• PERFECT VS. PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Question

Hi!I’ve made the following sentences:A.- I had read the book for three weeks.- I have read the book for three weeks.- I will have read the book for three weeks.B.- I had been reading the book for three weeks.- I have been reading the book for three weeks.- I will have been reading the book for three weeks.What is the difference between A and B?In what case do you say the sentences in A? In what case do you say the sentences in B?I’ve made the following sentences that show the difference:A’.- I had finished reading the book in three weeks.- I have finished reading the book in three weeks.- I will have finished reading the book in three weeks.B’.- I had been reading the book for three weeks by the time I didn’t want to read the boring book anymore.- I have been reading the book for three weeks, and now I don’t want to read the boring book anymore.- I will have been reading the book for three weeks by the time I don’t want to read the boring book anymore.What do you think? Do you agree with me that A’ and B’ show the difference?Thanks in advance.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I’ve made the following sentences:

A.

- I had read the book for three weeks.

- I have read the book for three weeks.

- I will have read the book for three weeks.

B.

- I had been reading the book for three weeks.

- I have been reading the book for three weeks.

- I will have been reading the book for three weeks.

What is the difference between A and B?

In what case do you say the sentences in A? In what case do you say the sentences in B?

I’ve made the following sentences that show the difference:

A’.

- I had finished reading the book in three weeks, so I started another one..

- I have finished reading the book in three weeks. That was my goal, to read it in three weeks. I'm a fast reader. As you can see, it's a little awkward to find a good context in which you'd say this version of your sentence.

- I will have finished reading the book in three weeks. I'll probably be reading another one.

B’.

- I had been reading the book for three weeks by the time I didn’t want to read the boring book anymore.

- I have been reading the book for three weeks, and now I don’t want to read the boring book anymore.

- I will have been reading the book for three weeks by the time I don’t want to read the boring book anymore.

What do you think? Do you agree with me that A’ and B’ show the difference? Yes, although I've added a bit of context to A, as you can see.

Clive

CalifJim · Answer

NiueA’.
- I had finished reading the book in three weeks.
- I have finished reading the book in three weeks.
- I will have finished reading the book in three weeks.

No. This is not the meaning. The sentences you are trying to paraphrase have nothing to do with finishing.

NiueB’.
- I had been reading the book for three weeks by the time I didn’t want to read the boring book anymore.
- I have been reading the book for three weeks, and now I don’t want to read the boring book anymore.
- I will have been reading the book for three weeks by the time I don’t want to read the boring book anymore.

No. These don't work as paraphrases. They don't show the contrast between the simple and continuous forms of these tenses. Only the second one is idiomatic English. The "by the time" clauses are wrong because they are in the negative and, to some extent, because they use a stative verb (want). In a "by the time" clause you typically need the affirmative form of an action verb.
________________

Let's put those aside and move on to a better explanation.

Past Perfect vs Past Perfect Continuous

- I had read the book for three weeks.
- I had been reading the book for three weeks.

There is no significant difference. The continuous form (the second of the two) is more likely to be used because reading for three weeks is continuous by nature. The continuous form is also the form to use when you want to describe a background situation against which a foreground event occurs. The event is reported in the simple past tense.

I had (already) been reading the book for three weeks when I realized that it was the wrong book.
I had (already) been reading the book for three weeks before I noticed that the last chapter was missing.
I had (already) been reading the book for three weeks when I accidentally threw it in the trash.

In the type of sentence I show above, the simple tense is not as likely to be used.

_____________

Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous

- I have read the book for three weeks.
- I have been reading the book for three weeks.

The continuous form (the second of the two) is more likely to be used because reading for three weeks is continuous by nature. The present perfect shows that the activity of reading started in the past and continues to the present. The simple tense is not very likely to be used.

_____________

Future Perfect vs Future Perfect Continuous

- I will have read the book for three weeks.
- I will have been reading the book for three weeks.

