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Similar to the present perfect tense, the present perfect progressive tense is used to
indicate an action that was begun in the past and continues into the present. However,
the present perfect progressive is used when you want to stress that the action is
ongoing.
To make verbs in the present perfect progressive tense, combine the following parts:
Present tense
form of to have +^ Been^ +^- ing (present
participle)
has or have been helping - She has been talking for the last hour.
This sentence indicates that she started talking in the past and is continuing to
talk in the present.- I have been feeling tired lately.
This sentence indicates that I started feeling tired in the past, and I continue to
feel tired in the present. Instead of indicating time, as in the first sentence, the
second sentence uses the adverb lately. You can also use the adverb recently
when using the present perfect progressive tense.Similar to the past perfect tense, the past perfect progressive tense is used to indicate an
action that was begun in the past and continued until another time in the past. The past
perfect progressive does not continue into the present but stops at a designated moment
in the past.
To make verbs in the past perfect progressive tense, combine the following parts:
Past tense
form of to have +^ been^ +^- ing (present
participle)
had been helping