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Do you still like them ( all these bands you have been playing with)?

Does" have been playing" convey this idea : the man does not play with this bands. All of them split a long time ago but he is still playing with others.

I should have written "had been playing" but this form does not convey this idea he is still playing with new bands so I thought"have been playing" could make it.

Yves Lefol
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    I don't know why you say I should have written "had been playing", but you obviously don't understand the difference between Present Perfect (have been) and *Past Perfect. Only Present Perfect works in your example context, because the current "narrative reference time" is now.* That's established by initial *Do you still like them?* - the alternative *Did you still like them?* would have set the reference time to *somewhen in the past, in which case it would be ...bands you had been playing with* (or *...had played with* - that makes no difference). – FumbleFingers Feb 15 '23 at 16:58
  • but even if all the bands I am speaking to split long time ago. By using present perfect continuous do we understand that these bands does not exist anymore and for a long time – Yves Lefol Feb 15 '23 at 17:02
  • If the bands in question split up long ago, I would say "the bands you used to play with". – Kate Bunting Feb 15 '23 at 17:09
  • Perhaps if we had more context, it might be obvious that the "temporal focus" of the conversation is already in the past, in which case you could reasonably use Past Perfect to refer to the *even earlier* time when the other person played with those bands. For example, if you've been talking about *the more recent past* when the other person was playing with other bands. Whether or not he still plays with them doesn't affect the fact that you're already talking about a time in the past before you mention those *older* bands. – FumbleFingers Feb 15 '23 at 17:10
  • here is the context: I am glad you still have copies of these, in fact these are the only singles missing in my Bare Wire ,Warm Soda? The pleasers (nearly all the bands you have been involved with). Do you still like them (these bands you have been playing with)? So no it is not the more recent past it is present so present perfect must do it – Yves Lefol Feb 15 '23 at 17:22
  • I still recommend used to play with. – Kate Bunting Feb 15 '23 at 17:44
  • I thought "had been playing "would fit because I was implying before they split . – Yves Lefol Feb 15 '23 at 19:20
  • does this form work "had been playing before they split " ? Think so but as "before they split"is obvious if I use past perfect continuous I did not write it – Yves Lefol Feb 16 '23 at 07:36

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