Past Perfect Progressive (Past Perfect Continuous) Level: elementary

The past perfect progressive puts emphasis on the course or duration of an action taking place before a certain time in the past.

Form

• A: He had been talking.
• N: He had not been talking.
• Q: Had he been talking?

Use

• action taking place before a certain time in the past
• sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple
• puts emphasis on the course or duration of an action

signal words

• for, since, the whole day, all day

Exercise on past perfect progressive

Changed: 31st May 2004 23:58

URL: http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/past-perfect-progressive