VI. Perfect Continuous Tense: In-Depth Comparison with Other Tenses

Randal Thiessen

Chapter 2: Time Travel

VI. Perfect Continuous Tense: In-Depth Comparison with Other Tenses

The Perfect Continuous Tense shares features of both the Continuous Tense and the Perfect Tense.

The perfect continuous tense contains the words perfect and continuous. So, we should expect that it will share features with both the continuous tense and the perfect tense.

However, this is not in all aspects of both.
Notice the following areas in which the continuous tense and the perfect continuous tense share certain features.

1.0 Length of Time

Like the Perfect Tense, the Perfect Continuous Tense focuses on when the action started or how much time has passed since the action started up until the time of speaking or writing. So, we are talking about a length of time. However, in the Perfect Continuous Tense, the action is expected to continue (thus adding more time).

Examples

I have been working since 8:00 this morning. (starting time)

I have been working for three hours. (total time)

The time words ‘since’ and ‘for’ are often used with the Perfect Continuous Tense.

Examples

Perfect Tense:

I have worked since 8:00 this morning. (starting time)

I have worked for three hours. (total time)

Perfect Continuous Tense:

Expected to continue

I have been working since 8:00 this morning. (starting time)

I have been working for three hours. (total time)

2.0 Continuous vs. Repeated Action

Table 2.6 Action in Continuous and Present Continuous Tenses
Continuous Tense	Perfect Continuous Tense
Like the Continuous Tense, the action of the Continuous Perfect Tense is continuous. In contrast to the Simple Tense, the action is not repeated. There may be small breaks in the action, but it is not repeated action.	The action of the Perfect Continuous Tense is usually continuous through the time period from the start of the action until the time of speaking. However, unlike the regular Continuous Tense, the action of the Perfect Continuous Tense may be a repeated action. This is because the length of time of an action in the Perfect Continuous Tense can be long and allow for things such as a habit.
Examples
I am watching a movie this evening. I am practicing the violin. (The action may be repeated, but the intended meaning is that it has been a regular practice routine)	I have been working on my Presentation on Marketing. (continuous) I have been drinking a lot of coffee lately. (repeated action) Occasionally, my band has been playing at parties.

3.0 Time Limits

Table 2.7 Time Limits on Continuous and Perfect Continuous Tenses
Perfect Tense	Perfect Continuous Tense
There is little difference between the Continuous Tense and the Perfect Continuous Tense. The time limits of action at a ‘point in time’ are implied and the action is thought to start shortly before the ‘point in time’ and to end shortly after the ‘point in time’.	With the Perfect Continuous tense, in contrast to the regular Continuous Tense, there may be a slight chance of the action continuing for longer than if the regular Continuous Tense were used. The time limits of action at a ‘point in time’ are implied and the action is thought to start shortly before the ‘point in time’ and to end shortly after the ‘point in time’.
Examples
I am working at Joe’s Burgers. It doesn’t pay much, so I am looking for another job.	I have been working at Joe’s Burgers. It doesn’t pay much, so I am looking for another job.

4.0 Two Ways of Expressing Time and Action: Point in Time vs Period of Time

Like the ordinary Continuous Tense, the time of the action in the Perfect Continuous Tense is limited. There are two ways of expressing time and action, though there are differences:

Happens at a point-in-time
‘Fills up’ a period of time

4.1 Point in Time

Like the continuous tense, an action is happening at and is centered around a point in time—like 6:00 p.m.; however, the time is also limited. The time is used as a Time Marker, and the is action obviously longer than a ‘point in time’.

So, the action started shortly sometime before that point in time and may continue after that point in time, but it is limited—it will not for a comparatively long period of time.

There are some important differences in the how the Continuous Tense and the Perfect Continuous Tenses are used in the Past, Present and Future, and especially in the past tenses.

