| Past Progressive | |
|---|---|
| Singular | Plural |
| 1st. I was seeing. | We were seeing. |
| 2d. You were seeing. | You were seeing. |
| 3d. He was seeing. | They were seeing. |
136. The future progressive describes an action which will be progressing or going on in the future. It is formed by using the future time form of the verb be and the present participle.
| Future Progressive | |
|---|---|
| Singular | Plural |
| 1st. I shall be seeing. | We shall be seeing. |
| 2d. You will be seeing. | You will be seeing. |
| 3d. He will be seeing. | They will be seeing. |
137. The perfect time forms also have a progressive form. There is a difference of meaning in the present perfect and its progressive form. You say for instance, I have tried all my life to be free. You mean you have tried until the present time and the inference is that now you have ceased to try. But, if you say, I have been trying all my life to be free, we understand that you have tried and are still trying.
138. So we have the present perfect progressive which describes an action which progressed in the past and continued up to the present time. It is formed by using the present perfect form of the verb be and the present participle.
| Present Perfect Progressive | |
|---|---|
| Singular | Plural |
| 1st. I have been seeing. | We have been seeing. |
| 2d. You have been seeing. | You have been seeing. |
| 3d. He has been seeing. | They have been seeing. |
139. The past perfect progressive describes an action which was continuing or progressing at some past time. It is formed by using the past perfect time form of the verb be and the present participle.
| Past Perfect Progressive | |
|---|---|
| Singular | Plural |
| 1st. I had been seeing. | We had been seeing. |
| 2d. You had been seeing. | You had been seeing. |
| 3d. He had been seeing. | They had been seeing. |
140. The future perfect progressive describes an action which will be progressing at some future time. It is formed by using the future perfect time form of the verb be and the present participle.