THE PAST
PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Here's how to make the past perfect
continuous. It's 'had' + been (the past participle of 'be')+ verb-ing
Firstly, let's look at the positive
form:
●
I had been
living
●
You had been
going
●
She had been
sleeping
●
He had been
working
●
It had been
raining
●
We had been
studying
●
They had been cooking
The short form is: 'd been verb-ing. Be careful, because
the short form for 'would' is also 'd.
However, 'would' is always followed by the infinitive, but 'had' is followed by
the past participle.
Next, the negative form:
●
I had not been trying (I hadn't been..)
●
You had not been working (you hadn't been..)
●
She had not been crying (she hadn't been..)
●
He had not been shopping (he hadn't been..)
●
It had not been snowing (it hadn't been..)
●
We had not been reading (we hadn't been..)
●
They had not been running (they hadn't been..)
Here's an
exercise about the negative 'Yes / no' questions:
●
Had I been
working?
●
Had you been
sleeping?
●
Had she been
reading?
●
Had he been watching TV?
●
Had it been
raining?
●
Had we been
drinking?
●
Had they been eating?
'Wh'
questions:
●
Where had I been working?
●
How long had you been sleeping?
●
What had she been reading?
●
How long had he been watching TV?
●
How long had it been raining?
●
What had we been drinking?
●
Why had they been eating?
➤➤Exercise
22. Past Perfect Continuous or Past Simple
Make the past perfect continuous
or the past simple:
1. I (arrive).
(wait) for
hours, so I was really glad when the bus finally
2. Why
(be) the baby’s face so dirty? He
(eat) chocolate.
3.
I
(see) John
yesterday, but he
(run) so he was too tired to chat.
4.
It (rain)
and the pavement (be)
covered with puddles.
5.
When I
(arrive), it
was clear that she
(work). There were papers
all over the floor and books
everywhere.
6. They exhausted.
(study) all day
so, when we
(meet), they were
7. The boss break.
(talk) to clients on Skype for hours, so she
(want) a
8. I strange.
(drink) coffee all morning. By lunchtime, I
(feel) really
9. Lucy one.
(hope) for a new car, so she was delighted when she
(get)
10. I (dream) about a holiday in Greece! I
couldn’t believe it when my
husband (book) one as a surprise!
