Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The Past Perfect Continuous tense is used to express something that started in the past and continued until another time in the past.

POSITIVE STATEMENTS:

SUBJECT - HAD BEEN - VERB+ing - REST OF THE SENTENCE

I - had been - standing - at the bus stop for thirty minutes.

You - had been - standing - at the bus stop for thirty minutes.

He - had been - standing - at the bus stop for thirty minutes.

Mohan - had been - standing - at the bus stop for thirty minutes.

The boy - had been - standing - at the bus stop for thirty minutes.

She - had been - standing - at the bus stop for thirty minutes.

Pooja - had been - standing - at the bus stop for thirty minutes.

The girl - had been - standing - at the bus stop for thirty minutes.

We - had been - standing - at the bus stop for thirty minutes.

You - had been - standing - at the bus stop for thirty minutes.

They - had been - standing - at the bus stop for thirty minutes.

The children - had been - standing - at the bus stop for thirty minutes.


Notice that we use ‘had been’ and the verb + ing the same for all subjects.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS:

SUBJECT - HAD NOT BEEN - VERB+ing - REST OF THE SENTENCE

I - had not been - exercising - at the gymnasium.

You - had not been - exercising - at the gymnasium.

He - had not been - exercising - at the gymnasium.

Mohan - had not been - exercising - at the gymnasium.

The boy - had not been - exercising - at the gymnasium.

She - had not been - exercising - at the gymnasium.

Pooja - had not been - exercising - at the gymnasium.

The girl - had not been - exercising - at the gymnasium.

We - had not been - exercising - at the gymnasium.

You - had not been - exercising - at the gymnasium.

They - had not been - exercising - at the gymnasium.

The children - had not been - exercising - at the gymnasium.


Notice that we use ‘had not been’ and the verb + ing form for all subjects.

INTERROGATIVE STATEMENTS / QUESTIONS:

HAD - SUBJECT - BEEN - VERB+ing - REST OF THE SENTENCE

Had - I - been - waiting - for a long time?

Had - you - been - waiting - for a long time?

Had - he - been - waiting - for a long time?

Had - Mohan - been - waiting - for a long time?

Had - the boy - been - waiting - for a long time?

Had - she - been - waiting - for a long time?

Had - Pooja - been - waiting - for a long time?

Had - the girl - been - waiting - for a long time?

Had - we - been - waiting - for a long time?

Had - you - been - waiting - for a long time?

Had - they - been - waiting - for a long time?

Had - the men - been - waiting - for a long time?