past perfect continuous

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

What is past perfect continuous?

The past perfect continuous corresponds to the present perfect continuous, but with reference to a time earlier than 'before now'.

Structure

Examples

• Had you been waiting long before the taxi arrived?
• We had been trying to open the door for five minutes when Jane found her key.
• It had been raining hard for several hours and the streets were very wet.
• Her friends had been thinking of calling the police when she walked in.

Complete using past perfect continuous

• I___ _____ _______(do) HW all day, so I didn't want to go out.
• She___ _____ _______(sleep) for ten hours when I woke her.
• They___ _____ _______(live) in Beijing for three years when he lost his job.
• When we met, you___ _____ _______(work) at that company for six months.
• We___ _____ _______(eat) all day, so we felt a bit ill.
• He was red in the face because he___ _____ _______(run) .
• It___ _____ _______(rain) and the road was covered in water.
• I was really tired because I___ _____ _______(study) .

Complete using past perfect continuous

• I had been doing(do) the HW all day, so I didn't want to go out.
• She had been sleeping (sleep) for ten hours when I woke her.
• They had been living (live) in Beijing for three years when he lost his job.
• When we met, you had been working (work) at that company for six months.
• We had been eating (eat) all day, so we felt a bit ill.
• He was red in the face because he had been running (run) .
• It had been raining(rain) and the road was covered in water.
• I was really tired because I had been studying(study) .