Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Educall Language Academy

We use Past Perfect Continuous Tense when we talk about actions that was happening for a period of time in the past. It usually is before another past event.

Affirmative: SUBJECT + HAD BEEN DOING + OBJECT

I

You

He

She

It

We

They

 had been doing well.

Negative: SUBJECT + HAD NOT BEEN DOING + OBJECT

I

You

He

She

It

We

They

 had not (hadn't) been doing well.

Question: HAD + SUBJECT + BEEN DOING + OBJECT?

Had

I

you

he

she

it

we

they

 been doing well?

 

They had been playing tennis for hours when Leila showed up.

Tyson had been singing before Denise took over.

It had been raining and the streets were wet.

Matt had been working out hard before he hurt his ankle.

We had been waiting for the school bus for an hour.

Had you been sleeping?

 

 


***We can use this tense to show the cause of something, HOWEVER be careful about the difference between Past Continuous and Past Perfect Continuous Tense:

 

 

  • Tom was tired because he had been working in the office. (at that moment he could be in the office or not)

          Tom was tired because he was working in the office. (at that moment he was in the office)

 

  • She was sweaty because she had been dancing.
  • I was exhausted because I had been mowing the lawn.
  • His eyes were watery because he had been looking at the sun.