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The
present perfect
progressive tense has several
different
uses. One is very similar to a common use
of the "normal" present perfect tense: showing an
action that
began in the past and that is still continuing
now. When
the present perfect progressive is used
in this way,
the emphasis is on the length of the
continuing activity.
In addition, use of the present
perfect progressive
often suggests that the action
has continued
with no interruption from its beginning
until the
present.
For this use of the present
perfect progressive, the "time words" for and since are very commonly used:
Joe has been studying at State
University since September.
The baby has been crying for
a long time. What's wrong?
I've been driving since daybreak.
I'll have to stop soon, I think.
Other "time words"
are also commonly used with present perfect
progressive--in particular, all + a period of time:
It's been snowing all day.
When will it stop?
She's been studying all morning.
I'm sure she'll take a break soon.
I've been thinking about Bob
all week. I really miss him!
We've been trying to reach
Sara all afternoon. Where could she be?
To add even more emphasis
to the idea that the action has been uninterrupted,
the set phrase the
entire ____ is sometimes used:
It's been snowing the entire
day and there's no end in sight.
She's been studying the entire
morning. She'll have a headache if she doesn't take
a break soon.
I've been thinking about Bob
the entire week. I hope everything's OK with him.
We've been trying to reach
Sara the entire afternoon.
Are you sure she's at
home?
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Special
Note:
All of the example sentences
above could also be written with "normal"
present perfect tense, but if they were, the feeling and
emphasis would be quite different: there would be much less
of a suggestion that the action was uninterrupted
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