Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Past Perfect Continuous Tense is also known as Past Perfect Progressive Tense. The Past Perfect Continuous Tense is used for an action that began before a certain point in the past and continued up to that time; as,

1. At that time he had been writing a novel for two months.
2. When Mr. Abdul Rehman came to the university in 1995, Mr. Ali had already been teaching there for five years.

Time reference is found in these sentences which gives an idea that action has continued from some time.

Note: If there is no time reference or sense of time reference, then it is not Past Perfect Continuous Tense because there is no hint about the time of action when it started in past or continued for some time period, so it seems just an ongoing action in past which resembles "Past Continuous Tense". So the reference of time differentiates between Past Perfect Continuous Tense and Past Continuous Tense.

Rules: Helping Verbs "had been" are used in sentence. 1st form of Verb +ing is used as main verb in sentence. "Since" or "for" is used before the "time reference" in sentence. If the reference is made to point of time such as 2002, 7 O'clock then "since" is used before the time in sentence. If the reference is made to period of time such as three hours, six years, four days, then "for" is used before the time in sentence.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense Formula

Here are Past Perfect Continuous Tense formulas to understand its structure and make correct sentences of all types of this tense.

Positive Sentence Formula

• Subject + helping verbs (had been) + (1st form of verb+ing) + object + time reference

Examples

1. She had been writing a letter for three hours.
2. He had been living here since 1999.

Negative Sentence Formula

• Subject + (had not been) + (1st form of verb+ing) + object + time reference

Examples

1. She had not been writing a letter for three hours.
2. He had not been living here since 1999.

Interrogative Sentence Formula

• Helping verb (Had) + subject + helping verb (been) + (1st form of verb+ing) + object + time reference

• Helping verb "Had" is placed at the beginning of sentence.

Examples

1. Had she been writing a letter for three hours?
2. Had he been living here since 1999?
3. Where had he been working for six months?

• The words "what, where, when, how, etc." will be used before "had" in such kind of interrogative sentences.

Interrogative Negative Sentence Formula

• Helping verb ("Had") + subject + not + helping verb (been) + (1st form of verb+ing) + object + time reference

• In Past Perfect Continuous Tense, interrogative negative sentence starts with "Had".
• "not" is used after the subject.

Examples

1. Had she not been singing for ten years?
2. Had we not been studying since 1 O' clock?

Rule: Must put Question Mark (?) in the end of interrogative and interrogative negative sentences.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense Examples

List of model sentences of Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Positive Sentences
10 Positive Sentences of Past Perfect Continuous Tense

1. He had been playing hockey for two hours.
2. She had been cooking in this hotel for many months.
3. They had been watching movies for many hours.
4. We had been living here since 1998.
5. You had been eating for one hour.
6. I had been teaching since 2002.
7. I had been reading this book for two hours
8. The students had been doing these sums since morning
9. We had been drawing maps since noon
10. Mr. Rahat had been teaching in this school since 1968

Negative Sentences
10 Negative Sentences of Past Perfect Continuous Tense.

1. He had not been playing hockey for two hours.
2. It had not been raining since morning.
3. They had not been watching movies for many hours.
4. We had not been living here since 1998.
5. You had not been eating for one hour.
6. I had not been teaching since 2002.
7. I had not been reading this book for two hours
8. The bird had not been flying in the air since long.
9. The masons had not been building that house for several days.
10. We had not been practicing hockey since long

Interrogative Sentences
10 Interrogative Sentences of Past Perfect Continuous Tense.

1. Had he been playing hockey for two hours?
2. Had she been cooking in this hotel for many months?
3. Had it been raining since morning?
4. Had we been living here since 1998?
5. Had I been teaching since 2002?
6. Had I been reading this book for two hours?
7. Had the bird been flying in the air since long?
8. Had the masons been building that house for several days?
9. Had we been practicing hockey since long?
10. How had he been dancing for many hours?

Interrogative Negative Sentences
10 Interrogative Negative Sentences of Past Perfect Continuous Tense.

1. Had she not been cooking in this hotel for many months?
2. Had I not been sleeping from morning to evening?
3. Had we not been travelling for 10 hours from 6:00am to 4:00pm?
4. Had you not been eating for one hour?
5. Had they not been watching movies for many hours?
6. Had it not been raining since morning?
7. Had I not been reading this book for two hours?
8. Had the students not been doing these sums since morning?
9. Had we not been drawing maps since noon?
10. Had Mr. Rahat not been teaching in this school since 1968?

1. Present Simple (Indefinite) Tense
2. Present Continuous Tense
3. Present Perfect Tense
4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

5. Past Simple (Indefinite) Tense
6. Past Continuous Tense
7. Past Perfect Tense
8. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

9. Future Indefinite (Simple) Tense
10. Future Continuous Tense
11. Future Perfect Tense
12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

1. How Many Tenses in English
2. The Sequence of Tenses