been heaven knowing you

[kingston_123]

Before committing suicide, Willoughby leaves a letter to Anne :

Dwell on this day, baby, 'cause it was the best day of my life. Kiss the girls for me, and know that I've always loved you, and maybe I'll see you again if there's another place. And if there ain't, well, it's been heaven knowing you.

Why is "Present perfect progressive" used here?
Source: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
Screenplay: Martin McDonagh

 

[emsr2d2]

Willoughby knows he is going to die so he can use the present perfect continuous here because he is referring to the time since he met Anne and up to the time of writing.

After he dies, if it were possible to speak, he would say "It was heaven knowing you".

 

[GoesStation]

I don't think that's a present perfect progressive. He could have written Knowing you has been heaven, so knowing you looks like a noun phrase to me.

 

[jutfrank]

No, it's not present perfect progessive, it's just present perfect simple.

It's been [heaven knowing you.]

 

[emsr2d2]

And this is why I'm a "Use of English" teacher and not a grammar teacher!

 

[Tdol]

And if there is no heaven, it doesn't matter because he has already experienced it here on earth through knowing her.