About us
Our goal is not to overload students with heavy grammar, turning them into philologists, but to teach a real, living language. The one you hear in a store, the one that allows you to communicate, meet people and clearly articulate your thoughts in a foreign language.
sales team
Past Perfect Continuous in English
16.03.2024
3 minutes to read
Table of contents
- Rules for using Past Perfect Continuous
- How to construct a sentence
- How to construct a negation
- How to construct a question
- How to build a statement
- Paste Perfect Continuous Time Markers
- Verbs of state
- Past Perfect Continuous or Past Perfect
- Past Perfect Continuous or Present Perfect Continuous
- Examples of use of the time Past Perfect Continence
Rules for using Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Continuous is a tense in English that is used to express a long action that began and continued in the past until a certain point in the past. Here are some rules for using Past Perfect Continuous:
Expression of Duration: Past Perfect Continuous is used when you want to indicate the duration of an action in the past up to a certain point. For example:
● He had been studying English for two years before he moved to London.
Relation to other events in the past: Past Perfect Continuous is also used to emphasize the duration of an action up to a certain point in the past after which another event occurred. For example:
● She was tired because she had been working all day.
Comparing the duration of two actions: Past Perfect Continuous allows you to compare the duration of two actions in the past. For example:
● I realized he had been waiting for me for hours.
Use with "for" and "since": Past Perfect Continuous is often used with the prepositions "for" and "since" to indicate the length of time an action has been taking place. For example:
● She had been living in Paris for five years before she moved to Rome.
Polite Form of Time Expression: Past Perfect Continuous can be used to express politeness or formal character in a story. For example:
● He had been working on the project for several months when he finally presented it to the board.
Remember that Past Perfect Continuous is formed by using the auxiliary verb "had" in the past tense, followed by the verb "to be" in Past Participle form, and then the main verb with the ending "-ing".
Expression of Duration: Past Perfect Continuous is used when you want to indicate the duration of an action in the past up to a certain point. For example:
● He had been studying English for two years before he moved to London.
Relation to other events in the past: Past Perfect Continuous is also used to emphasize the duration of an action up to a certain point in the past after which another event occurred. For example:
● She was tired because she had been working all day.
Comparing the duration of two actions: Past Perfect Continuous allows you to compare the duration of two actions in the past. For example:
● I realized he had been waiting for me for hours.
Use with "for" and "since": Past Perfect Continuous is often used with the prepositions "for" and "since" to indicate the length of time an action has been taking place. For example:
● She had been living in Paris for five years before she moved to Rome.
Polite Form of Time Expression: Past Perfect Continuous can be used to express politeness or formal character in a story. For example:
● He had been working on the project for several months when he finally presented it to the board.
Remember that Past Perfect Continuous is formed by using the auxiliary verb "had" in the past tense, followed by the verb "to be" in Past Participle form, and then the main verb with the ending "-ing".
Auxiliary verb "had": The first step is to use the auxiliary verb "had" in the past tense. This indicates that the action took place before a certain point in the past. Example:
● She had been studying English for two years.
Past Participle verb "to be": The auxiliary verb "had" is followed by the Past Participle verb "to be", i.e. "been". Example:
● He had been working all day.
The main verb with the ending "-ing": Then comes the main verb with the ending "-ing" which indicates the duration of the action. Example:
● They had been waiting for the bus for over an hour.
Additions and Supplementary Information: After constructing the main sentence, additions can be added to give more details about the event or circumstances. Example:
● She had been studying English for two years before she moved to London.
Thus, to construct a sentence in Past Perfect Continuous, you must use the auxiliary verb "had", followed by the verb "to be" in Past Participle form ("been"), and then the main verb with the ending "-ing".
● She had been studying English for two years.
Past Participle verb "to be": The auxiliary verb "had" is followed by the Past Participle verb "to be", i.e. "been". Example:
● He had been working all day.
The main verb with the ending "-ing": Then comes the main verb with the ending "-ing" which indicates the duration of the action. Example:
● They had been waiting for the bus for over an hour.
Additions and Supplementary Information: After constructing the main sentence, additions can be added to give more details about the event or circumstances. Example:
● She had been studying English for two years before she moved to London.
Thus, to construct a sentence in Past Perfect Continuous, you must use the auxiliary verb "had", followed by the verb "to be" in Past Participle form ("been"), and then the main verb with the ending "-ing".
How to construct a sentence
To construct a negative sentence in Past Perfect Continuous, you add the negative form of the auxiliary verb "had" before the verb "to be" (in the Past Participle form "been"). Then use the particle "not" after the verb "to be" and then the main verb with the ending "-ing". Here's an example:
Form: Subject + had not + been + Verb-ing
Example of a negative sentence in Past Perfect Continuous:
● She had not been studying English for two years.
In this sentence, "had not" is the negative form of the auxiliary verb "had", "been" is the verb "to be" in Past Participle form, and "studying" is the main verb with the ending "-ing" indicating the duration of the action.
