Guide to the Past Perfect Simple/Continuous Difference – TOEIC® Preparation

The past perfect simple and the past perfect continuous represent two verb forms that describe prior events with different nuances. The past perfect simple expresses a completed action that precedes another past moment, while the past perfect continuous highlights the continuity or duration of that action.

Past perfect simple: signals that an action had already finished before a past reference point.
- She had finished her report before the meeting started.

She had finished her report before the meeting started.

Past perfect continuous: emphasizes the duration or repetition of an action that took place before another past event.
- They had been studying all night when the exam finally began.

They had been studying all night when the exam finally began.

Selecting the Right Tense According to Time Indicators

To distinguish between the past perfect simple and the past perfect continuous, it is essential to identify the key time expressions. These indicators reveal the chronology and the length of the action concerned.

A. For and Since: Emphasizing Duration

For expresses the period during which an action continued.
- Past perfect continuous: preferred when you want to stress that an action was ongoing before a past event.
  - She had been waiting for three hours when the train finally arrived.

She had been waiting for three hours when the train finally arrived.

Past perfect simple: possible, but less frequent, especially if the emphasis is on the completed action.
- They had stayed in Paris for five years before returning home.

They had stayed in Paris for five years before returning home.

Since refers to a specific starting point (a given year or moment).
- Past perfect continuous: always favored to highlight the continuity of the action up to a past reference point.
  - He had been managing the team since 2015 when the company restructured.

He had been managing the team since 2015 when the company restructured.

Past perfect simple: appropriate if you emphasize the result achieved before a past event.
- She had managed the department since 2012 before accepting a new position.

She had managed the department since 2012 before accepting a new position.

In summary, with "for" or "since", opt for the past perfect continuous to express that an action was continuing for a certain period. Conversely, choose the past perfect simple to indicate that an action had started and had finished before another moment.

B. Before / By the time / When: Chronological Sequence

Before / By the time / When: these phrases indicate that an action finished (or was ongoing) prior to another moment in the past.
- Past perfect simple: highlights an action that was already completed.
  - We had prepared everything before the guests arrived.

We had prepared everything before the guests arrived.

Past perfect continuous: emphasizes the duration of the action before the moment marked by "before / by the time / when".
- She had been practicing her presentation for days when the conference was canceled.

She had been practicing her presentation for days when the conference was canceled.

Select the past perfect simple when you want to emphasize what was already accomplished at the time of the other action. Favor the past perfect continuous to highlight how long the action was in progress.

C. Already / Just: The Notion of Finalization

Already and Just signal that an action was finalized or had just concluded before another past event.
- Past perfect simple: these markers are commonly associated to indicate that an action is entirely finished.
  - He had already submitted his application before the deadline expired.

He had already submitted his application before the deadline expired.

They had just arrived when the storm started.

Past perfect continuous: infrequent with "already / just" because the focus is on finalization rather than duration.
- We had just been discussing the issue when the manager walked in.

We had just been discussing the issue when the manager walked in. (possible, but less common)

Generally, "already" and "just" are used with the past perfect simple to express that an action is "completed" when another begins.

Selecting the Right Tense According to Verb Nature

Beyond time indicators, it is important to consider the verb category. Some verbs, called stative verbs, express a state, possession, emotion, or cognitive process. They are rarely used in the continuous form.

A. Stative Verbs

The verbs below (non-exhaustive list) are generally considered stative:

State or possession verbs: to be, to have, to own, to belong…
Involuntary perception verbs: to see, to hear, to smell…
Emotion or volition verbs: to love, to like, to hate, to want…
Cognition or knowledge verbs: to know, to believe, to understand…

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

Past perfect simple (correct):
- She had owned that business for ten years before selling it.

She had owned that business for ten years before selling it.

Past perfect continuous (generally incorrect):
- She had been owning that business for ten years…

To be avoided, as "own" describes a state of possession, not a dynamic action.

With these stative verbs, use the past perfect simple to indicate that they "were valid" up to a past moment.

B. Dynamic Verbs (Action Verbs)

Verbs that express activity or a dynamic process can, however, be used in the past perfect continuous if you want to emphasize the duration or continuity of the action.

Activity verbs: to work, to run, to read, to cook, to play, to travel…
Process verbs: to grow, to change, to develop…

The complete list of dynamic verbs is available here:🔗 List of dynamic verbs for the TOEIC®

Past perfect simple:
- He had completed the training before starting his new job.

He had completed the training before starting his new job.Here, the emphasis is on the fact that the training was finished before the job started.

Past perfect continuous:
- He had been training for months before starting his new job.

He had been training for months before starting his new job.Here, the emphasis is on the duration and continuity of his training before the job started.

C. When Does a Stative Verb Become an Action Verb?

Some verbs can be stative or dynamic depending on their meaning. For example, "to have" can express possession (stative) or refer to an action (having a meal, organizing an event, etc.).

Stative (possession):
- Past perfect simple:
  - They had had that apartment for three years before moving out.

They had had that apartment for three years before moving out.

Past perfect continuous:
- They had been having that apartment…

To be avoided, as this is a static possession, not an action.

Dynamic (action: taking, organizing, etc.):
- Past perfect continuous:
  - She had been having lunch when her colleague called.

She had been having lunch when her colleague called.Here "having lunch" refers to an ongoing action, not a state of possession.

For these verbs with dual meanings, ask yourself whether the verb describes a state (no continuous form) or an action (continuous form is possible).

Conclusion: Mastering the Nuances of the Past Perfect

The past perfect simple highlights that an action was already completed before another past event, whereas the past perfect continuous emphasizes the duration or continuity of that action before that same reference point. Remember these fundamental principles:

Past perfect simple = action finished before another past action.
Past perfect continuous = action ongoing or prolonged before another past moment.

Thanks to these two tenses, you will be able to narrate past events in a more precise and detailed way, emphasizing either the result achieved or the duration of the actions.

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

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