Section 3 - Continuous forms

Uses of Perfect Continuous tenses

Like other Perfect tenses, Perfect Continuous tenses focus on a past period that leads up to a later one. Perfect Continuous tenses, as with other Continuous tenses, show that an event continues and/ or is temporary:

I've been meaning to tell you about it since the weekend.
Next October I'll have been playing with this team for ten years.
He'd been driving for hours and he needed a rest.

We use Past or Present Perfect Continuous to talk about something that is incomplete, just finishing or about to change. The Past and Present Perfect Simple can suggest the action is finished:

I'd been staring at the computer screen all evening when a solution suddenly struck me.
I've been reading 'War and Peace' again. (= I may not have finished)
I've read War and Peace again. (= I've finished)

The Continuous can emphasise the action; the Simple focuses on the result:

What have you been doing? (= tell me about your activities)
What have you done? (= tell me the result of your activities)

The difference between choosing Continuous or Simple may only be a matter of emphasising that something is continuing and/ or temporary:

I've been waiting here for over an hour. (= emphasising that I still am)

Using past continuous for plans

We can use Past Continuous to talk about plans in the past:

We were meeting at 8 o'clock and I was already late.

We use was going to to talk about plans in the past that we still haven't carried out or that we no longer intend to carry out:

I was going to phone you but I forgot.

We can use I was thinking... to introduce vague future plans:

I was thinking of going to London this weekend.

Using past continuous for polite requests

We often use Past Continuous to introduce polite requests, suggestions or inquiries so that they become more an invitation to discuss the subject than a demand for a yes or no answer:

I was thinking - would you mind swapping seats?
I was wondering if you wanted to go out this evening.
Were you looking for anything in particular?

Watch out!

Note we can't use I was thinking with whether or if:

I was thinking whether you'd like to come round to my place for coffee? - INCORRECT
I was thinking - would you like to come round to my place for coffee? - CORRECT
I was wondering whether you'd like to come round to my place for coffee? - CORRECT

Continuous infinitives

Verb and other structures that can be followed by a to-infinitive can also be followed by a Continuous infinitive to emphasise that something is still continuing or is temporary:

It's ridiculous for him to be driving in central Athens at his age.
Several cyclists are thought to have been taking drugs during the race.

Perfect Continuous passive

The Perfect Continuous passive is very uncommon because it involves two forms of be:

The Botley Road has been being widened for the past six weeks.

Check!

Match the example sentences (1-5) with the explanations (a-e) of the uses of the Continuous.

1. I was going to try to finish this this evening.
2. I was wondering whether you'd thought of going to see that new film?
3. He was blinking rapidly in the unaccustomed sunlight.
4. I was thinking of meeting Suzette later.
5. I've been thinking a lot recently about your idea.

a. repeated action
b. plans you no longer have or are no longer sure about
c. vague future plans
d. polite suggestion
e. emphasising the continuing activity

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