Form: Subject + had not + been + Verb-ing
Example of a negative sentence in Past Perfect Continuous:
● She had not been studying English for two years.
In this sentence, "had not" is the negative form of the auxiliary verb "had", "been" is the verb "to be" in Past Participle form, and "studying" is the main verb with the ending "-ing" indicating the duration of the action.
How to construct a negation
To construct a question in Past Perfect Continuous, the word order is reversed, with the auxiliary verb "had" placed before the subject. This is followed by the auxiliary verb "to be" in the Past Participle form "been" and then the main verb with the ending "-ing". Here is an example:
Form: Had + Subject + been + Verb-ing + ...?
Example of a question in Past Perfect Continuous:
● Had she been studying English for two years?
Here "Had" is at the beginning of the sentence, "she" is the subject, "been" is the verb "to be" in Past Participle form, "studying" is the main verb with the ending "-ing", and the question mark is placed at the end of the sentence.
Form: Had + Subject + been + Verb-ing + ...?
Example of a question in Past Perfect Continuous:
● Had she been studying English for two years?
Here "Had" is at the beginning of the sentence, "she" is the subject, "been" is the verb "to be" in Past Participle form, "studying" is the main verb with the ending "-ing", and the question mark is placed at the end of the sentence.
How to construct a question
Past Perfect Continuous uses the auxiliary verb "had" in the past tense, followed by the auxiliary verb "to be" in the Past Participle form "been", and then the main verb with the ending "-ing" to construct a statement. Here's an example:
Form: Subject + had + been + Verb-ing + ....
Example of a statement in Past Perfect Continuous:
● She had been studying English for two years.
Here "She" is the subject, "had" is the auxiliary verb in the past tense, "been" is the verb "to be" in Past Participle form, "studying" is the main verb with the ending "-ing" indicating the duration of the action.
Form: Subject + had + been + Verb-ing + ....
Example of a statement in Past Perfect Continuous:
● She had been studying English for two years.
Here "She" is the subject, "had" is the auxiliary verb in the past tense, "been" is the verb "to be" in Past Participle form, "studying" is the main verb with the ending "-ing" indicating the duration of the action.
How to build a statement
These time markers help clarify context and time in the use of Past Perfect Continuous in sentences.
For / Since: These time markers usually indicate the duration of an action in the past up to a certain point. "For" is used to indicate a time period and "since" indicates the exact beginning of an action. For example:
● She had been working on the project for three hours.
● He had been studying English since he was a child.
By + time: This time marker indicates the end point or deadline by which the action should have been completed. For example:
● She had been waiting for him by 6 o'clock.
When / As: These time markers are used to indicate an event that occurred during a continuous action in the past. For example:
● He had been working on his assignment when the phone rang.
● As she had been driving home, she saw an accident.
Before / After: These time markers help to establish the sequence of events. "Before" indicates an event that occurred before the beginning of a continuous action, and "after" indicates an event that occurred after the end of the action. For example:
● She had been studying for the exam before she met her friends.
● After she had been waiting for an hour, the bus finally arrived.
All day / all morning / all night: These time markers indicate the duration of an action over a specific time period. For example:
● He had been working all day.
● She had been sleeping all night.
For / Since: These time markers usually indicate the duration of an action in the past up to a certain point. "For" is used to indicate a time period and "since" indicates the exact beginning of an action. For example:
● She had been working on the project for three hours.
● He had been studying English since he was a child.
By + time: This time marker indicates the end point or deadline by which the action should have been completed. For example:
● She had been waiting for him by 6 o'clock.
When / As: These time markers are used to indicate an event that occurred during a continuous action in the past. For example:
● He had been working on his assignment when the phone rang.
● As she had been driving home, she saw an accident.
Before / After: These time markers help to establish the sequence of events. "Before" indicates an event that occurred before the beginning of a continuous action, and "after" indicates an event that occurred after the end of the action. For example:
● She had been studying for the exam before she met her friends.
● After she had been waiting for an hour, the bus finally arrived.
All day / all morning / all night: These time markers indicate the duration of an action over a specific time period. For example:
● He had been working all day.
● She had been sleeping all night.
Paste Perfect Continuous Time Markers
State verbs are verbs that indicate a state or condition rather than an action, and are not usually used in Continuous (Continuous verb forms such as Present Continuous, Past Continuous, etc.). They describe permanent or long-lasting states, not specific actions. In Past Perfect Continuous, state verbs can be used, but their use is usually limited.
Some examples of state verbs:
● to be
● to have
● to like
● to love
● to hate
● to know
● to understand
● to believe
● to prefer
● to belong
● to seem
● to resemble
● to contain
● to consist
Some of these verbs can be used in Continuous forms if they are used in a specific context that implies a temporary state rather than a permanent one. However, even in Past Perfect Continuous, where Continuous forms are allowed, state verbs are not always used with them because they describe permanent or stable states that do not change over time.
