Key takeaways
Past perfect continuous definition
Past perfect continuous tense, also known as past perfect progressive, is used of an action or event started at one point in the past and continued until a specific time in the past.
Example
had been working all night before I decided to take a break.
Past perfect continuous formula
Past perfect continuous tense is:-
Subject + had + been + present participle + the rest of the sentence
What is the difference between the past perfect continuous tense and the past continuous tense?
Past perfect continuous tense is used to express an action or event that began in the past time and progressed until another event in the past, while past continuous tense is used to express an action or event that started in the past time.
What is the auxiliary verb of past perfect continuous?
The auxiliary verb, or the helping verb, of the past perfect continuous tense is “had been.”
Table of Contents
▪︎ What is the past perfect continuous tense?
▪︎ Past perfect continuous tense formula
▪︎ How to use since and for
▪︎ Past perfect continuous tense uses
▪︎ Past perfect continuous tense examples.
▪︎ Exercise of past perfect continuous tense with answers
▪︎Past perfect continuous tense quiz.
What is the past perfect continuous tense?
Past perfect continuous tense is used to express an action or event that began in the past and progressed until anotherevent in the past.
Past perfect continuous tense is different from present continuous tense, which is used to express or to describe an action that is happening now or at the time of speaking.
Past perfect continuous tense is different from The present perfect continuous tense is used to speak about an action or event that began in the past and still continues in present time.
The formula of the past perfect continuous tense
Past perfect continuous tense is formed using this formula.
Subject + had + been + present participle + the rest of the sentence
Example
I had been working on the farm when my father came from the town.
Read more: Simple past tense, past continuous tense and past perfect tense
Past perfect continuous tense examples
Affirmative
Use this formula for affirmative sentences.
Subject + had + been + present participle + the rest of the sentence
- Halima had been washing the clothes for 2 hours before she slept.
- The teacher had been explaining the lesson for 30 minutes before Ali came into the class.
- Hassan and Mohamed had been preparing for the exam before they went to the restaurant.
- My mother had been cooking the food since I was young.
- Liban had been seducing her since 2020.
Negative
Use this formula for negative sentences.
Subject + had + not + been + present participle + the rest of the sentence.
- Halima had not been washing the clothes for 2 hours before she slept.
- The teacher had not been explaining the lesson for 30 minutes before Ali came into the class.
- Hassan and Mohamed had not been preparing for the exam before they went to the restaurant.
- My mother had not been cooking the food since I was young.
- Liban had not been seducing her since 2020.
Question
Use this formula for affirmative sentences.
Had + Subject + been + present participle + the rest of the sentence
- Had Halima been washing the clothes for 2 hours before she slept?
- Had the teacher been explaining the lesson for 30 minutes before Ali came into the class?
- Had Hassan and Mohamed been preparing for the exam before they went to the restaurant?
- Had my mother been cooking the food since I was young?
- Had Liban been seducing her since 2020?
Question with Negative
Use this formula for affirmative sentences.
Had not + Subject + been + present participle + the rest of the sentence
- Had not Halima been washing the clothes for 2 hours before she slept?
- Had not the teacher been explaining the lesson for 30 minutes before Ali came into the class?
- Had not Hassan and Mohamed been preparing for the exam before they went to the restaurant?
- Had not my mother been cooking the food since I was young?
- Had not Liban been seducing her since 2020?
How to use “since” and “for”?
“For” is used for a period of time, which can happen in the present, past, and future.
Example
I was waiting for the bus for 30 minutes.
Ali had been working for this company for three months before he did start working at that company.
Since is used to talk about a time that started in the past and still continues.
Example
My father had been working since 2000.
Past perfect continuous tense uses
- Past perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that began in the past and still continued up to another event or action.
Example
The students had been learning something from this school when I graduated from the university.
- It is also used to express an event that finished before the other event in the past time.
Example
The market was a mess; I had not been walking in it.
Past perfect continuous tense exercise answers
Fill the blank space correctly.
1) I _______been drinking this for 2 years before I went to Kenya.
2) The soldiers had _____ fighting for 15 minutes before aircrafts came.
3) Siham had been __________ (sell) the shop since 2022.
4) The actress had been ___________ (watch).
5) The girl had been ________ (knock) the door for two minutes before her mother opened the door.
6) The pupils had_________ been doing the exercise.
7) The mechanic had been repairing the cars.
8) The cat had not been _____(eat) the rat.
9) The leopard had not ________ (run) after the buffalo.
10) The boy had not been__________(work)
11) ______ I been participating in the competition?
12) ______ _____ Fu’ad been bringing the book?
13) _______ not Hussain _______ breaking the bottles?
14) The boxer had not _________ boxing the man.
15) The player had been ________ (play) the match.
Expected answers
1) I had been drinking this for 2 years before I went to Kenya.
2) The soldiers had been fighting for 15 minutes before aircraft came.
3) Siham had been selling the shop since 2022.
4) The actress had been watching.
5) The girl had been knocking on the door for 2 minutes before her mother opened the door.
6) The pupils had not been doing the exercise.
7) The mechanic had not been repairing the cars.
8) The cat had not been eating the rat.
9) The leopard had not running after the buffalo.
10) The boy had not been working.
11) Had I been participating in the competition?
12) Had not Fu’ad been bringing the book?
13) Had not Hussain been breaking the bottles?
14) The boxer had not been boxing the man.
15) The player had been playing the match.