by PushtoLearn
Past Perfect Continuous
Table of Contents
Past Perfect Continuous – Exercises
These exercises focus on Past Perfect Continuous
When Do We Use the Past Perfect Continuous?
-
To show an action that started in the past and continued up until another point in the past.
-
Example: She had been studying for hours before she took a break.
(She started studying earlier, kept studying, and stopped when she took a break.) -
To explain the cause of something in the past.
-
Example: They were tired because they had been working all day.
(Working all day explains why they were tired.)
How to Form the Past Perfect Continuous
Structure:
|
Subject |
+ |
had been |
+ verb (with -ing) |
+ Object/Time |
|
I |
had been |
running |
for an hour. |
|
|
She/He |
had been |
studying |
before dinner. |
|
|
We/They |
had been |
waiting |
since 8 a.m. |
Positive Sentences
Subject + had been + verb (-ing) + object/time
-
I had been reading a book for two hours before the movie started.
-
They had been playing football before it started to rain.
Negative Sentences
Subject + had not (hadn’t) been + verb (-ing) + object/time
-
She hadn’t been sleeping well before the exam.
-
We had not been talking much before the argument.
Questions
Had + subject + been + verb (-ing) + object/time?
-
Had you been waiting long before the bus arrived?
-
Had he been studying for the test?
Time Expressions Used with the Past Perfect Continuous
|
Time Expression |
Example |
|
For (a period) |
She had been working for three hours. |
|
Since (a point) |
They had been running since morning. |
|
Before |
I had been watching TV before dinner. |
|
By the time |
By the time we arrived, she had been cleaning. |
Common Mistakes
-
Using the wrong helping verb:
-
Incorrect: She has been working all morning before the guests arrived.
-
Correct: She had been working all morning before the guests arrived.
-
Forgetting the -ing form of the verb:
-
Incorrect: They had been play football.
-
Correct: They had been playing football.
-
Confusing Past Perfect Continuous with Present Perfect Continuous:
-
Present Perfect Continuous: The action continues until now.
Example: I have been reading for two hours. -
Past Perfect Continuous: The action happened before another action in the past.
Example: I had been reading for two hours before dinner.
Everyday Examples
-
Talking About Cause and Effect:
-
I was sweaty because I had been running.
-
Explaining Past Situations:
-
He had been living in London before he moved to Paris.
-
Telling Stories:
-
We had been driving for hours when the car broke down.
FAQ
What’s the difference between Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous?
-
Past Perfect focuses on a completed action:
I had finished my homework before 8 p.m. -
Past Perfect Continuous focuses on the duration of the action:
I had been doing my homework for two hours before 8 p.m.
Can we use Past Perfect Continuous without a time reference?
Yes, but it’s more common to include one:
-
Without time: He had been working hard.
-
With time: He had been working hard all day.
Is it okay to use "when" in Past Perfect Continuous?
Yes!
-
She had been crying when he called.
Do we always need “for” or “since” with this tense?
No, but they are often used to show duration:
-
They had been waiting for an hour.
-
I had been reading before he arrived.
How do I practice the Past Perfect Continuous?
-
Write sentences about your past experiences, focusing on duration.
-
Practice with time expressions like "for," "since," and "before."
