English Grammar Online … the fun way to learn English!

Past Perfect Progressive (Past Perfect Continuous)

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