The past perfect progressive tense is an extension to the past perfect tense and its structures. Past perfect progressive is used to demonstrate an action which continued for a specific period of time but stopped before another action.
Structure:
| Subject + had + been + verb+ing + . . . . . + for/since + . . . . .+ before + subject + past simple tenseAlan had been playing cricket for 18 years before he retired.Jack had been living in Sydney since 2010 before he moved to Melbourne. |
Note: This tense can be replaced by the past perfect tense withdrawing for/since.
More Examples of Past Perfect Continuous Tense Examples.
- I had been writing articles on various topics for three hours.
- He had been reading different kinds of books since morning.
- They had been playing football in that field before it started to rain.
- Jane had been gossiping in the coffee shop for two hours.
- Jeff had been studying in the library before he came to the class.
- We had been shopping in that shop before we came home.
- We had been watching a movie in this Cineplex for three hours.
- You had been shopping in that market before you came home.
- I had been singing different kinds of songs for an hour.
- I had been listening to melodious songs for two hours.
- Tom had been traveling around the world since the month of December.
- They had been playing hockey on that field for three hours.
- The poet had been writing romantic poems since morning.
- The lyricist had been writing realistic songs since the beginning of his career.
- Had you not been enjoying the concert for three hours?
- I had not been watching the cricket match on television for two hours.
- Richard had been practicing to sing the song since morning.
- I had been helping him to do the task before I started the program.
- We had been enjoying the program thoroughly for three hours.
- I had been shopping with my elder brother in the fair since morning.