Passive Voice in Present Perfect Continuous
The passive voice in present perfect continuous is English's most complex passive construction, combining the duration emphasis of perfect continuous tenses with the focus-shifting power of passive voice. Formed with have/has + been + being + past participle, this sophisticated structure allows you to emphasise how long something has been receiving action whilst maintaining focus on the recipient rather than the performer of the action.
What makes present perfect continuous passive particularly valuable is its ability to describe ongoing processes that started in the past and continue to the present, whilst maintaining the formal, objective tone that passive voice provides. This combination is essential for describing long-term projects, extended investigations, continuous treatments, and any situation where duration and ongoing action matter more than identifying who performs the action.
The present perfect continuous passive excels in professional, academic, and formal contexts where you need to emphasise both the extended duration of processes and their ongoing nature without necessarily highlighting the people responsible. It's particularly useful in progress reports, research descriptions, medical contexts, and official communications where the focus should be on what has been happening over time rather than who has been doing it.
Mastering this advanced construction will help you create more nuanced professional reports, write with sophisticated academic tone, and communicate about ongoing processes and developments with appropriate emphasis on duration, continuity, and formal objectivity in complex written and spoken contexts.
Formation
Structure
Subject + have/has + been + being + past participle + (by + agent)
The subject has been receiving ongoing action over a period of time
Active to Passive Examples:
Active:
Doctors have been treating the patient for months.
Passive:
The patient has been being treated for months.
Active:
They have been investigating the case since January.
Passive:
The case has been being investigated since January.
All Forms:
- I have been being monitored closely.
- You have been being considered for promotion.
- It has been being repaired for weeks.
- We have been being relocated gradually.
- They have been being trained extensively.
Negative and Question Forms
Positive:
- The project has been being developed.
- Patients have been being treated.
- The issue has been being discussed.
Negative:
- The project has not been being developed.
- Patients haven't been being treated.
- The issue hasn't been being discussed.
Questions:
- Has the project been being developed?
- Have patients been being treated?
- How long has it been being discussed?
Important Note
Present perfect continuous passive is quite complex and formal. In everyday English, speakers often prefer present perfect passive ("The patient has been treated for months") or other simpler constructions. This form is mainly used in very formal, academic, or technical contexts where precise emphasis on ongoing duration is essential.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ "The patient has been treating for months."
✅ "The patient has been being treated for months."
Must include both 'been' and 'being' for perfect continuous passive
❌ "The project has being developed since January."
✅ "The project has been being developed since January."
Don't omit 'been' - need both 'been' and 'being'
❌ "Students have been being teach new methods."
✅ "Students have been being taught new methods."
Use past participle after 'being', not base form
❌ "The issue have been being discussed."
✅ "The issue has been being discussed."
Use 'has' with singular subjects, 'have' with plural
When to Use vs Simpler Alternatives
Use Present Perfect Continuous Passive When:
- Duration and continuity are both essential
- Writing in very formal/academic contexts
- Precision about ongoing nature is crucial
- Emphasising extended time periods
"The patient has been being treated for six months."
Consider Simpler Alternatives:
- Present perfect passive: "has been treated"
- Present continuous passive: "is being treated"
- Active voice: "Doctors have been treating"
- Simple descriptions with time expressions
Often more natural and easier to understand
Essential Time Expressions
Duration from Past to Present:
- for months/years - monitored for two years
- since - investigated since January
- over the past - developed over the past decade
- throughout - supported throughout the crisis
Continuous Nature:
- continuously - observed continuously
- progressively - improved progressively
- systematically - reviewed systematically
- intensively - studied intensively
Quick Reference Guide
Remember:
- Formation: have/has + been + being + past participle
- Focus: Duration of ongoing actions affecting someone/something
- Complexity: Very formal - consider simpler alternatives
- Context: Academic, medical, legal, technical writing
- Time focus: Extended periods from past to present
- Both needed: 'been' (perfect) + 'being' (continuous)
- Common with: for, since, throughout, continuously
- Alternative: Often present perfect passive is sufficient