Past perfect continuous tense | Examples | Rules

 Past perfect continuous tense

 Past perfect continuous tense rules:

Affirmative sentence:

1. Subject
2. Had been
3. 1st form of verb/ing
4. object 
5. Since/for
6. time/etc

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First of all, place an object at the beginning of the sentence. Secondly, use "had been". Thirdly, use "1st form of verb/ing". Fourthly, use "object". Fifthly, use "since/for" and at the end place time/duration/etc.

Negative sentence:

1. Subject 
2. had not been 
3. 1st form of verb/ing  
4. object 
5. since/for
6. time/etc

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First of all, write "object". Secondly, use "had not been". Thirdly, use "first of verb/ing". Fourthly, use "object". Fifthly, use "since/for".

Interrogative sentence:

1. Had
2. subject
3. not been
4. 1st form of verb/ing
5. object
6. since/for
7. time/etc
8. ?

First of all, write "object". Secondly, use "had not been". Thirdly, use "first of verb/ing". Fourthly, use "object". Fifthly, use "since/for". sixthly, use "question mark (?)" at the end.

Past perfect continuous tense examples:

• He had been going to school since 2007.
• He had not been going to school since 2007.
• Had he been going to school since 2007?
• Had he not been going to school since 2007?
• John had been eating toffee for 10 minutes.
• John had not been eating toffee for 10 minutes.
• Had John been eating toffee for 10 minutes?
• Had John not been eating toffee for 10 minutes?
• They had been playing football since January.
• They had not been playing football since January.
• Had they been playing football since January?
• Had they not been playing football since January?