in the past but are still ongoing in the present. Past perfect centers around
actions that are set and done in the past.

She had gone to New York.

* Here, we are referring to an action that happened in the past is already
finished.

She has gone to New York.

* Here, we are referring to an action that probably started a while ago and
is still ongoing.

2. Past Actions
Present perfect talks about past actions that recently finished, and we are still
seeing their results and consequences. Past perfect tense, however, talks about two
past actions that happened in order. It simply shows the order of events.

I had called my mother before I cooked dinner.

* Here, we are talking about t wo actions that has been done in order.

I can't call Gina. I have lost my phone.

* Here, we are referring to an action and its consequence.

3. Frequent Actions
Frequent actions are those which tend to repeat themselves. When we want to talk
about these repeated actions, we use present perfect.

She has attacked

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* Here we are referring to an action that as happened multiple times and
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3. Frequent Actions
Frequent actions are those which tend to repeat themselves. When we want to talk
about these repeated actions, we use present perfect.

She has attacked him multiple times.

* Here, we are referring to an action that as happened multiple times and
might happen again.

She had attacked him multiple times.

* Here, we are referring something that was set and done in the past.

4. Reported Speech
We use the past perfect tense in reported speech. We can use it after verbs such as
told, asked, and said.

He said he had left his work.

* Here, we are reporting what another person said.

He said he has left his work.

* We cannot use present perfect to say reported speeches.

5. Future Actions
We can use present perfect to talk about the future. In this case, we add clauses like
before, after, etc to the sentence.

He will keep digging until he has found the treasure.

* Here, we are talking about a future event.

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He will keep digging until he had found the treasure.

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* We cannot use past perfect to refer to future events.

Structure
We have talked about the uses and compared the two tenses. Now we will cover
their structure.

1. Present Perfect Tense

Creation of the present perfect tense consists of adding the present tense of 'have,'
followed by the past participle of the main verb. Here is the pattern for better
understanding: subject + have/has + past participle

Subject Have Past Participle

I/You/We/They have talked

He/She/It has instructed

2. Past Perfect Tense

Past perfect tense is made through this pattern: subject + had + past participle. We
add the past tense of the verb 'have' which is 'had' followed by the past participle of
the main verb.

You had gone too far.

She had pierced her ear.

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23/10/23, 10:25 "Present Perfect Continuous" Tense in English Grammar | LanGeek

Intermediate Advanced

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What Is present perfect continuous Tense?

The present perfect continuous tense (also known as the present perfect
progressive) just like the present perfect simple can be used to talk about
past actions or states which are still connected to the present.

Their difference is that the present perfect simple normally focuses on the result of
the activity, and the present perfect continuous normally focuses on the process of
the activity. Let's compare these examples:

I've painted the living room! It looks beautiful!

* Here the tense of the sentence is present perfect, therefore the focus is on
the result.

I've been painting the living room. It's been three

hours!
* Here the tense of the sentence is present perfect continuous, therefore the
focus is on the activity.

Present Perfect Continuous: Structure

The present perfect continuous is comprised of the present perfect of the verb 'to
be' (have/has been), and the present participle of the main verb (verb+ing).

Subject present perfect of be present participle

I/You/We/They have been painting

He/She/It has been sleeping

When we use the present perfect continuous tense in speaking, we often contract
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He/She/It has been sleeping

When we use the present perfect continuous tense in speaking, we often contract
the subject and auxiliary verb 'have.'

I have been waiting for an hour. → I've been waiting

for an hour.

She has been reading that book all day. → She's

been reading that book all day.

Present Perfect Continuous: Negation

For negative sentences you put 'not' between the auxiliary verb 'have' and the
auxiliary verb 'been.'

It has been raining. → It has not been raining.

We have been playing in the park. → We have not

been playing in the park.

In negative sentences, we can contract the auxiliary verb 'have' and 'not.' See the
examples:

It has not been raining. → It hasn't been raining.

We have not been playing in the park. → We haven't

been playing in the park.

Present Perfect Continuous: Questions

For yes/no questions
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app we change the place of the subject and 'have.'
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Look at these example sentences with the present perfect continuous tense:
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been playing in the park.

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In negative sentences, we can contract the auxiliary verb 'have' and 'not.' See the
examples:

It has not been raining. → It hasn't been raining.

We have not been playing in the park. → We haven't

been playing in the park.

Present Perfect Continuous: Questions

For yes/no questions sentences, we change the place of the subject and 'have.'
Look at these example sentences with the present perfect continuous tense:

I have been talking to her. → Have you been talking

to her?

He has been doing his homework. → Has he been

doing his homework?

For wh- question sentences, do the same thing you do for yes/no questions and add
the proper wh- question word at the beginning of the sentence and omit the part
that is the answer.

I have been living in London. → Where have you been

living?
* here 'in London' is the answer therefore, it is omitted.

She's been writing emails. → What has she been

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What Is Past Perfect Continuous Tense?

Both the past perfect simple and the past perfect continuous (also called
the past perfect progressive) can be used to talk about past actions or
states.

Their difference is that the past perfect simple normally focuses on the completion
of an action before another action in the past, while the past perfect continuous
normally focuses on the duration of an ongoing activity before another action in the
past. Let's compare these examples:

I'd waited for him for an hour.

* The past perfect simple emphasizes the completion of the activity.

I'd been waiting for him for an hour.

* The past perfect continuous focuses on the duration of the activity.

Past Perfect Continuous: Structure

The past perfect continuous is comprised of the past simple of the auxiliary verb
'have' (i.e. had), the past participle form of the auxiliary verb 'be' (i.e. been) and the
present participle form of the main verb.

Subject all subjects

Past form of Have had

Past Participle of Be been

Present Participle of Verb verb + ing

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When we use the past perfect continuous tense in speaking we often contract the
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Present Participle of Verb verb + ing

When we use the past perfect continuous tense in speaking, we often contract the
subject and the first auxiliary verb. For example:

I had been working. → I'd been working.

He had been playing football. → He'd been playing

football.

Past Perfect Continuous: Negation

For negative sentences you put 'not' after the first auxiliary verb (i.e. had). Check out
the following examples for more clarification.

He had been working well. → He had not been

working well.

I had been waiting for her. → I had not been waiting

for her.

In negative sentences, we can contract the auxiliary verb 'had' and 'not.' See the
examples:

He had not been working well. → He hadn't been

working well.

I had not been waiting for her. →I hadn't been

waiting for her.

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Past Perfect Continuous: Questions
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 I had not been waiting for her. →I hadn t been
23/10/23, 10:33 "Past Perfect Continuous" Tense in English Grammar | LanGeek

waiting for her.

Past Perfect Continuous: Questions

For yes/no question, we put had at the beginning of the sentence. Look at these
example sentences with the past perfect continuous tense:

She had been working. → Had she been working?

They had been waiting long. → Had they been

waiting long?

For wh- question, do the exact thing you do for yes/no questions and add the proper
wh- question word at the beginning of the sentence and omit the part that is the
answer. See the examples.

He had been working in London. → Where had he

been working?

She had been reading 'Gone with the Wind.' → What

had she been reading?

Tip!
If you want to learn more about spelling rules for adding -ing to the
base form of verbs, see here.

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