AFFIRMATIVE
Subject+ had+
been + the –ing
form of the verb.
NEGATIVE
Subject+ hadn’t +
been + the –ing
form of the verb.
INTERROGATIVE
Had +subject+
been + the –ing
form of the verb.
 We use the present
perfect continuous to talk
about an action taking
place before a certain
time in the past.
I had been reading the
book for 10 minutes when
Sue arrived.
They had been working
the whole afternoon.
We use this tense to put
emphasis on the duration
or course of an action.
She had been studying for
her final exam since the
beginning of the month of
June.
FORM USE OF THE TENSE
 The past perfect

8. He ________________ to solve the crossword since the beginning of
the week and in the end he completed it.
9. He __________________ on his computer when the light went out and
lost all the information.
10. While Tom ______________ the dishes his wife went shopping to the
supermarket.
11. The concert ______ already ______ when we arrived at the theatre.
12. Brenda told the policeman she ______________ anything strange in
the neighbourhood.
13. She decided to go to the doctor as she __________________ very well
since she got up in the morning.
14. When we went out the road was wet as it ________________ heavily.
15. He ______________ in prison for over ten years when he managed to
escape.
16. He ________________ on his mobile for over ten minutes when his
teacher saw him.
17. They _________________ TV the whole afternoon before they decided
to go out for a walk.
18. They were late for work as they ________________ stuck in a traffic
jam for over an hour.
Time expressions
FOR- SINCE
She’d been cooking
since she got up/
for 2 hours.
HOW LONG
We use “how long”
in questions:
How long had you
been waiting?