Table 2.8 Present, Past, and Future in Continuous and Perfect Continuous Tenses
Continuous Tense	Perfect Continuous Tense
Present
When used with a time word or the inferred point-in-time of ‘Now’ in the Present, the Continuous Tense does not have a clear starting point and ending point in time. The action usually started at a relatively short time before the present and may or may not continue for a relatively short time after the present. Example I am studying. (now) Here, the action started at some unknown time shortly before ‘now’.	Like the Perfect Tense, the Perfect Continuous Tense has a starting point and an ending point. The action started in the past and continues until the present, even if the present is implied. However, in the Perfect Continuous Tense, the action is expected to continue past ‘now’. Examples I have been studying since 7:00 a.m.. (until now—expected to continue) I have not been studying for 3 hours. (until now—expected to continue for awhile) The action happens continuously through the stated time. That doesn’t mean that there are not small breaks in the action. For example, saying, “I am working this morning” means that I am working all morning, but I could take small breaks to answer the phone or have a cup of coffee, etc. Still, ‘working’ is filling up my morning. However, there will not be definite breaks where I start to do something else.
Future
When used with a time word in the future, a ‘point-in-time’, the action of the Future Continuous verb starts shortly before the future time that is mentioned and may or may not continue after that time.	The action started at a point prior to the end point and continues until the stated end point. The action may have started in the past or the present. It may start in the future. However, we are only talking about the time which started before the future end point, which is given. In the Future Perfect Progressive Tense, however, the action is expected to continue after the later time which is noted. Example By 6:00 p.m., I will have been studying for three hours. Here, the end point is three hours from now. The action may have started in the past or the present. We may also use the future Perfect Tense to talk about total time from the starting point, which could be the present or the past, until a time which is stated. Example By next May, I will have studied for 4 years.
Past
When used with a time word in the past, a ‘point-in-time’, the action of the Past Continuous verb starts shortly before the past time that is mentioned and may or may not continue after that time.	We may also use the Perfect Continuous Tense in the Past; however, when we use the past tense, it may imply that the action stopped in the past. In this case, the use of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense may imply that the action was expected to continue past an end point, but it did not, contrary to expectation. Example I had been studying for 3 hours when my friend called. He wanted to play basketball, and I decided to join him.

4.2 Fills Up a Period of Time

The action of the regular Continuous Tense can happen at a point-in-time, or the action can ‘fill up’ a certain time.

Examples

At 8 o’clock, I was washing my dishes. (point-in-time)

I was fixing my car all day yesterday. (action ‘fills up’ a period of time)

Like the Continuous Tense, the action of the Perfect Continuous Tense can also fill up a larger period of time for total time until now (or another point in time). I have been studying at the university for 3 years. Three years are complete, but it is not finished yet—it is expected to continue, but for a limited time.

A comparison with the regular Continuous Tense shows that:

The stated time is a longer period of time. The starting time and ending time are not mentioned but can usually be implied.
The action in both the regular Continuous Tense and the Perfect Continuous Tense is expected to continue past the time of speaking.

Examples

I have been studying for 3 hours (but I expect to continue studying).

I have been working at the library (I expect to continue for some time, but it is not likely a permanent job).

Table 2.9 Period of Time in Continuous and Perfect Continuous Tenses
Continuous	Perfect Continuous
In the Continuous Tense, action can ‘fill up’ a longer period of time. However, the starting point of the longer period of time is not stated, though it may be implied—it is assumed to have started relatively close to the stated time of the action—this is because time is ‘limited’ with the continuous tense. The time of an action that fills up a certain time is limited to the larger period of time; however, the starting and ending points of that time are implied.	In the Perfect Tense, action can ‘fill up’ a longer period of time. Since the perfect tense usually connects an action to its starting point or an earlier action, the starting point of the extended period of time is sometimes stated. However, although the action is limited by a starting time, it is likely to continue after the time that the action is talked about or stated.
Examples
I was studying all day on Tuesday.	I have been studying all day. I have been studying since 8:00 a.m.

