Past Perfect Continuous Tense 

In this tutorial you will learn about the Past Perfect Continuous Tense  and its application with practical example.

                                         Past Perfect Continuous Tense 

Past Perfect Continuous Tense refers to:

Table Of Contents−
  1. An action that had started in past and kept going on for a particular time: We had been writing this book since year 2020.
  2. In this tense, we mention duration of time of the action: I had been working in this institution for three years.
  3. An action that had ended at the time of speaking: My country had been keeping a close watch over the vaccination data. (now, it is over)

Formula:

  1. POSITIVE/AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES:
S   +    HAD   +   BEEN   +        V+ing   +    O.   +   SINCE/FOR/TILL   +   TIME.

I                had              been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock.
We           had              been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock.
You          had              been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock.
They        had              been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock.
Kids         had              been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock.
He           had              been        playing      chess               since               2 o’clock.
She          had              been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock.
It              had              been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock.
Ravi         had              been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock.

  1. NEGATIVE SENTENCES:
S   +      HADN’T   +   BEEN   +   V+ing   +    O.   +   SINCE/FOR   +   TIME.

I               hadn’t             been        playing     chess          since               2 o’clock.
We          hadn’t             been        playing     chess          since               2 o’clock.
You         hadn’t             been        playing     chess          since               2 o’clock.
They       hadn’t             been        playing     chess          since               2 o’clock.
Kids        hadn’t             been        playing     chess          since               2 o’clock.
He          hadn’t             been        playing     chess          since                2 o’clock.
She        hadn’t             been        playing     chess           since                2 o’clock.
It            hadn’t             been        playing     chess           since                2 o’clock.
Ravi       hadn’t             been        playing     chess           since                2 o’clock.

  1. INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES:
HAD   +     S      +   BEEN   +   V+ing   +    O.   +   SINCE/FOR   +   TIME?

Had               I               been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock?
Had               we           been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock?
Had               you         been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock?
Had               they        been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock?
Had               kids        been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock?
Had               he           been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock?
Had               she         been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock?
Had               It             been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock?
Had               Ravi        been        playing     chess               since               2 o’clock?

  1. INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE SENTENCES:
HADN’T   +          S      +       BEEN   +      V+ing   +      O.   +   SINCE/FOR   +   TIME?

Hadn’t                         I               been       playing               chess         since                  2 o’clock?
Hadn’t                         we          been        playing               chess         since                  2 o’clock?
Hadn’t                         you        been        playing               chess         since                  2 o’clock?
Hadn’t                         they       been        playing               chess         since                  2 o’clock?
Hadn’t                         kids        been        playing               chess         since                  2 o’clock?
Hadn’t                         he           been        playing               chess        since                  2 o’clock?
Hadn’t                         she         been        playing               chess        since                  2 o’clock?
Hadn’t                         it             been        playing               chess        since                  2 o’clock?
Hadn’t                         Ravi        been        playing               chess        since                  2 o’clock?

NOTE: In this tense, we also use ending time of the action we do. To show ending time, we use “TILL” and it doesn’t matter whether the time is point of time or period of time .

In this tutorial we have learn about the Past Perfect Continuous Tense  and its application with practical example. I hope you will like this tutorial.