The past perfect continuous tense is used to describe a completed long action in the past that was completed before another completed action in the past.
- I had been waiting for three hours when he arrived.
(completed long action in the past/first action/waiting for three hours – completed action in the past/second action/he arrived) - I had been studying French for two years before I went to Paris.
(completed long action in the past/first action/had been studying – completed action in the past/second action/went to Paris)
The past perfect continuous tense is formed using had been + present participle/continuous form of the verb.
- I had been running all morning.
(subject/I + had been + present participle/running)
The negative is formed using subject + had + not + been + present participle/continuous form of the verb.
- I had not been running all morning.
(subject/I + had + not + been + present participle/running)
The question is formed using question word + had + subject + been + present participle/continuous form of the verb.
- When had he been running?
(question word/when + had + subject/he + been + present participle/running)
For yes/no questions it is formed using had + subject + been + present participle/continuous form of the verb.
- Had he been running all morning?
(had + subject/he + been + present participle/running)
Common mistakes with tenses.
