Guide to the Past Perfect Continuous – TOEIC® Preparation

The past perfect continuous (also called past perfect progressive) refers to a verb tense that describes an ongoing action up to a reference point in the past. Concrete example: She had been working on this project for three weeks when her manager congratulated her.

Unlike the past perfect simple, which emphasizes the completion or the final result of an action, the past perfect continuous highlights the continuity, duration, or process of that action before a specific past event.

Construction of the Past Perfect Continuous

The formation of the past perfect continuous relies on the auxiliary verb had been, which is the same for all subjects, followed by the -ing verb (present participle form).

Key points to remember:The auxiliary verb had been remains the same regardless of the grammatical person.The main verb systematically takes the -ing ending, without exception.This tense represents the past form of the present perfect continuous.

Use Cases for the Past Perfect Continuous

To emphasize the duration of an activity prior to a specific past moment

The past perfect continuous allows us to emphasize the duration or continuity of a process that was taking place before another past event occurred.

This verb tense makes it possible to precisely express the period elapsed at the moment the second event manifested.

• They had been waiting for over an hour before the concert started.In this sentence, "had been waiting for over an hour" expresses that they had been waiting for more than an hour when the concert began.

In context, time indicators such as for (during/for) or since (since a starting point) are frequently used to specify the period concerned:

• They had been practicing for three days before they gave their first show.
• I had been studying since 5 p.m. before I finally took a break.

In these illustrations, the focus is on the duration of the process rather than just its conclusion or the subsequent event.

To indicate that an action continued for a defined period before another past moment

The past perfect continuous expresses that an activity occurred over a determined duration before a second event took place, thus marking a break or a transition.

The emphasis is on the total duration of the first action, which ends before or exactly at the moment of the second past event.

• I had been living in London for five years before I moved to Manchester.The phrase "had been living in London for five years" highlights that the person had already been residing in London for five years at the time of their move to Manchester.

We frequently find duration markers like for to specify the elapsed time:

• He had been working at the company for six months before he decided to quit.
• We had been training for three hours before the coach asked us to stop.

These constructions clearly establish the exact period during which the action was maintained before the appearance of a new event in the past.

To describe an activity already in progress at a specific past instant

The past perfect continuous is used to show that an activity was already progressing at a particular moment in the past. It highlights the state of advancement of the action at the moment considered.

• At 7 p.m. yesterday, I had been studying for two hours already.Here, "had been studying for two hours" indicates that at exactly 7 p.m., I had already been studying for two full hours.

A specific time marker (such as 'at 7 p.m.', 'at midnight', 'by that time') is generally used to locate the exact moment when the action was ongoing. This structure emphasizes the progression and the cumulative duration of an activity up to a defined past instant.

Incompatibility with State Verbs (Stative Verbs)

Stative verbs (also called stative verbs, such as know, like, love, believe, understand, etc.) express a state, a perception, or a feeling rather than a dynamic action. Therefore, they are never conjugated in the past perfect continuous, as this tense expresses the progression or duration of an active process.

In these situations, the past perfect simple is preferred:

• I had known him for a long time before we became friends.This example translates a state — "knowing someone" — and not an ongoing process.

Additional Resource:The complete list of stative verbs is available here:🔗 List of Stative Verbs for the TOEIC®

Summary and Application to the TOEIC®

The past perfect continuous is used to express an action that was ongoing before a past reference point, emphasizing its duration and continuity. Its construction relies on had been + -ing verb and is frequently accompanied by for or since to indicate the period concerned.

In the context of the TOEIC®, this verb tense appears regularly in grammar questions (Parts 5 and 6) and reading comprehension texts (Part 7), especially to express the duration of a past action or to establish a precise chronology between several events.

Mastering this tense will allow you to gain points quickly on questions concerning past tenses and complex temporal relationships.

We have written other guides on perfect tenses, you can consult them here:

• 🔗 Guide to the Present Perfect Simple for the TOEIC®
• 🔗 Guide to the Present Perfect Continuous for the TOEIC®
• 🔗 Guide to the Difference Between Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous for the TOEIC®
• 🔗 Guide to the Past Perfect Simple for the TOEIC®
• 🔗 Guide to the Difference Between Simple Past/Past Perfect for the TOEIC®

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