Using Past Perfect Continuous Tense
The past perfect continuous tense looks like this: had + been + verbing
English users should note that the past perfect continuous tense is very different from the present perfect continuous tense and both tenses indicate actions that happened in different situations. Therefore, NEVER replace the present perfect continuous tense with the past perfect continuous tense in the same sentence!
How is the past perfect continuous tense used in English sentences? The past perfect continuous tense is used to indicate an action that started some time in the past and it went on for an uncertain or a certain length of time when another different action happened.
Imagine this situation that happened yesterday.
Mrs Lee's little girl started to cry at 2 pm yesterday and she went on and cried for almost one hour. Then Mrs Lee got furious and told her to stop crying. Now I'm talking to Mrs Lee and she's telling me about her tearful daughter who cried yesterday. Mrs Lee can use the past perfect continuous tense in her sentence like this:
My little girl had been crying for almost one hour when I told her to stop.
Another situation that happened last Monday afternoon.
Imagine you were doing your assignment. You started at 4 pm and continued to do your assignment for 30 minutes. Then the doorbell rang. Note that when you heard the doorbell ringing, you were still at your desk doing your assignment! Now you're telling me what happened. You can use the past perfect continuous tense in your sentence like this:
I had been doing my assignment for 30 minutes when I heard the doorbell ring.
More examples:
She had been washing the clothes for quite some time when she heard someone knocking at the door.
The van had been speeding before it plunged into the ditch.
Refer to the notes on the present perfect continuous tense and look for this sentence in the given examples.
The roof has been leaking since we moved into the house.
It will be incorrect to say:
The roof had been leaking since we moved into the house.
Therefore, never simply replace the present perfect continuous tense with the past perfect continuous tense in the same sentence.
Click on "References" or "grammar" to view other tenses.
English users should note that the past perfect continuous tense is very different from the present perfect continuous tense and both tenses indicate actions that happened in different situations. Therefore, NEVER replace the present perfect continuous tense with the past perfect continuous tense in the same sentence!
How is the past perfect continuous tense used in English sentences? The past perfect continuous tense is used to indicate an action that started some time in the past and it went on for an uncertain or a certain length of time when another different action happened.
Imagine this situation that happened yesterday.
Mrs Lee's little girl started to cry at 2 pm yesterday and she went on and cried for almost one hour. Then Mrs Lee got furious and told her to stop crying. Now I'm talking to Mrs Lee and she's telling me about her tearful daughter who cried yesterday. Mrs Lee can use the past perfect continuous tense in her sentence like this:
My little girl had been crying for almost one hour when I told her to stop.
Another situation that happened last Monday afternoon.
Imagine you were doing your assignment. You started at 4 pm and continued to do your assignment for 30 minutes. Then the doorbell rang. Note that when you heard the doorbell ringing, you were still at your desk doing your assignment! Now you're telling me what happened. You can use the past perfect continuous tense in your sentence like this:
I had been doing my assignment for 30 minutes when I heard the doorbell ring.
More examples:
She had been washing the clothes for quite some time when she heard someone knocking at the door.
The van had been speeding before it plunged into the ditch.
Refer to the notes on the present perfect continuous tense and look for this sentence in the given examples.
The roof has been leaking since we moved into the house.
It will be incorrect to say:
The roof had been leaking since we moved into the house.
Therefore, never simply replace the present perfect continuous tense with the past perfect continuous tense in the same sentence.
Click on "References" or "grammar" to view other tenses.
By Susan L
On 12/10/2009 05:10:00 PM
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View More Articles... On 12/10/2009 05:10:00 PM
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