Past perfect tense definition: It talks about an action that was completed before another action in the past. For example: We reached home last night at 9 pm. This is a time which is fixed in the past; last night. so at 9 pm last night we reached home there was no light. It means the light had gone before that 9 pm. So for such activities, we use past perfect tense. Past perfect tense Formula check out the Present perfect tense: 1. Positive formula/ structure. Subject + had (helping verb) + 3rd form of the verb + object/ complement. E.g. The plane had left before she arrived. We had eaten everything when he came home. She had broken the glasses before we became aware. Everything had been ruined when the police arrived. I had done my work. She had finished eating. 2. Negative formula/ structure. Subject + had + not + 3rd form of the verb + object/ complement. e.g. The plane had not left before she arrived. We had not eaten everything when he came home. She had not broken the glasses before we became aware. Everything had not been ruined when the police arrived. I had not done my work. She had not finished eating.

1. Past perfect continuous tense
Tense which means time in this article we study past perfect continuous tense. It refers to a
specific Continuous action or time. Which is quite clear from the meaning. Let’s put a glance over
the table.
No
:
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
1 Before now
Past means a
time that is not in
the present or
future.
Completed It refers
to completion.
Perfect means
completed (action).
Going on the
action. It indicates
the action which
was going on.
Time, age, or period This
is one quite clear means:
time, age, or period. So
let’s move to the definition
of the past perfect tense.

2. Definition:
It indicates an ongoing action that was completed at some specific period/ time in the past.
E.x.
I had been teaching English since 20220.
so, in the above sentence, ‘ it talks about an ongoing action that was completed in 2020. This means
the starting point is not known but it was continuous until that specific time in 2020.
Formation of the sentences.
We use the helping verb had + been + present participle of the verb + ing.
e.g.
● He had been watching the movie the whole night.
● They had been writing the novel.
1) Positive formula/structure.
subject Helping verb “Had” Be a form of the verb
“BE”
Dynamic verb
(Main verb + ing)
Time Phrase
Subject
+
Had + ‘been’ which is third from
+ Of ‘be’
Playing Sine, for yesterday.
He Had been playing since yesterday.
Subject + had + been + 1st form of the verb + ing + object/ complement.
More examples:
● He had been washing late at night.
● It had been raining yesterday.
● She had been studying for three hours.
● They had been playing the game for 5 hours.
● We had been running hard.

3. 2) Negative formula/structure.
subjec
t
Helping verb
“Had”
No
t
Be a form of the verb
“BE”
Dynamic verb Main
verb + ing
Time Phrase
Subjec
t
+
Had + No
t
‘been’ which is third
from + Of ‘be’
Playing Sine, for
yesterday.
He had not been playing since
yesterday.
Subject + had + not + been + 1st form of the verb + ing + object/complement.
More examples:
● He had not been washing late at night.
● It had not been raining yesterday.
● She had not been studying for three hours.
● They had not been playing the game for 5 hours.
● We had not been running hard.
3) Interrogative formula/structure.
Helping verb
“Had”
Subject Be a form of the
verb
“BE”
Dynamic verb Main
verb + ing
Time Phrase Question
mark
Had + Subject ‘been’ which is
third from + Of
‘be’
Playing Sine, for
yesterday.
?

4. Had he been playing since
yesterday
?
Helping verb ‘Had’ + subject + not + been + 1st form of the verb + ing + object/complement?
More examples:
● Had he been washing late at night?
● Had it been raining yesterday?
We use had with both singular and plural subjects.
● Had she been studying for three hours?
● Had they been playing the game for 5 hours?
Note: we use ‘since’ & ’for ’in addition. We use a time clause.
Since. It indicates the starting period of the ending period of action.
Like:
● He had been teaching grammar since 1993.
● She had been working since the begging.
For: it indicates the duration of action. This means how long an action is going on.
● He had been teaching grammar for many years.
● She had been working for two years.
More examples.
1. They had been cleaning since morning.
2. We had been running for many hours.
3. She had been doing her work when I called her.
4. Teachers had been teaching for many decades.
5. The leader had been leading since begging of the year.
6. She had been watching late at night.
7. Kamran and John had been typing since 10 pm.
8. They had been driving perfectly.
9. Had they been driving perfectly?
10. The man had not been serious.

