Past perfect continuous tense. Past Perfect Continuous – expression of the effective duration of an action in the past

Past Perfect Continuous Tense (past perfect continuous tense) is another “scary” tense form for Russian-speaking people who are just starting to get acquainted with English grammar. If you are already familiar with the Continuous and Perfect tenses, then most likely you can already imagine what this temporary form is formed from and what functions it performs. You probably already guess that Past Perfect Continuous Tense has a lot in common, both in construction and in use, with Present Perfect Continuous Tense.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense expresses a long-term action that began before a certain moment in the past and continued up to this moment (it could continue during this moment or end immediately before this moment).

Past Perfect Continuous Tense is translated into Russian by imperfective verbs in the past tense.

This tense is very rarely used both in oral and written speech. But this does not mean that they can be neglected!

Rules for the formation of Past Perfect Continuous

Affirmative sentences are formed using the auxiliary verb to be in the Past Perfect Tense (had been) and the present participle of the main verb (Present Participle → infinitive of the verb + ending -ing).

Mean + had been + Present Participate …

In interrogative sentences, the first auxiliary verb (had) comes first before the subject, and the rest of the tense remains unchanged after the subject.

Had + Mean + been + Present Participe ???

To form negative sentences, the particle not is used, which is placed after the first auxiliary verb (had).

Mean + had + not + been + Present Participe …

In English it is customary to use abbreviated forms. For example:

• I had → I'd
• he had → he'd
• had not → hadn’t [ˈhædənt]

As you already understand, for all singular and plural persons, the verb in the Past Perfect Continuous Tense form will look the same.

Conjugation table for the verb to translate in Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Past Perfect Continuous Tense is used:

1. If you need to express a continuous past action that began before another action in the past, expressed in Past Indefinite Tense, and which was still ongoing at the time of the last one. As a rule, it is necessary to indicate the period of time during which the action lasted. This period can be indicated in such detailed words as:

• for three days (hours, months) - within three days (hours, months)
• for some time (a long time) - for some time (over a long time)
• since he came - since he came
• since 5 o’clock - from 5 o’clock
• all my life (day long, this year) - all my life (all day, all this year)

When translated into Russian, the verb will have an imperfect past tense form. Examples:

• We had been reading the new magazine for two hours when my telephone rang up and our friends invited us for a walk - We were reading the new magazine for two hours when my phone rang and our friends invited us for a walk
• We had been working on this problem since 1991 until we received positive results - We have been working on this problem since 1991 until we received a positive result
• I had been working in the orchard for four hours when my brother came to help me - I worked in the orchard for four hours when my brother came to help me

If there is no indication of how long the action took, then Past Continuous Tense should be used. Example:

• She was singing when the door-bell rang - She sang when the doorbell rang

2. If you need to express a continuous past action that ended immediately before a certain moment or an action in the past tense. This moment in the past tense is usually determined by the situation. Past Perfect Continuous Tense emphasizes the duration of the previous action and its results at the moment being described. The period of time during which the action took place may not be specified. Examples:

• My hands were dirty as I had been peeling potatoes - My hands were dirty as I peeled the potatoes
• I had a headache as I had been watching TV - I had a headache because I was watching TV
• He put aside the book which he had been reading - He put aside the book he was reading

Mastering the Past Perfect Continuous Tense is not as difficult as you might think at first. It is used only in two cases, which will not be difficult for you to remember. The main thing is to practice as much as possible.

Watch the following video lessons on the topic: “Past Perfect Continuous Tense - past perfect continuous tense in English.”

• Past Perfect Continuous Tense (past perfect continuous tense)
• Formation of time, rules of use
• Example sentences with Past Perfect Continuous

USE

The Past Perfect Continuous is used to express an action that began in the past, continued for some time and ended before a certain moment, or continued at the time of another. The important thing is that this tense refers only to the past time and indicates the duration of the action.

I had been waiting for two hours when my friend came.

I had been waiting for two hours when my friend arrived.

The Past Perfect Continuous tense is characterized by the following tense circumstances:

EDUCATION TIMEPASTPERFECTCONTINUOUS

To form an affirmative form, you must use the auxiliary verb to be in the Past Perfect Continuous form , namely had been and then the present participle, i.e. ending verb - ing,:

He had been working for a company for 5 years before he went into business.

He worked for the company for 5 years before going into business.

The negative form is formed by adding a particle not to auxiliary verb ‘had’ , which has the short form hadn't’ t.

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We continue to reveal the secrets of English grammar, guide and help you on the difficult but interesting path to knowledge. You are already familiar with all the tenses of the group Past: , Past Continuous, Past Perfect. The topic of our article today is Past Perfect Continuous - Past Perfect Continuous Tense.

Formation Past Perfect Continuous

We are already familiar with the Past Perfect and know that this tense is formed using the auxiliary verb had Present Perfect Continuous: have been + Participle I (verb + ing). Past Perfect Continuous is formed according to the same formula, only the auxiliary verb will not have (Present), but had (Past)

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Let us immediately note that this form is suitable for all persons without restrictions, and it does not need to be modified. Here are examples:

• I had been living in that house for 10 years before we moved to another one
• He/she had been living in that house for 10 years before he/she moved to another one
• We / you / they had been living in that house for 10 years before we moved to another one

Simply changing the subject is enough; no other changes are needed. Thanks to its form, the Past Perfect Continuous stands out from other grammatical constructions and is difficult to confuse with other tenses. As can be seen from the examples, the beginning of the construction is very similar to the formation, and since the main auxiliary verb is had, it will play the main role in the formation of interrogative and negative forms, and this happens in exactly the same way as with the Past Perfect tense, pay attention to examples:

• Had she been working the whole day before she came home? – did she work all day before she came home?
• Where had you been waiting for me when I called you? – where were you waiting for me when I called you?
• They had not (hadn’t) been singing until I put on the music - they didn’t sing until I turned on the music.

