GrammarHandbook:PerfectandProgressiveVerbForms

PerfectForm
Theperfectformistheverbtenseusedtoindicateacompleted,or"perfected,"actionorcondition.Verbs
canappearinanyoneofthreeperfecttenses:presentperfect,pastperfect,andfutureperfect.
Verbsintheperfectformuseaformof"have"or"had"+thepastparticiple.(Itistheformofthehelping
verbthatindicatesthetense.)
PresentPerfect:Ihavefinishedmyhomeworkalready.
PastPerfect:HehadwatchedTVforanhourbeforedinner.
FuturePerfect:Nancywillhavefinishedbythetimeherparentsreturn.

ProgressiveForm
Theprogressiveformisaverbtenseusedtoshowanongoingactioninprogressatsomepointintime.It
showsanactionstillinprogress.Verbscanappearinanyoneofthreeprogressivetenses:present
progressive,pastprogressive,andfutureprogressive.
Theverbsintheprogressiveformuseaformof"tobe"+thepresentparticiple(aningverb).(Itisthe
formofthehelpingverbthatindicatesthetense.)
PresentProgressive:Thecakeisbakingslowly.
PastProgressive:Thetreeswerewavingbackandforth.
FutureProgressive:Thechildrenwillbelaughing.

Perfect+Progressive
Theperfectandprogressiveformscanbecombined,asinthefollowingexamples(again,theformofthe
helpingverbsindicatesthetense):
PresentPerfectProgressive:Ihavebeenrunningforanhour.
PastPerfectProgressive:Ihadbeenrunningforanhour.
FuturePerfectProgressive:Iwillhavebeenrunningforanhour.