Past Perfect Continuous Tense

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Forming Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Affirmative Form	Subject + had + been + verb(ing)... I had been studying English.
Negative Form	Subject + hadn't + been + verb(ing)... I hadn't been living in poverty.
Question Form	Had + subject + been + verb(ing)...? Had she been sleeping?
Negative Question	Hadn't + subject + been + verb(ing)... Hadn't they been waiting for you?

More Examples

a. The old man had been sleeping on the corner until you came.
b. I had been practicing the violin before my dad arrived.
c. How long had you been learning English before you moved to USA?
d. The students had been waiting for the results until yesterday.
e. Henry had been watching TV before you called him.

Quick Exercise

Complete the following sentences using the present perfect continuous tense form of the verbs in brackets.

1. Mrs. Sally (teach) English for thirty years before she retired.

2. My grandpa (sleep) for three hours when I woke him up.

3. A young boy (stand) at the door until a policeman arrived.

4. Daniel (not work) for months before he was offered a management position.

5. My father (try) to fix the broken pipe for an hour before we eventually called a plumber.

6. The baby (cry) for fifteen minutes before her mother heard her cry.

7. How long (Dan drive)before he fell asleep and had an accident?

8.How long (you teach) before you were offered this position?

Correctness =
Correct answers:

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