English tenses › Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Continuous is for an activity that went on for some time up to a moment in the past.
Form
When to use it
Duration up to a past moment
With for and since.
She had been travelling for a year before she came home.
Cause of a past situation
Explains what someone saw or felt then.
His eyes were red. He had been crying.
Time words
for, since, all day, how long, before, by the time
Examples
- We had been driving for hours when the car broke down.
- How long had you been waiting?
- I had been working there for five years.
- The ground was wet. It had been raining.
- They hadn’t been sleeping well.
- He had been studying all night.
Common mistake
I was waiting for two hours when she came.
I had been waiting for two hours when she came.
With for + time up to a past moment, use Past Perfect Continuous.
Past Perfect Continuous or Past Perfect?
Past Perfect Continuous stresses how long; Past Perfect stresses what was done: She had been painting all day. She had painted three rooms. More about Past Perfect.
Hear it in videos
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