Tenses
The word ‘tense’ is derived from Latin
word ‘tempus’ and it means time. Basically tense conveys the time of action.
Tenses are mainly divided into three parts
– Present, Past and Future. They are further subdivided into four categories –
Indefinite, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous.
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
TENSE
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE (also
called Present Progressive Tense) is generally used for an action which began
at some time in past and is still continuing at the time of being reported. It
usually emphasizes duration, or the amount of time that an action has been
taking place.
This tense is used to denote an
unspecified time between 'before now' and 'now'. The speaker is thinking about
something that started but perhaps did not finish in that period of time and
may still be going on, or may have just finished.
Basic Structure of Sentence
Basic structure of a sentence in this
tense is –
Subject + Has/Have + been (third form
of be ) + continuous form of verb (V1+ing) + object
Subject has/have been verb’s
base+ing object
I have been reading this
book.
She
has been swimming. (affirmative)
He has
been running. (affirmative)
He hasn't
been running. (negative)
Has she
been running? (interrogative)
Present Perfect Tense is used to describe/show/denote
–
1. Something that started in past and
continues up to the present moment –
For example :
I've been working on this report since
eight o'clock this morning ( I still haven't finished it).
They have been travelling since last
October. (They're not home yet).
Sameer has been sleeping since 4
o’clock. (still sleeping)
He has been playing for three hours.
(still playing)
2. An action just finished but the
long continuation of action is emphasised –
For example :
It's been raining. (and there was no
break)
She has been waiting for you all day.
(emphasis is over the length of time)
I have been watering my plants. (as an
explanation to some query)
Prepositions (for/since) used with certain
time expressions:
Since –
used to denote point of time when some work/action began.
For –
used to denote for total duration of some work/action
e.g.
I have been living in Bombay since 2008. (point of time when I started
living)
I have been living in Bombay for 11
years. (duration of stay in Bombay)
More adverbs/adverb phrases used as time
expressions with since/for:
for since
three hours morning
four days 9.00 a.m.
3 months March
2 years 2018
centuries 1100
ages I was a child
ever the very beginning
Verb form used in the Present Perfect Continuous
Tense–
The present perfect continuous form of
a verb is composed of three elements:
1. Appropriate form of
auxiliary/helping verb (have) – have (plural) / has (singular)
2. Third form of be – been
3. Present participle form of main
verb (Verb’s base form+ing) – playing, eating, working, reading, singing,
writing, etc.
Note : Singular subject takes singular
helping verb - Has
Plural subject takes plural helping
verb - Have
Plural verbs
(Have+been+V1+ing)
|
Singular
verbs
(Has+been+V1+ing)
|
Have been sleeping
|
Has been sleeping
|
Have been working
|
Has been working
|
Have
been studying
|
Has been studying
|
Have been trying
|
Have been trying
|
Have been writing
|
Has been writing
|
Have been playing
|
Has been playing
|
Have been drawing
|
Has been drawing
|
Have been teaching
|
Has been teaching
|
Have been travelling
|
Has been travelling
|
Have been talking
|
Has been talking
|
More examples :
They have
been talking for an hour.
What have
you been doing for the last 30 minutes?
Mr. Joshi
has been teaching in this school since April 2012.
We have been
waiting here for over two hours.
Why have you
not been answering my call for the last three days?
Recently, I
have been feeling really tired.
Have you
been exercising lately?
They’ve been
staying in this house for twenty years.
My father
hasn't been feeling well for weeks.
He has been
living in Bombay since he got married.
Note : I and You, in spite of being
singular, take plural form of helping verb (have). It is an exception to the
rule.
Verbs not used in Continuous Tenses :
The verbs
which convey sensory actions, perception, possession and state of mind are not
used in Continuous Tenses hence, they shouldn’t be used in Present Perfect
Continuous Tense.
For example – I have been feeling bad. (incorrect)
I feel bad /
I have felt bad. (correct)
She has been
knowing you. (incorrect)
She knows
you. (correct)
More such verbs (not to be used in
Present Perfect Continuous Tense)
feel
hear have(to possess)
smell measure assume
believe consider seem
find suppose forget
imagine
know mean
recognise remember understand
fear hate hope
love mind prefer
wish cost hold
Exercise for practice
1. She _______________ in this company for three years. (work)
2. What __________ you ___________? (do)
3. He ________________ football for a
long time. (play)
4. Mr. Sinha _________ care of his
children very well. (take)
5. You _________
TV since 7p.m. (watch)
6. My parents ____________ learning
English for six months. (learn)
7. Shikha _____________ us since March. (not visit)
8. The students _________ Math these days. (not practise)
9. I __________ tuitions for ten years.
(give)
10.
My children ________ very well in Physics. (not
perform)
Answers :
1. Has been working 2. Have – been doing 3. Has been playing
4. Has been taking 5. Have been watching 6.
Have been learning
7. has not been visiting
8. Have not been practising 9.
Have been giving
10. Have not been performing