When is the Past Perfect Continuous used?

Past Perfect Continuous denotes an action that happened some time in the past before another action happened. Let's look at examples.

• We played for half an hour until it started to rain.- Action - were playing- happened in the past for half an hour until another action happened - Rain is coming. — We had been playing for half an hour before it started to rain.
• Ken quit smoking two years ago. Before that, he smoked for 30 years.-That is, action - smoked– continued in the past for 20 years before Ken performed another action – quit smoking. — Ken gave up smoking two years ago. He had been smoking for 30 years.

Past Perfect Continuous and Past Continuous

From the very name of the tense it becomes clear that it is similar not only to the Past Perfect, but also to. Our task is to draw a parallel between these two times and compare their use. The first similarity can be seen when comparing the forms - both constructions involve a verb with the ending –ing, which gives both tenses duration. Each of the tenses - Past Continuous and Past Perfect Continuous - expresses an action that continued in the past.

• I was reading a book when you called me - I was reading a book when you called me - Past Continuous: the action lasted at the moment when another action occurred, that is, reading the book and calling occurred simultaneously
• I had been reading a book for two hours when you called me - I had been reading a book for two hours when you called me - Past Perfect Continuous: the action took place some time before another action happened, that is, first I read for 2 hours, then you called.

• It wasn’t raining when we went out. The sun was shining. But it had been raining, so the ground was wet. — When we left, it wasn’t raining. Sun was shining. But before that it was raining and the ground was wet.
• Ann was sitting in an armchair watching television. She was tired because she had been working very hard. — Anna was sitting in a chair and watching TV. She was tired because she had worked a lot (before).

• Using a preposition for- during (for an hour, for a week, for a month) also indicates that you need to use the Past Perfect Continuous.

Past Perfect Continuous and Present Perfect Continuous

As you know, denotes an action that has been happening for a while to date :

• I hope the bus comes soon. I have been waiting for 20 minutes ( before now) – I hope the bus will come soon. I've been waiting for 20 minutes already (to date)

In the Past Perfect Continuous the action took place for some time until a moment in the past :

• I was happy when the bus came at last. I had been waiting for 20 minutes. (before the bus came) - I was happy when the bus finally came. I waited for him for 20 minutes ( before the bus arrived)

• It is also necessary to mention that since the Past Perfect Continuous expresses the continuous tense with a verb in the ing form , then in this tense, like other tenses of the Continuous group, state verbs cannot be used. We also note that the Perfect Continuous tenses, like , do not have passive voice forms.

Pre-past continuous – past time for completed processes. Something was happening or repeating itself at a previous moment. This activity has just completed or was still in progress. The past perfect-continuous replaces the present perfect-continuous, emphasizing the duration of the activity that ended in another past.

The antecedent continuous is formed as had been+ present participle. It can be reduced to ‘ d been. Pre-past-continuous denial - hadnot/ hadn’t’t.

I’d been working hard all day – Ihardhave workedallday

Meanings of the past perfect continuous

• the processes that ended then

They had been looking for a house for six months before they found one they liked – Theywere looking forhousesix monthsbeforethose, Howfindliked

It was 1 o’clock and the dog from next door had been barking for two hours – Washournights, Aneighbor'sdogbarkedalready2 hours

Since then the index had been rising fast – Cthosesince thenindexfastgrew up

• visible past processes

He was annoyed. He had been waiting at the airport for three hours – 3-hourexpectationVairportannoyinghis

I had been driving for ten hours, so I felt exhausted – Iled10 hourscontract, from whatAndexhausted

Why were you so wet? Whathadyoubeendoing? - Why are you wet then? What did you do before?

She was tired because she’d been working very hard – Shetired, after allworkedVerytensely

But it had been raining so the ground was wet – Butwalkedrain, That's whyEarthmoisturized

When the boys came into the house, their clothes were dirty, their hair was untidy and one of them had a black eye. They'dbeenfighting – When the boys came home, their clothes were torn, their hair was disheveled, and one had a black eye. Looks like they were fighting

• in indirect speech (from the pre-present continuous)

She said it had been raining there for days – Byherwords, rainswalkedsomedays

He complained he had been waiting for his pay all week long – Hecomplained, Whatwaitingsalarykissa week

Neighboring times

As a result of the fusion of the pre-past and the past-continuous, the pre-past-continuous tense emphasizes both the effectiveness and duration of an activity. With verbs live, work, teach, feel You can use the antecedent and the past continuous equally. However, as a longer tense than the perfect tense, the pre-past continuous avoids other static verbs. Therefore, this time is a dynamic version of the previous one.

We had known each other for years – WeknewNotoneyear

Temporary instruction

• conjunctions/prepositions

for, since, how long, before, until

We’d been playing for about half an hour when it started to rain very heavily – Wewere playingnearhalf an hour, Whenlet's goshower

Ken gave up smoking 2 years ago. He'dbeensmokingfor 30years – Ken quit smoking 2 years ago. Before that he smoked for 30 years

I’d been waiting for 20 minutes before the bus came – Iwaited20 minutesByebusNotcame

He had been riding since he bought his bicycle – HeridesWiththosesince then, Whatboughtbike

She had been avoiding new relationships until she met Frank - She avoided new relationships until she met Frank

English Joke

The recruit complained to the sergeant that he’d got a splinter in his finger.

“Ye should have more sinse,” was the harsh comment, “than to scratch your head.”