The Past Perfect Continuous | Definition and Examples

 

grammar

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

DEFINITION:

Generally speaking, the PAST PERFECT CONTINUNOUS indicates a PAST ACTION WHICH WAS CONTINUOUS OR UNTIL ANOTHER PAST ACTION TOOK PLACE.

CONTRAST:

-THIS year in December, I HAVE BEEN LEARNING English for over 3 years.

-LAST year in December, I HAD BEEN LEARNING English.

REMARKS:

It is not used with verbs which are not used in the continuous forms, except with WANT & sometimes WISH.

-DYNAMIC TRANSITIONAL VERBS are more usual with the Past Perfect Continuous than with the Past Perfect Simple (SIT, STAND, lie, WAIT, LIVE, REST, TEACH, LEARN, etc.)

1) When the action began before the time of speaking in the past & continued up to that time, or stopped just before it, we can often use either form.

2) A repeated action in the Past Prefect can sometimes be expressed as a continuous action by the Past Perfect Continuous.

- She HAD BEEN DRINKING whiskey for some time when his father arrived.

- She HAD DRUNK 3 glasses of whiskey when his father arrived.

- She HAD TRIED five times to get her on the Car.

- She HAD BEEN TRYING to get her on the Car.

1) That an action or event occurred before the time indicated by the context or situation: it HAS HAPPENED BEFORE NOW, IT HAD HAPPENED BEFORE A CERTAIN TIME IN THE PAST, OR IT WILL HAVE HAPPENED BEFORE A CERTAIN TIME IN FUTURE.

2) That this action or event has produced, had produced or will have produced a result or a state of affairs that is 1- RELEVANT TO THE PRESENT SITUATION, 2 - WAS RELEVANT TO THE PAST SITUATION, 3- OR WILL BE RELEVANT TO THE FUTURE SITUATION.