Ampersand Lab

Intermediate grammar · Lesson 16 · B1

Past perfect continuous (I had been doing)

Use had been + -ing for an activity that was going on for a while before a moment in the past, often one whose effects were still visible at that moment.

Start the lesson

14Steps · about 24 minutes

In this lesson

Something going on before a past momentA2 screens of questions
have been -ing and had been -ingB1 screen of questions
was -ing and had been -ingC3 screens of questions
Verbs not used in continuous formsD1 screen of questions
Put it together+1 screen of mixed questions

Point A of 4

Something going on before a past moment

Yesterday evening Kirsty came home and opened the front door. The kitchen smelt of paint and her flatmate had white speckles in his hair.

He had been painting.

He was not painting when Kirsty walked in. He had stopped. He had been painting before she arrived, and the evidence was in his hair.

had been + -ing is the past perfect continuous:

Subject had been -ing
I / we / you / they had (I'd, we'd) been doing, working
he / she / it had (he'd, she'd) been playing, painting

You can also say that something had been happening for a while when something else happened.

  • My knees were muddy because I'd been weeding the garden.
  • Leon was shattered when he got in. He'd been driving since five in the morning.
  • I stayed with my cousin in Glasgow last spring. She hadn't been living there long, but she already knew every bus route.
  • We'd been walking for about an hour when the fog came down.

Point A · Exercise 16.1 · part 1 of 2

Read each situation and make a sentence using the words in brackets.

  1. Example

    Leon was shattered when he got home. (He / drive / all day)

    He'd been driving all day.

    AnswerHe'd been driving all day.

  2. The two boys came into the kitchen soaking wet, holding fishing rods. (They / fish / in the river)

  3. I was gutted when the gig was cancelled. (I / look / forward to it)

  4. Ben woke up suddenly at three in the morning, sweating and confused. (He / have / a nightmare)

  5. When I came downstairs, my sister was sitting at the laptop. She had just closed it. (She / play / a game)

Point A · Exercise 16.1 · part 2 of 2

Read each situation and make a sentence using the words in brackets.

  1. The people in the queue at the post office were looking very fed up. Only one counter was open. (They / wait / a long time)

Point B of 4

have been -ing and had been -ing

The present perfect continuous (have been -ing) looks back from now. The past perfect continuous (had been -ing) looks back from a moment in the past.

Present perfect continuous Past perfect continuous
I hope the doctor sees me soon. I've been sitting here for an hour. (before now) At last the doctor called my name. I'd been sitting there for an hour. (before the doctor called me)
Amira's face is red. She's been cycling. (she has been) Amira's face was red. She'd been cycling. (she had been)
  • I've been revising all afternoon, so I'm going for a walk.
  • I'd been revising all afternoon, so I went for a walk.

Point B · Extra practice

Put the verb in brackets into the present perfect continuous or the past perfect continuous.

  1. Where's this taxi got to? I outside for twenty minutes. (stand)

  2. The taxi finally turned up. I outside for twenty minutes. (stand)

  3. Her eyes were red because she . (cry)

Point C of 4

was -ing and had been -ing

The past continuous (was -ing) describes what was in progress at the past moment. The past perfect continuous (had been -ing) describes what was going on before it.

  • It wasn't snowing when we set off. The sky was clear. But it had been snowing, so the roads were white.
  • Callum was asleep in the armchair. He was worn out because he'd been helping his dad move house.

Point C · Exercise 16.3 · part 1 of 3

Which is right? Choose the correct form.

  1. Example

    There was a lot of shouting from the park last night. Some lads were playing football. (were playing / had been playing)

    AnswerThere was a lot of shouting from the park last night. Some lads were playing football.

  2. When we finally reached the campsite, we were exhausted. for nine hours. (We were walking / We'd been walking)

  3. Aisha was crawling around under the table. for her earring. (She was looking / She'd been looking)

  4. Rhys was bent over at the side of the track, gasping for breath. . (He was running / He'd been running)

  5. Meg and I walked into town together. so fast that I could hardly keep up with her. (She was walking / She'd been walking)

Point C · Exercise 16.3 · part 2 of 3

Which is right? Choose the correct form.

  1. I was quite upset when we sold the caravan. it since the children were small. (We've had / We'd had)

  2. I was sorry when the old bakery on our street shut. there every Saturday for years. (I was going / I'd been going)

  3. I'm doing a sponsored swim next week. at the leisure centre three times a week. (I've been practising / I'd been practising)

  4. I'd agreed to meet Liam outside the cinema, but my bus broke down. When I finally arrived, for me. He was annoyed because for nearly an hour. (he was waiting / he'd been waiting) (he was waiting / he'd been waiting)

Point C · Exercise 16.3 · part 3 of 3

Which is right? Choose the correct form.

  1. Nina and I both work at the same garden centre. She got her job there before me. When I started three years ago, there. (she was already working / she'd already been working)

  2. I joined the garden centre three years ago. When I joined, Nina there for five years. (was already working / had already been working)

  3. Nina is still at the garden centre. there for eight years now. (She's been working / She'd been working)

Point D of 4

Verbs not used in continuous forms

Verbs that resist continuous forms, such as know, take the past perfect simple (had known) instead.

Unit 4A lists these verbs. Unit 17 covers have.

  • They were close friends. They had known each other since school. (not had been knowing)
  • Last month Dev shaved off his beard. We hardly recognised him, because he'd always had one. (not he'd been having)

Point D · Extra practice

Put the verb in brackets into the past perfect simple. These verbs are not normally continuous.

  1. They were close. They each other since school. (know)

  2. He sold the van. He it for ten years. (have)

  3. She finally got a dog. She one for years. (want)

Put it together · Exercise 16.2

Read each situation and complete the sentence.

  1. Example

    We went for a bike ride yesterday, but we didn't get very far. We'd been cycling (We / cycle) for twenty minutes when my chain snapped (my chain / snap).

    AnswerWe'd been cycling for twenty minutes when my chain snapped.

  2. I had arranged to meet Becky outside the cinema. I got there and waited. (I / wait) for half an hour when (I / realise) that (I / come) to the wrong cinema.

  3. Pete worked at the steelworks for a long time. The steelworks has now closed. When the steelworks (close), Pete (work) there for twenty-two years.

  4. I went to see a play. Not long after it started, something unexpected happened. The actors (perform) for about fifteen minutes when the fire alarm suddenly (go) off.

  5. I set off walking along the road into town. I (walk) for about ten minutes when a car (stop) next to me.

Lesson 16 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: have and have gotBack to the course

–Right

Each point

A. Something going on before a past moment–Not checkedB. have been -ing and had been -ing–Not checkedC. was -ing and had been -ing–Not checkedD. Verbs not used in continuous forms–Not checkedPut it together–Not checked