Past perfect continuous

(past perfect progressive)

Pattern I had been waiting you had been waiting he had been waiting she had been waiting it had been waiting we had been waiting you had been waiting they had been waiting I hadn't been waiting you hadn't been waiting he hadn't been waiting she hadn't been waiting it hadn't been waiting we hadn't been waiting you hadn't been waiting they hadn't been waiting had I been waiting? had you been waiting? had he been waiting? had she been waiting? had it been waiting? had we been waiting? had you been waiting? had they been waiting?

Usage Actions that started in the past and continued until a later time in the past. Use for and since to say how long: It's used to emphasize the duration of a past action before another past action:

I had been waiting for the bus for almost an hour when it turned the corner and I saw it coming... Present continuous, past continuous, present perfect continuous and past perfect continuous I am reading a magazine now. (you're reading it at this moment) I was reading a magazine when the doctor called me. (the moment she called me, I was reading) I have been reading a magazine for two hours. (I started to read the magazine and I'm still reading it) I had been reading the magazine for two hours when the doctor called me in. (I started to read the magazine two hours before and continued to read it until the moment the doctor called me in). Practice Fill in the blanks with the verbs in the past perfect continuous 1. She ______________(sleep) for 14 hours when I got home.

2. How long _____he_________(work) in that field when we met? 3. They _____________(play) soccer since early in the morning when they decided to stop to watch the afternoon show on TV.

Answer key
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