Past Perfect Continuous Tense Structure with Rules and Examples

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Past Perfect Continuous Tense Structure has been provided here with rules of use and practical examples. This Past Perfect Continuous Tense Structure is an important topic in English Grammar as we need it for writing as well as speaking.

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Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Past Perfect Continuous tense is used to talk about actions that started before a certain point in the past and continued up to that point. For Example,

Example: Mother had been cooking biryani before I reached home.

In the above sentence, past perfect continuous tense is used to talk about an action (Mother had been cooking biryani.) that started before a certain point of time in the past (I reached home) and had continued up to that time.

Rules of use of Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule 1

We use past perfect continuous tense to indicate an action that began before a certain point of time in the past and continued up to that time.

  • Example: He had been studying when I went to his home.

Rule 2

We use past perfect continuous tense to indicate an action in progress before sometime in the past.

  • Example: It had been raining for three hours.

Rule 3

We use the point of time in the past perfect continuous tense.

  • Example: The old man had been working since morning.

Rule 4

We use the period of time in the present perfect continuous tense.

  • Example: He had been suffering from pneumonia for seven days.

Rule 5

Use of For, Since, and From.
Point of Time & Period of Time

When it refers to 'Point of Time' we use 'since' in Present Perfect Tense, Present Perfect Continuous Tense, and Past Tense.
we use 'from' in all other tenses in case of Point of Time.
'Point of Time' refers to an action that has a particular time, but its end has not been mentioned.

Example: I have been travelling since night.

When it refers to 'Period of Time' we use 'for' in every tense.
'Period of Time' refers to the duration of any action. It has a beginning and also it has an ending.
Example:
 We have been watching the movie for two hours.

Point of Time: since and from
Period of Time: for

Past Perfect Continuous Tense Structure with Examples

Past Perfect Tense structure in different sentences has been presented in the following. Get them for practical use while speaking or writing.

Positive Sentence or Declarative Sentence

Structure

Subject + Had + Been + Verb + Ing + Object.

Table

  Person  Singular      Plural
1stI  had been eating rice.We had been eating rice.
2ndYou had been eating rice.You had been eating rice.
3rdHe / She / (It) had been eating rice.They had been eating rice.

Other Examples

  1. He had been playing football for two hours.
  2. Students had been making mistakes for ten minutes.
  3. You had been reading history since morning.
  4. John had been doing the work for four hours.
  5. We had been chanting the mantras for half an hour.

Negative Sentence

Structure

Subject+Had+not +Been +Verb+Ing +Object

Table

  Person  Singular      Plural
1stI  had not been eating rice.We had not been eating rice.
2ndYou had not been eating rice.You had not been eating rice.
3rdHe / She / (It) had not been eating rice.They had not been eating rice.

Other Examples

  1. He had not been playing football for two hours.
  2. Students had not been making mistakes.
  3. You had not been reading history since morning.
  4. John had not been doing the work for four hours.
  5. We had not been chanting the mantras for half an hour.

Interrogative Sentence

Structure

Had+ Subject+ not + Been + Verb + Ing + Object?

Table

Person   Singular   Plural
1stHad I been eating rice?Had we been eating rice?
2ndHad you been eating rice?Had you been eating rice?
3rdHad he/she/(it) been eating rice?Had they been eating rice?

Other Examples

  1. Had he been playing football for two hours?
  2. Had students been making mistakes?
  3. Had you been reading history since morning?
  4. Had John been doing the work for four hours?
  5. Had we been chanting the mantras for half an hour?

Negative-Interrogative Sentence

Structure

Structure:- Had   + Subject( If Pronoun) + Not  + Been +  Verb + Ing  + Object?
Structure :- Had  + Not + Subject (If Noun)+Been +  Verb+ Ing   + Object ?
  • If the Subject is “NOUN”, “Not” will be placed before “Subject”.
    Example:- Has not Harris been doing the work for three hours?
  • If the Subject is “PRONOUN”, “Not” will be placed after “Subject”.
    Example:- Has it not been raining since morning?

Table

Person    Singular        Plural
1stHad I not been eating rice?Had we not been eating rice?
2ndHad you not been eating rice?Had you not been eating rice?
3rdHad he/she/(it) not been eating rice?Had they not been eating rice?

Other Examples

  1. Had he not been playing football for two hours?
  2. Had not students been making mistakes?
  3. Had you not been reading history since morning?
  4. Had not John been doing the work for four hours?
  5. Had we not been chanting the mantras for half an hour?

Change of Sentences in Past Perfect ContinuousTense

Change of Sentences in Past Perfect ContinuousTense

Exercises

1. Complete the following sentences with the Past Perfect Continuous forms of the Verbs given in brackets:

(i) Man …………………………….(try) to conquer diseases.
(ii) It…………………………….. (rain) for three days.
(iii) I ……………………………….. (write) letters all afternoon.
(iv) Rathin……………………………… (learn) English for five years.
(v) They…………………………….. (study) French for three years.
(vi) She……………………………………. (read) David Copperfield this week.
(vii) You ………………………………. . (live) in England since 1981.
(viii) Who …………………………… (teach) you Hindi recently?
(ix) The baby………………………. (cry) all the morning.
(x) The boy……………………….. (lie) on the floor for three hours.
(xi) His father……………………..(work) in the post office for twenty years.
(xii) His father……………………….(wait) for you since eight o’clock.
(xiii) What…………….. you…………….. (do) since yesterday ?
(xiv) My friend……………………………(be) ill for a long time.
(xv) How long that fire ………………………………….(burn)?

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