What is the correct formation for an action that started in the past and continues into the present?

The present perfect tense is the appropriate choice for indicating an action that began in the past and continues into the present. This tense allows the speaker to express that the action has relevance or continuation up to the current moment.

For example, when using the present perfect, one might say, "I have lived here for five years," suggesting that the action of living began five years ago and is still ongoing. This construction effectively highlights the connection between the past and the present.

Other tenses do not convey this specific relationship between past actions and their current relevance. The present progressive tense focuses on actions occurring right now, the future perfect tense deals with actions that will be completed by a certain future time, and the past perfect tense describes actions that were completed before another past event. Therefore, the use of the present perfect tense is key to accurately communicating ongoing actions that originated in the past.