Exercises

In this exercise, examine how the Perfect Tense and the Perfect Continuous Tense are used in the past, present and future. Reading this should help your brain to connect the abstract ideas of the perfect tense with how you could use it in real life. First, underline the verbs in the Perfect Tense and put the verbs in the Perfect Continuous Tense /between slashes/.

After reading the article, discuss the two connecting points which are used for the perfect tense. When did an action or actions begin and when did they end? Remember that the perfect tense connects two points, a time or action in the past with the time of speaking which comes after that. In the present perfect, the end point in time is assumed to be the present.

Figure 2.3 Future train

The world has been changing rapidly because of technology. It seems like the pace of change keeps increasing and increasing. It has been increasing exponentially. For example, from the time that personal computers were first invented until now, computers have been getting faster and faster and they have been getting more and more powerful.

In the past, machines started to do the work of humans, but more and more, robots have been doing the work that people have done before. But, to this point, this has been physical work. Now, professional jobs that require thinking and creativity are also being eliminated, and they are being done by machines—computers.

Transportation has also been changing. Since the time that gasoline cars have driven down our roads, they have become more and more sophisticated. They have become more and more complex. But they are being replaced by other types of transportation. Trains have also been changing to the point where now they have been travelling on magnets or in tubes at speeds at which only airplanes could fly in the past.

All of this has made people afraid of the New World. They will soon be in a place where their jobs will have disappeared.

Answers show/hide

The world /has been changing/ rapidly because of technology. It seems like the pace of change keeps increasing and increasing. It /has been increasing/ exponentially. For example, from the time that personal computers were first invented until now, computers /have been getting/ faster and faster and they have been getting more and more powerful.

In the past, machines started to do the work of humans, but more and more, robots /have been doing/ the work that people have done before. But, to this point, this has been physical work. Now, professional jobs that require thinking and creativity /are also being eliminated/, and they /are being done/ by machines—computers.

Transportation /has also been changing/. Since the time that gasoline cars have driven down our roads, they have become more and more sophisticated. They have become more and more complex. But they are being replaced by other types of transportation. Trains /have also been changing/ to the point where now they have been travelling on magnets or in tubes at speeds at which only airplanes could fly in the past.

All of this has made people afraid of the New World. They will soon be in a place where their jobs will have disappeared.
Using the Perfect Continuous Tense, write three sentences on the following topics:
1. What are three things that have been happening in the world recently that are likely to continue for a while (but with time limits—not forever)?
2. What are three things that you have been doing recently? Use the Perfect Continuous Tense to write your sentences.
Answers will vary.
Choose the Perfect Tense or the Perfect Continuous Tense in the paragraph below. Then, write the correct verb form in the blanks in front of the verb that is in parenthesis. The tenses could be in the Past, Present, or Future.

Sakarno (1) (have) a hard time lately, and he doesn’t know when it will end. Everything (2) (go) wrong. First, he (3) (have) a number of problems with his car. His engine (4) (make) funny noises, and he (5) (have) problems with his brakes. His air conditioning (6) (quit), and it is very hot outside. His radio (7) (have, also) working, and he loves to listen to music. Before the radio broke, he (8) (listen) to slow soothing music, because it helped him to relax. But now, he doesn’t have a way to calm down after work, so this (9) (be) difficult for him. His stress level (10) (rise), so he can’t get to sleep at night. He (11) (be) tired at work for the last week. He (12) (do, not) a good job either, so his boss (13) (be, not) happy with him. He (14) (get along, never) well with his boss, and now it’s even worse. He (15) (think) a lot about quitting lately. He imagines that someday he (16) (have) enough, and he’s worried that he will suddenly just quit. But then, he remembers that he (17) (have) trouble paying his bills, too, so if he quit, it would be another disaster.
Answers show/hide
1. has been having
2. has been going
3. has had
4. has been making
5. has had
6. has quit
7. has also stopped
8. had been listening
9. has been
10. has risen
11. has been
12. has not been doing
13. has not been
14. has never gotten along
15. has thought
16. will have had
17. has been having