The past perfect continuous is used to describe an action that started in the past and and was still in progress when a second action started.

 

Synonym

 

• past perfect progressive

 

The past perfect continous is formed from the past tense of      the verb to have  ,

 

the   past participle    of             the verb to be and the     present continous    of a verb.

 

FORM

[had been + gerund form of a verb]

 

Examples:

 

• You had been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.

• Had you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived?

• You had not been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.

 

 

When should we use the past perfect continuous tense?

 

 

• We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until

another time in the past.

 

They had been talking for over an hour before Tony arrived.

however, the duration does not continue until now.

She had been working at that company for three years when it went out of business.

it stops before something else in the past.

How long had you been waiting to get on the bus?

 

• Using the Past Perfect Continuous before another action in the past is a good way to show cause and effect.

 

Jason was tired because he had been jogging.

Sam gained weight because he had been overeating.

Betty failed the final test because she had not been attending class.

 

• We use advers of frecuency along with past perfect past.

 

You had only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived.

They had always been driving this road, now they will have to find a new one.

We had never been working this hard, but it is the perfect time of the year.