5. Exercises
Fill in the blanks correctly and use past perfect continuous tense.
1. She _________________ the teachers in the class. (Tease)
2. He ____________________since July. (Teach)
3. They had ______________the room before meal.( clean)
4. We had ___________________ whole the day when we were young. Swim)
5. They _________________ the movie. (watching)
6. Kamran had not been ____________ football game when we arrived. (play)
7. The water ________________ since morning. (flow)
8. The water ____________________ since morning. (flowing)
9. Had they __________________ the room when we approached? (clean)
10. John and Timmy _________________since night. (sing)
11. The machine had been _____________well. ( run)
12. Had I ________________the book for two hours? ( read)
13. King and queen had been _________________(order).
14. _________she been ________the whole day? (driving)
15. We had __________________ for now. (struggle)
Check out the answers over here & rectify your answers.
1. She had been teasing the teachers in the class.
2. He had been teaching since July.
3. They had been cleaning the room before a meal.
4. We had been swimming whole the day when we were young.
5. They had been watching the movie.
6. Kamran had not been playing a football game when we arrived.
7. The water had been flowing since morning.
8. The water had not been flowing since morning.
9. Had they been cleaning the room when we approached?
10. John and Timmy had not been singing since night.
11. The machine had been running well.
12. Had I been reading the book for two hours?
13. King and queen had been ordering.
14. Had she been driving the whole day?
15. We had not been struggling for now.
True and false exercise.
1. I never had been smoke.
2. She had been sewing the cloths.
3. They had drinking for many hours.
4. Had I been liked by them?

6. 5. What I had been doing last night?
6. We had been serving for many year.
7. When they arrived we had been washing the hall for 1 hour.
8. She had been wait for me.
9. They had not been wait for me.
10. The man had been reporting until his death last night.
11. All the people had been ride. false
12. Did you find them when they had been destroying the wall?
13. The total match had been wrong.
14. Had he drove the car yesterday?
15. Had not she been fighting last year?
The answers of the true and false. check them out and rectify your work.
1. I never had been smoke. false
2. She had been sewing the cloths. True
3. They had drinking for many hours. false
4. Had I been liked by them? false
5. What I had been doing last night? True
6. We had been serving for many year. True
7. When they arrived we had been washing the hall for 1 hour. True
8. She had been wait for me. false
9. They had not been wait for me. false
10. The man had been reporting until his death last night. True
11. All the people had been ride. false
12. Did you find them when they had been destroying the wall? True
13. The total match had been wrong. false
14. Had he drove the car yesterday? false
15. Had not she been fighting last year? True
Multiple questions: There are three options from which one is correct. Have an
attempt on the question to improve your grammar.
1. They had been _____________ the room.
● a) Clean
● b) Cleaned
● c)Cleaning
2) She had not been ______________ until we reached.
● a) Screaming
● b) had to scream

7. ● c) Screamed.
3) What had I been _______________ in the ground?
● a) do
● b) did
● c) doing
4) Had she __________ the people in the hall?
● a) Served
● b) Been serving
● c) Serve.
5) What I ___________ when I was six year?
● a) Have doing
● b) Had been doing
● c) Had to do
6) She had been ________ the song when we called her.
● a) Sing
● b) Singed
● c) Singing
7) I had been _____________ slowly since morning.
● a) Move
● b) Moving
● c) Had moved
8) The teacher had _____________ until last minutes yesterday.
● a) been Teaching
● b) Had to teach
● c) have teaching
9) Did we find when he had _____________?
● a) Had been escaping
● b) been escaping

8. ● c) Had been escaped
10) The whole class had been ____________ in the morning.
● a) Shouting
● b) Shout
● c) Was shouting
11) When she played the music we had _________ the book.
● a) Be read
● b) Been reading
● c) Had read
12) The principle ______________ informing everyone.
● a) Have been
● b) Had been
● c) Has been
13) We had been __________ the papers when light came.
● a) Checked
● b) Checking
● c) had a check
14) ____________ I been traveling to London?
● a) Had
● b) Did
● c) Do
15) ________ she been ________ for many time.
● a) Had, Appealing
● b) Had, Appealed
● c) Had, appealing
More relevant grammars:
Present Perfect Continuous Tense:

9. Future perfect Continuous tense:
Simple Present Tense
Answers to the multiple questions
1. cleaning
2. screaming
3. doing
4. been serving
5. had been doing
6. singing
7. moving
8. been teaching
9. been escaping
10. shouting
11. been reading
12. had been
13. checking
14. Had
15. had, appealing
Worksheet

12. Past continues Tense – definition, formula & exercises/ worksheet
In "Tense"
Future continuous tense | Definition, formula & exercises/worksheet
In "Tense"

13. Present Continuous Tense | Definition, Formula & Exercises
In "Tense"