Perfect tenses passive

[Vigojovanovic]

is it possible and usual to make passive of perfect progressive verb tenses

[Cerberus™]

I don't think so; could you give an example?

[Vigojovanovic]

The document has been being faxed for an hour.
I think that it's very unusual, but I'm looking for more examples in passive voice of any perfect progressive tense, and explanation for not to be used

[Cerberus™]

In this sentence, "been being" is wrong, because the verb "to be" is used twice. Moreover, I cannot say what the right tense would be here, because I do not understand what you are trying to say.

- Someone has been trying to fax a document for the past hour, but the machine has failed him every time so far, so that it has not arrived yet?
- Someone was in the process of faxing a document when he was called away in the middle of it?
- Someone has faxed the document to me an hour ago, so that I can give it to you now?

[Vigojovanovic]

[Vigojovanovic]

I want to know if it is possible to make passive voice of the sentence with progressive verb like this:

We will have been playing this computer game by midnight.
passive:

This computer game will have been being played.
Is it grammatically correct?

[Cerberus™]

[Esl_Expert]

[Cerberus™]

EE, I found another discussion on a similar forum, from which two factions emerged: one representing your view, the other mine. I'm sure there are more such discussions.
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1362084

It turns out there are quite a lot of hits for "been being" on Google, which supports your view. In addition, I can think of two special situations where it is perhaps most naturally used:
- When you are echoing "being x" spoken by someone else.
- When "being x" has been ossified into a near-adjective.

[Natasha81]

There is a general rule that in passive voice verbs are not used in Present/Past/Future Perfect Progressive tenses, they are to be replaced by Present/Past/Future Perfect tenses.

e.g. The house has been being built for two years-
The house has been built for two years.

e.g. The book had been being written for years, before the author found a publisher.-
The book had been written for years, before the author found a publisher.

e.g. The house will have been being cleaned for hours, when I come home tonight.
The house will have been cleaned for hours, when I come home tonight

[Esl_Expert]

[Nick*]

This is a very interesting topic.
I never use such tenses because it is very unusual and a little bit complicated.
However, I think it is absolutely correct.
Please refer to the examples of the following Perfect Continuous Tenses :

For Present Perfect Continuous Tense.

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
• Recently, John has been doing the work. (ACTIVE)
• Recently, the work has been being done by John. (PASSIVE)

NOTE: Present Perfect Continuous is less commonly used in its passive form.

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentperfectcontinuous.html

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

For Past Perfect Progressive Tense :

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
• Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant's fantastic dinners for two years before he moved to Paris. (ACTIVE)
• The restaurant's fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to Paris. (PASSIVE)

NOTE: Passive forms of the Past Perfect Continuous are not common.

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/pastperfectcontinuous.html

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

For Future Perfect Continuous Tense :

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
• The famous artist will have been painting the mural for over six months by the time it is finished. (ACTIVE)
• The mural will have been being painted by the famous artist for over six months by the time it is finished. (PASSIVE)
• The famous artist is going to have been painting the mural for over six months by the time it is finished. (ACTIVE)
• The mural is going to have been being painted by the famous artist for over six months by the time it is finished. (PASSIVE)

NOTE: Passive forms of the Future Perfect Continuous are not common.

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/futureperfectcontinuous.html

The above web site is a very good source to improve grammar. Hope this help !

Best regards,

Nick

[Cerberus™]

[Esl_Expert]

Hi Cerberus,

I have no objection to using the passive present perfect continuous in that sentence. Personally, I don't feel uncomfortable with it. However, I imagine people (myself included) would often revert to the active voice instead -- at the expense of having to use a rather nebulous subject in the sentence:

- They have been building that house for two years.
(In this case: they = somebody)

Of course, if the broader context had already identified exactly who was building the house, then "they" would not be vague; it would be a specific reference to the people already mentioned. And that would also eliminate one of the primary reasons for using the passive voice.
.

I think the NOTES (in red) that Nick posted from the Englishpage site are appropriate. I interpret them this way:

- For the present perfect continuous, the active voice is used more often than the passive voice. However, that definitely does not mean that people don't or can't use the passive voice.

- For the past perfect continuous, the use of the passive voice is pretty rare. I'd say the same is true of the future perfect continuous. Nevertheless, that does not completely rule out a possible usage on occasion.

______________________________
"Maverick is a word which appeals to me more than misfit. Maverick is active, misfit is passive." ~ Alan Rickman

[Vigojovanovic]

thank you very much