PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS [had been + present participle] Examples: You had been waiting there for more

e than two hours when she finally arrived. ad you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived? You had n!t been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived. USE " #$rati!n %e&!re S!'ething in the Past

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. " or five minutes" and "for two wee!s" are "oth durations which can "e used with the Past Perfect Continuous. #otice that this is related to the Present Perfect Continuous$ however% the duration does not continue until now% it stops "efore something else in the past. Examples: &hey had been tal(ing for over an hour "efore &ony arrived. 'he had been w!r(ing at that company for three years when it went out of "usiness. (ow long had you been waiting to get on the "us? )i!e wanted to sit down "ecause he had been standing all day at wor!. *ames had been teaching at the university for more than a year "efore he left for +sia. +: (ow long had you been st$d)ing &ur!ish "efore you moved to +n!ara? ,: - had n!t been st$d)ing &ur!ish very long. USE * Ca$se !& S!'ething in the Past

.sing the Past Perfect Continuous "efore another action in the past is a good way to show cause and effect. Examples: *ason was tired "ecause he had been +!gging. 'am gained weight "ecause he had been !,ereating. ,etty failed the final test "ecause she had n!t been attending class. Past C!ntin$!$s ,s- Past Per&ect C!ntin$!$s -f you do not include a duration such as "for five minutes%" "for two wee!s" or "since riday%" many English spea!ers choose to use the Past Continuous rather than the Past Perfect Continuous. ,e careful "ecause this can change the meaning of the sentence. Past Continuous emphasi/es interrupted actions% whereas Past Perfect Continuous emphasi/es a duration of time "efore something in the past. 'tudy the examples "elow to understand the difference. Examples: (e was tired "ecause he was e.ercising so hard. THIS SENTENCE EMPHASIZES THAT HE WAS TIRED BECAUSE HE WAS EXERCISING AT THAT EXACT MOMENT. (e was tired "ecause he had been e.ercising so hard. THIS SENTENCE EMPHASIZES THAT HE WAS TIRED BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN EXERCISING OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT HE WAS STILL EXERCISING AT THAT MOMENT OR THAT HE HAD JUST FINISHED. RE/E/%ER N!n0C!ntin$!$s 1erbs 2 /i.ed 1erbs -t is important to remem"er that #on0Continuous 1er"s cannot "e used in any continuous tenses. +lso% certain non0continuous meanings for )ixed 1er"s cannot "e used in continuous tenses. -nstead of using Past Perfect Continuous with these ver"s% you must use Past Perfect. Examples:

&he motorcycle had been bel!nging to 2eorge for years "efore &ina "ought it. Not Correct &he motorcycle had bel!nged to 2eorge for years "efore &ina "ought it. Correct

A#1ER% P3ACE/ENT &he examples "elow show the placement for grammar adver"s such as: always% only% never% ever% still% 3ust% etc. Examples: You had !nl) "een waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived. (ad you !nl) "een waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived? ACTI1E 2 PASSI1E Examples: Chef *ones had been preparing the restaurant4s fantastic dinners for two years "efore he moved to Paris. ACTIVE &he restaurant4s fantastic dinners had been being prepared "y Chef *ones for two years "efore he moved to Paris. PASSIVE #5&E: Passive forms of the Past Perfect Continuous are not common.