Past Perfect Continuous
An action that continued up to a past moment: “She had been working.”
Practice Past Perfect Continuous freeThe lesson
When do we use it?
- A longer action that continued up to a point in the past: She had been working for six hours when the power went out.
- A past action that explains a past result: The ground was wet because it had been raining.
- Focus on how long before another past event: They had been dating for years before they got married.
How do we form it?
had been + verb-ing (same for all subjects)
| Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|
| He had been waiting | He hadn't been waiting | Had he been waiting? |
Past Perfect vs Past Perfect Continuous
- Past perfect: I had finished the book. (completed)
- Past perfect continuous: I had been reading for two hours. (activity and duration)
Time words
for, since, all day, how long...?, before, by the time
Common Past Perfect Continuous mistakes
She had crying.
She had been crying.
Use had + been + -ing.
They had been waiting since an hour.
They had been waiting for an hour.
Use for with a length of time.
He didn't had been sleeping well.
He hadn't been sleeping well.
The negative is had not / hadn't + been + -ing.
Did you been working long?
Had you been working long?
Put had before the subject to make a question.
I was tired because I am running.
I was tired because I had been running.
Use the past perfect continuous for the activity that caused a past result.
Practice questions like these
Pick the right form. In the app you get instant checking, hints and your score.
1.The road was slippery because it since dawn.
- had raining
- has been raining
- had been raining
- was been raining
2.They for years before they got married.
- were been dating
- have been dating
- had been dating
- had date
3.Her hands were covered in flour because she bread.
- has been baking
- had bake
- had been baking
- was been baking