{"id":3835,"date":"2021-05-20T11:20:38","date_gmt":"2021-05-20T18:20:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/ielts\/?p=3835"},"modified":"2021-05-20T11:21:02","modified_gmt":"2021-05-20T18:21:02","slug":"past-perfect-continuous-tense-how-and-when-to-use-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/ielts\/past-perfect-continuous-tense-how-and-when-to-use-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Past Perfect Continuous Tense: How and When to Use It"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Past<\/p>\n

This article focuses on the past perfect continuous tense<\/em><\/strong>. To see resources and breakdowns of each verb tense, visit the 12 English Verb Tenses<\/a> page.<\/p>\n

Forming the Past Perfect Continuous Tense (with Tables)<\/h2>\n

Quick Reference Table: The Past Perfect Continuous Tense in All Forms<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

KEY<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Ving \u2192 Present Participle<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Forms<\/em><\/strong><\/td>\nVerbs<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
+<\/strong><\/td>\nHad + been + Ving<\/strong><\/p>\n

I had been writing<\/em><\/strong> for an hour when they called about the event.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

?<\/strong><\/td>\nHad + subject + been + Ving<\/strong><\/p>\n

Had you been working<\/em><\/strong> for three hours when they called?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

–<\/strong><\/td>\nHad + not + been + Ving<\/strong><\/p>\n

I had not been working<\/em><\/strong> for very long when they called.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The formula for writing the past perfect continuous tense is: had + been + present participle<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Examples:<\/p>\n