In this section you will find information about the different uses of the past perfect perfect continuous / progressive tense with examples.
Uses of the Past Perfect Continuous
To emphisize the duration of an event that started and finished in the past before another past event.
I had been exercising for 30 minutes before they closed the gym.
She had been waiting for her friends for two hours before she left.
They had been singing in local clubs for three years before they became famous.
For an event that started and finished in the past but had an effect in the past.
I was tired because I had been working on my school project for five hours.
Dean was promoted because he had been working hard these past months.
The dog was happy because it had been playing with its owner for hours.
In the following table, you will find information about the structure of the past perfect continuous tense and positive, negative and interrogative sentences.
More information about English verb tenses here.