Some examples of state verbs:
● to be
● to have
● to like
● to love
● to hate
● to know
● to understand
● to believe
● to prefer
● to belong
● to seem
● to resemble
● to contain
● to consist
Some of these verbs can be used in Continuous forms if they are used in a specific context that implies a temporary state rather than a permanent one. However, even in Past Perfect Continuous, where Continuous forms are allowed, state verbs are not always used with them because they describe permanent or stable states that do not change over time.
Verbs of state
The difference between Past Perfect Continuous and Past Perfect is how they convey duration and whether they emphasize process or result.
Past Perfect Continuous:
● This tense is used to express a prolonged action that began in the past and continued until a certain point in the past.
● It often emphasizes the duration and/or persistence of an action in the past.
● Example: "By the time I arrived, she had been waiting for hours."
Past Perfect:
● This tense is used to indicate that one action occurred before another in the past.
● It focuses on the finality of an action or state by a certain point in the past.
● Example: "When I arrived, she had already left."
Thus, the main difference between Past Perfect Continuous and Past Perfect is that Past Perfect Continuous emphasizes the duration of an action, while Past Perfect emphasizes the completion or result of an action by a certain point in the past.
Past Perfect Continuous:
● This tense is used to express a prolonged action that began in the past and continued until a certain point in the past.
● It often emphasizes the duration and/or persistence of an action in the past.
● Example: "By the time I arrived, she had been waiting for hours."
Past Perfect:
● This tense is used to indicate that one action occurred before another in the past.
● It focuses on the finality of an action or state by a certain point in the past.
● Example: "When I arrived, she had already left."
Thus, the main difference between Past Perfect Continuous and Past Perfect is that Past Perfect Continuous emphasizes the duration of an action, while Past Perfect emphasizes the completion or result of an action by a certain point in the past.
Past Perfect Continuous or Past Perfect
These time markers help clarify context and time in the use of Past Perfect Continuous in sentences.
For / Since: These time markers usually indicate the duration of an action in the past up to a certain point. "For" is used to indicate a time period and "since" indicates the exact beginning of an action. For example:
● She had been working on the project for three hours.
● He had been studying English since he was a child.
By + time: This time marker indicates the end point or deadline by which the action should have been completed. For example:
● She had been waiting for him by 6 o'clock.
When / As: These time markers are used to indicate an event that occurred during a continuous action in the past. For example:
● He had been working on his assignment when the phone rang.
● As she had been driving home, she saw an accident.
Before / After: These time markers help to establish the sequence of events. "Before" indicates an event that occurred before the beginning of a continuous action, and "after" indicates an event that occurred after the end of the action. For example:
● She had been studying for the exam before she met her friends.
● After she had been waiting for an hour, the bus finally arrived.
All day / all morning / all night: These time markers indicate the duration of an action over a specific time period. For example:
● He had been working all day.
● She had been sleeping all night.
For / Since: These time markers usually indicate the duration of an action in the past up to a certain point. "For" is used to indicate a time period and "since" indicates the exact beginning of an action. For example:
● She had been working on the project for three hours.
● He had been studying English since he was a child.
By + time: This time marker indicates the end point or deadline by which the action should have been completed. For example:
● She had been waiting for him by 6 o'clock.
When / As: These time markers are used to indicate an event that occurred during a continuous action in the past. For example:
● He had been working on his assignment when the phone rang.
● As she had been driving home, she saw an accident.
Before / After: These time markers help to establish the sequence of events. "Before" indicates an event that occurred before the beginning of a continuous action, and "after" indicates an event that occurred after the end of the action. For example:
● She had been studying for the exam before she met her friends.
● After she had been waiting for an hour, the bus finally arrived.
All day / all morning / all night: These time markers indicate the duration of an action over a specific time period. For example:
● He had been working all day.
● She had been sleeping all night.
Past Perfect Continuous or Present Perfect Continuous
State verbs are verbs that indicate a state or condition rather than an action, and are not usually used in Continuous (Continuous verb forms such as Present Continuous, Past Continuous, etc.). They describe permanent or long-lasting states, not specific actions. In Past Perfect Continuous, state verbs can be used, but their use is usually limited.
Some examples of state verbs:
● to be
● to have
● to like
● to love
● to hate
● to know
● to understand
● to believe
● to prefer
● to belong
● to seem
● to resemble
● to contain
● to consist
Some of these verbs can be used in Continuous forms if they are used in a specific context that implies a temporary state rather than a permanent one. However, even in Past Perfect Continuous, where Continuous forms are allowed, state verbs are not always used with them because they describe permanent or stable states that do not change over time.
Some examples of state verbs:
● to be
● to have
● to like
● to love
● to hate
● to know
● to understand
● to believe
● to prefer
● to belong
● to seem
● to resemble
● to contain
● to consist
Some of these verbs can be used in Continuous forms if they are used in a specific context that implies a temporary state rather than a permanent one. However, even in Past Perfect Continuous, where Continuous forms are allowed, state verbs are not always used with them because they describe permanent or stable states that do not change over time.
Examples of use of the time Past Perfect Continence
This website uses cookies to give you the best possible experience.
OK
