What's the difference (Present Perfect Progressive/Past Progressive)?

Question

HelloWhat the difference between these simple sentences:- I was thinking.- I have been thinking.Thanks

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

In the first case, you are finished thinking; in the second case, you are not.

Penicillin · Answer

But I know that in Past Progressive, there must be two clauses conjuncted by "when" or "while".

Is that true?

If so, what the difference between:

- I was thinking.

- I have thought.

Amintnt · Answer

Mister MicawberIn the first case, you are finished thinking; in the second case, you are not.

Excuse me........... "You have finished" or "you are finished"? Is the second one passive? :blink:

Mister Micawber · Answer

I chose my wording carefully to avoid both present perfect and past tenses, Amintnt.

You are finished-- finished is a predicate adjective.
(The performance was not a finished production -- finished is an attributive adjective.)

Mister Micawber · Answer

But I know that in Past Progressive, there must be two clauses conjuncted by "when" or "while". Is that true?

No. I was sitting at my computer all day yesterday.

Penicillin · Answer

So what the difference between:

- I was thinking.

- I have thought.

Kooyeen · Answer

Onh1986So what the difference between:

- I was thinking.

- I have thought.

Hi,
it is difficult to answer, because you should put verbs in example sentences in order to understand how to use them.

I am thinking now. That's what I'm doing now. I'm thinking about my new invention. Please don't disturb me, leave me alone.
When you came in my room, I was thinking. I was thinking about my new invention. I told you to leave me alone.

- Mark? Are you ok? You don't seem to be paying attention to the explanation...
- Oh, sorry Mrs. Evilteacher, I was thinking. I was still thinking about that exercise we did earlier.

As for "I have thought", it is just a present perfect. It is one of the most difficult things to master. You have to understand the basic difference between the present perfect and the simple past, and then it'll take time and practice to use those verbs correctly.
To understand the basic difference, you can search this forum, there is an avalanche of threads about that. Or read about it in a good grammar book for learners.

PS: I saw you keep on asking "What the difference". It's "What is the difference" or "What's the difference", you are forgetting the verb "is".

Penicillin · Answer

Firstly, I know that it's "What's the difference" not "What the difference", but I just forgot "is", sorry.

So Past Progressive & Present Perfect both indicate that somehing has began in the past and has finished.

So what's the difference?

Thanks

Bokeh · Answer

Mister MicawberIn the first case, you are finished thinking; in the second case, you are not.

That's not necessarilly true. I have eaten doesn't mean you are still eating; it just means the residual state prevails. Same with thinking.

Ant_222 · Answer

Mister Micawber:

«In the first case, you are finished thinking; in the second case, you are not.»

If to take possible contexts into consideration, I disagree:

Past Simple, but he's still thinking (at the moment of speech):

1. I can't solve this problem! I was thinking yesterday at the lesson, I was thinking in the bus on the way home, I am thinking now. But nothing better than the explanation through the Huygens principle occurs to me.

Perfect Progressive, but he've probably finshed thinking.

2. I have been thinking a lot in the past few weeks, and have come to several solutions: one is to introduce a feedback in order to achieve a negative output resstance at low frequencies, another is...

So, Past Progressive is used to describe what was happening at some past moment (or interval) of time, no matter whether it is still happening or not.

Present Progressive emphasises the importance of the result of a past action for the present, or, is used to indicate an action that has begun but hasn't finished, as in:

«It has been raining since morning.»

In situations, when in focus is a state rather than an action (like the state of being friends), Present Perfect is used:

«We have been friends since childhood»

«My family has owned this castle for ages.»
(the state of owning a castle doesn't imply an active process...)

Though, as I understand, the same can be said by a guy who has just had a very serious quarrel with a friend and doesn't consider him a friend anymore.

The same about the owner, standing before the ruins of his castle, just destroyed by an earthquake.

I'd call them "right-up-to-the-present" actions.

What's the difference (Present Perfect Progressive/Past Progressive)?

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