Lesson
Past perfect continuous
Text
The past perfect continuous (had been + -ing) describes actions or situations that were ongoing up to a specific point in the past. It often shows duration or explains a past result.
Table
| Form | Meaning / Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative: subject + had been + verb-ing | Ongoing action before a past point (duration) | I had been working on the proposal for three weeks before I presented it. |
| Negative: subject + had not been + verb-ing | An ongoing action did not happen up to the past point | They hadn't been communicating effectively before the merger. |
| Question: Had + subject + been + verb-ing? | Ask about an ongoing action before a past reference point | Had you been waiting long when the client finally arrived? |
| Use with for/since or to show cause | Indicates duration or explains a past result | She had been negotiating with suppliers, so the team was prepared for delays. |
Tip
Remember the structure and main uses:
Think: had been + -ing = ongoing action up to a past point
Example
I had been working on the client proposal for three weeks before I presented it.
They had been negotiating the contract when the market changed.
She had been waiting at the station for an hour before the train arrived.
By the time the auditor visited, we had been preparing the financial statements all month.
Tip
Watch out for these universal errors learners often make:
Check both auxiliaries (had + been) and the -ing form.
Quiz
Choose the correct sentence:
Hint: Focus on the continuous form (had been + -ing) to show an ongoing action before another past event.
Correct!
The past perfect continuous (had been working) correctly expresses an ongoing activity before a past event. Options A and C are ungrammatical or odd; B uses the past perfect simple (complete action), which changes emphasis.
Incorrect
The correct answer was: I had been working on the report before the meeting.
The past perfect continuous (had been working) correctly expresses an ongoing activity before a past event. Options A and C are ungrammatical or odd; B uses the past perfect simple (complete action), which changes emphasis.
Quiz
Complete: By 9 PM, they _____ at the office for six hours.
Hint: Think about how to show duration continuing up to a past point.
Correct!
'Had been working' expresses an action that was ongoing for a duration up to a past time.
Incorrect
The correct answer was: had been working
'Had been working' expresses an action that was ongoing for a duration up to a past time.
Quiz
Which sentence correctly uses the past perfect continuous to show a cause for a later past event?
Hint: Look for had been + -ing followed by a result in the past.
Correct!
Option B uses the past perfect continuous (had been running) to indicate an ongoing action that explains the subsequent past state (being out of breath). Option C uses past perfect simple, which is less natural for an ongoing cause.
Incorrect
The correct answer was: He had been running, so he was out of breath.
Option B uses the past perfect continuous (had been running) to indicate an ongoing action that explains the subsequent past state (being out of breath). Option C uses past perfect simple, which is less natural for an ongoing cause.
GrammarPoint
A verb tense (had been + -ing) that describes an action continuing up to a point in the past.
They had been working on the audit for weeks before the review.
Expression
'Had been' is the auxiliary + past participle used to form the past perfect continuous (with -ing form).
I had been waiting for an hour before the manager arrived.
Vocabulary
The length of time that something lasts.
The duration of the meeting had been two hours.
GrammarPoint
The -ing form of a verb used in continuous tenses.
Preparing is the present participle of prepare; we use it in had been preparing.
Vocabulary
Describing an action that goes on without stopping over a period of time.
Continuous monitoring had been in place before the incident.