Past perfect continuous tense

1. Concept of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The Past Perfect Continuous Tense is used to describe an action that was happening and ongoing in the past but ended before another action occurred, with both actions concluding in the past. The Past Perfect Continuous emphasizes the accuracy and duration of the actions that took place.

2. Structure of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Where:

• S (subject): The subject of the sentence
• Had: Auxiliary verb
• Been: Past participle of "to be"
• V-ing: Verb with "ing" ending

2.1. Affirmative Sentences

S + had + been + V-ing

✎ Note: "Been" always follows "had".

Examples:

• I had been jogging for 2 hours before it rained.
• They had been playing chess before the quarrel.

2.2. Negative Sentences

S + had + not + been + V-ing

✎ Note: Simply add "not" after the auxiliary verb "had". "Had not" can be contracted to "hadn't".

Examples:

• I hadn't been doing my homework until my teacher reminded me.
• She hadn't been playing sports for 2 months due to a leg injury.

2.3. Question Sentences

Had + S + been + V-ing ?

Answers:

• Yes, S + had
• No, S + hadn't

✎ Note:

• In questions, the auxiliary verb "had" is placed at the beginning of the sentence.
• Questions with "what, how, when, why,..." follow the structure: Wh-word + had + S + been + V-ing ? (Example: Why had you been running away after seeing me?)

Examples:

• Had they been playing sports after I got home?
• Had you been going somewhere after drinking?

3. Uses of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The Past Perfect Continuous Tense is used in various situations. Below are some common uses:

3.1. To describe an action that occurred continuously before another action in the past

Yesterday, when I got up, it was snowing. It had been snowing for three hours.

In reality, the action of it snowing occurred continuously before another action in the past, which was “when I woke up.”

3.2. To describe an action that occurred continuously before a specific point in time in the past

His son had been driving for five hours before 9 p.m. last night.

The action of driving for five hours occurred continuously before a specific point in time: 9 p.m. last night.

3.3. To emphasize the result of an action in the past

This morning he was very tired because he had been working very hard all night.

The state of being “tired” occurred in the past and was the result of “working hard all night” that took place earlier.

4. Signs to Identify the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The Past Perfect Continuous Tense can be recognized by certain words or phrases in the sentence, such as:

Until then: Up to that point

Example:

Until then, I had been living in Danang for 4 years.

➣ By the time: By that moment

• By the time she came back, he had been sleeping for five hours.

➣ Prior to that time: Before that time

• Prior to that time, I had been traveling in Nha Trang for three months.
• Before, after: Before, after
• Before he came, I had been having dinner at 9 o’clock.