There is no significant difference. The continuous form (the second of the two) is more likely to be used because reading for three weeks is continuous by nature. Similar to the usage illustrated above for the past perfect, you can use a pattern with before or by the time. In the case of a background activity in the future perfect continous, the foreground event is reported in the present tense.

I will have been reading the book for three weeks by the time Karen returns from her business trip.
I will have been reading the book for three weeks by the time the invoice for it arrives in the mail.
I will have been reading the book for three weeks before I'm even half-way through it.

_____________

CJ

Niue · Answer

Hello, Clive and Calif Jim!

Thank you for your detailed explanations.

Calif Jim, I have a few questions:

Past Perfect vs Past Perfect Continuous

- I had read the book for three weeks.

- I had been reading the book for three weeks.

There is no significant difference. The continuous form (the second of the two) is more likely to be used because reading for three weeks is continuous by nature. The continuous form is also the form to use when you want to describe a background situation against which a foreground event occurs. The event is reported in the simple past tense.

I had (already) been reading the book for three weeks when I realized that it was the wrong book.

I had (already) been reading the book for three weeks before I noticed that the last chapter was missing.

I had (already) been reading the book for three weeks when I accidentally threw it in the trash.

In the type of sentence I show above, the simple tense is not as likely to be used. What does "the simple tense" mean here? Do you mean "the past perfect"(= "had read")?

_____________

Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous

- I have read the book for three weeks.

- I have been reading the book for three weeks.

The continuous form (the second of the two) is more likely to be used because reading for three weeks is continuous by nature. The present perfect shows that the activity of reading started in the past and continues to the present. The simple tense is not very likely to be used. What does "the simple tense" mean here? Do you mean "the present perfect"(= "have read")?

_____________

Future Perfect vs Future Perfect Continuous

- I will have read the book for three weeks.

- I will have been reading the book for three weeks.

There is no significant difference. The continuous form (the second of the two) is more likely to be used because reading for three weeks is continuous by nature. Similar to the usage illustrated above for the past perfect, you can use a pattern with before or by the time. In the case of a background activity in the future perfect continous, the foreground event is reported in the present tense.

I will have been reading the book for three weeks by the time Karen returns from her business trip.

I will have been reading the book for three weeks by the time the invoice for it arrives in the mail.

I will have been reading the book for three weeks before I'm even half-way through it.

If you also mentioned "The simple tense is not very likely to be used." here, would "the simple tense" also mean "the future perfect"(= "will have read")?

_____________

CJ

Thanks in advance.

CalifJim · Answer

In all cases, by "simple tense" I meant the "non-continuous form" of the corresponding tense, and I should have written it that way. So the "simple tense" in a choice between Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous would be the Past Perfect tense, for example, and the same distinction applies to the other cases.

My apologies for creating any confusion you may have had.

CJ

Niue · Answer

Thanks, CalifJim.

Then, how about the following sentences I've made?

A.

- I had lived in the house for three weeks.

- I have lived in the house for three weeks.

- I will have lived in the house for three weeks.

B.

- I had been liveding in the house for three weeks.

- I have been liveding in the house for three weeks.

- I will have been liveding in the house for three weeks.

What is the difference between A and B?

In what case do you say the sentences in A? In what case do you say the sentences in B?

Thanks in advance.

CalifJim · Answer

NiueWhat is the difference between A and B?

Note that in set B you have the wrong form. *liveding. It should be living. You can't put two endings on the same stem. Here you're putting both -ed and -ing, which is not correct.

There is hardly any difference between A and B. As discussed earlier in this thread, those with -ing forms (Set B) are more likely to be used to establish a background against which another event may occur:

I had been living in the house for three weeks before I noticed that the roof leaked.

CJ

Niue · Answer

Sorry, I made a typographical error.

Yes. It should have been "living".

Thanks.

CalifJim · Answer

NiueI made a typographical error.

OK. It happens to everybody.

If I had known that, I wouldn't have thought you were trying to invent some new tenses!

CJ

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