[Grammar] has /have been + ed

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Mero3004

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Jul 26, 2016
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I have a question.

As far as I remember we have to say

I have been working here for 4 years
Or

She has been sleeping for 3 hours
which are means that I'm still working
And She's still sleeping.

Recently I've got email with this sentence:

The relays agents have been installed

What does it mean

It really makes me to confused because the "Present /Past perfect subject is very difficult and I am trying to memorize and exercise it until I have encountered in this example and I do not what it means

Maybe it is mean that something have been done in past and impact and continues to know?
 
Some verbs are used to talk about things that happen over time.
You might live or work someplace for years. You sleep for hours at a time.

Some verbs happen once and they are done. You open the door, you run out the door -- you do it, and it's over. You generally don't say "I have been opening the door for 0.5 seconds" the way you would say "I have been working here for three years."

Installing relay agents happens once and it's done.

I have installed the relay agents. This is the active form.

The relay agents have been installed. This is the passive form.
 
Last edited:
Every one of your sentences needs a closing punctuation mark.
 
I have a question.

As far as I remember, we can [STRIKE]have to[/STRIKE] say:

I have been working here for 4 years.
Or

She has been sleeping for 3 hours.

[STRIKE]which are[/STRIKE] That means that I'm still working, and She's still sleeping.
Yes, that's correct.

Recently [STRIKE]I've[/STRIKE] I got an email with this sentence:

The relays agents have been installed.

What does it mean?
I've no idea what "relays agents" are; I suspect they're some kind of electronic component.

It really makes me [STRIKE]to[/STRIKE] confused because the "Present /Past perfect" subject is very difficult, and I've been [STRIKE]am[/STRIKE] trying to learn and memorize [STRIKE]and exercise[/STRIKE] it until I [STRIKE]have[/STRIKE] encountered [STRIKE]in[/STRIKE] this example, and I do not know what it means.
The past perfect starts with "had"; your sentences above are not in the past perfect.

Maybe it [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] means that something [STRIKE]have been[/STRIKE] was done in past and its impact [STRIKE]and[/STRIKE] continues into the present. [STRIKE]know?[/STRIKE]
Yes, that's correct. The sentence in question is in the present perfect simple and is in the passive voice.

Edit: cross-posted. I'm logging off and going out for a drink!
icon_wink.gif
 
Say:

It really confuses me because present/past perfect is very difficult, and I am trying to memorize it and practice it, and then I encountered this example, and I do not know what it means.

You might want to read Barb's post several times, as it explains things very well.
 
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