Unit 16 · Present perfect and past

Past perfect continuous (I had been doing)

Study

Study this example situation:

Yesterday morning I got up and looked out of the window. The sun was shining, but the ground was very wet.

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It had been raining.

It was not raining when I looked out of the window. The sun was shining. But it had been raining before.

had been -ing is the past perfect continuous:

Some more examples:

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My hands were dirty because I'd been repairing my bike.

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Tom was tired when he got home. He'd been working hard all day.

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I went to Madrid a few years ago and stayed with a friend of mine. She hadn't been living there very long, but she knew the city very well.

You can say that something had been happening before something else happened:

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We'd been playing tennis for about half an hour when it started to rain heavily.

Compare have been -ing (present perfect continuous) and had been -ing (past perfect continuous):

Present perfect continuous	Past perfect continuous
I have been -ing	I had been -ing
past	past
now	now
I hope the bus comes soon. I've been waiting for 20 minutes. (before now)	At last the bus came. I'd been waiting for 20 minutes. (before the bus came)
James is out of breath. He's been running. (= he has been …)	James was out of breath. He'd been running. (= he had been …)

Compare was -ing (past continuous) and had been -ing:

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It wasn't raining when we went out. The sun was shining. But it had been raining, so the ground was wet.

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Katherine was lying on the sofa. She was tired because she'd been working hard.

Some verbs (for example, know) are not normally used in continuous forms (be + -ing):

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We were good friends. We had known each other for years. (not had been knowing)

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A few years ago Lisa cut her hair really short. I was surprised because she'd always had long hair. (not she'd been having)

For a list of these verbs, see Unit 4A. For have, see Unit 17

0/3 exercises checked

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16.1

1
Tom was very tired when he got home.
(He / work / hard all day) hard all day.example
2
The children came into the house. They had a football and they were both very tired.
(They / play / football) .
3
I was disappointed when I had to cancel my holiday.
(I / look / forward to it) .
4
Anna woke up in the middle of the night. She was frightened and didn't know where she was.
(She / have / a bad dream) .
5
When I got home, Mark was sitting in front of the TV. He had just turned it off.
(He / watch / a film) .
6
The people waiting at the bus stop were getting impatient. The bus was very late.
(They / wait / a long time) .

16.2

1
We played tennis yesterday. We didn't finish our game.
We (We / play) for half an hour when (it / start) to rain.example
2
I had arranged to meet Tom in a restaurant. I arrived and waited for him to come.
(I / wait) for 20 minutes when (I / realise) that (I / be) in the wrong restaurant.
3
Sarah worked in a company for a long time. The company no longer exists.
At the time the company (go) out of business, Sarah (work) there for twelve years.
4
I went to a concert. Soon after the orchestra began playing, something strange happened.
The orchestra (play) for about ten minutes when a man in the audience suddenly (start) shouting.
5
Now make your own sentence:
I began walking along the road. I when .

16.3

1
It was noisy next door last night. Our neighbours were having / had been having a party.
2
At the end of our journey we were extremely tired. We were travelling / We'd been travelling for more than 24 hours.
3
James was on his hands and knees on the floor. He was looking / He'd been looking for his contact lens.
4
Sue was sitting on the ground. She was out of breath. She was running / She'd been running.
5
John and I went for a walk. He was walking / He'd been walking very fast and I had difficulty keeping up with him.
6
I was sad when I sold my car. I've had it / I'd had it for a very long time.
7
I was sad when my local cafe closed. I was going / I'd been going there for many years.
8
I'm running a marathon next month. I've been training / I'd been training for it every day.
9
I had arranged to meet Kate, but I was late. When I finally arrived, she was waiting / she'd been waiting for me. She was annoyed because she was waiting / she'd been waiting such a long time.
10
Joe and I work for the same company. He joined the company before me. When I started a few years ago, he was already working / he'd already been working there.
11
I started working at the company a few years ago. At the time I started, Joe was already working / had already been working there for two years.
12
Joe still works for the company. He's been working / He'd been working there a long time now.