>    One problem with listing and classifying a number of forms (like
present perfect progressive passive) is that the list becomes
extremely daunting to anyone trying to get a grasp of it. Another is
the faulty (I think) assumption that this is a single "tense" rather
than a combination of meanings (form and meaning pairings). In other
words, it's hard to grasp as a single concept what the "present
perfect progressive passive" is doing, much easier to realize that it
is construed as happening at the point of utterance (present) started
earlier (perfect) but ongoing (progressive) and happening TO the
subject. "I have been being helped." In context, it might happen like
this. "Have you been helped"? "I have been being helped for some time
now."
   This is another argument for tense and aspect and voice as separate
systems that work together within the verb phrase.
   In English, we need a new term to add another function. If "present
perfect progressive passive" was a single "tense" you might expect them
to conflate into a single term over time, but that hasn't happened.

Craig

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