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So, I want to build a sentence and mix a present perfect part into it, but the preposition particle only allows continuous form of the verb. Can I say like 'I want to ... smbd for having done smth', or should I divide the parts and union them with 'for' particle so I get 'I want to ... smbd for she has done smth' instead?

For example, 'I want to thank my friend for having revised my book until it has been published'.

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    Please give us proper full examples, no ellipsis and no 'smbd' or 'smth'.
    – curiousdannii
    Commented Mar 5, 2015 at 10:23
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    "To thank for having done" is obviously fine, "to thank for she has done" is clearly not English, and for is not a particle, so I'm migrating this question to our sister site for learners of the language.
    – ЯegDwight
    Commented Mar 5, 2015 at 10:40

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Yes, you can say "I want to thank my friend for having revised my book", although it would be more natural to say "I want to thank my friend for revising my book". Another example is "I want to thank you all for coming!" - you'd say that rather than "I want to thank you all for having come!", which sounds odd.

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  • The point was to particularly mention consistent and continuous commitment, that's why I wanted to use perfect tense
    – rishat
    Commented Mar 6, 2015 at 12:47
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Saying "I want to..." means you didn't do it. It's far more effective, accurate, and polite to say, "Thank you (name) for revising my book.

If someone's New Year Resolution is, "I want to lose weight.", does it mean it happened? Avoid the use of "I want to..." and simply give thanks.

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    You've got a bit of tense confusion here. "I want to" does not and cannot express past results, or lack thereof, as it's a future expression couched in present simple!
    – Nathan Tuggy
    Commented Nov 10, 2017 at 2:10

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