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Formation and usage of the Past Perfect Continuous tense.
The Past Perfect Continuous describes an activity that continued for a period of time before another point or event in the past.
It emphasizes the duration or ongoing nature of an activity before a later past event.
She had been studying for three hours before the exam started.
Она занималась три часа перед началом экзамена.
Activity continued up to a past point.
They had been waiting for the bus for twenty minutes when it finally arrived.
Они ждали автобус двадцать минут, когда он наконец приехал.
Duration before a later past event.
He was out of breath because he had been running.
Он запыхался, потому что бежал.
Earlier activity explains past result.
I had been working at the company for five years before I got promoted.
Я проработал в компании пять лет, прежде чем получил повышение.
Duration before a past event.
The Past Perfect Continuous is formed with had been followed by the present participle of the main verb.
The basic structure is subject + had + been + verb-ing. For example, I had been working and They had been waiting.
I had been working.
Я работал (в течение некоторого времени).
had + been + verb-ing.
They had been waiting.
Они ждали (в течение некоторого времени).
had + been + verb-ing.
She had been studying.
Она училась (в течение некоторого времени).
had + been + verb-ing.
We had been living there for years.
Мы жили там много лет.
Full example with duration.
Affirmative sentences use had been followed by the -ing form of the main verb.
For example, She had been studying before the exam started and We had been waiting for an hour.
She had been studying before the exam started.
Она занималась до начала экзамена.
Affirmative: had been + -ing.
We had been waiting for an hour.
Мы ждали целый час.
Affirmative.
He had been working there since 2019.
Он работал там с 2019 года.
With since.
They had been travelling all week.
Они путешествовали всю неделю.
With all week.
Form negative sentences by adding not after had.
The structure is subject + had not + been + verb-ing. For example, I had not been sleeping well.
I had not been sleeping well.
Я плохо спал (в течение некоторого времени).
had not been + -ing.
She had not been feeling well before the trip.
Она плохо себя чувствовала перед поездкой.
Negative.
They had not been paying attention during the lecture.
Они не обращали внимания во время лекции.
Negative.
He had not been working there long when he quit.
Он недолго там работал, когда уволился.
Negative with long.
Form questions by placing had before the subject.
For example, Had you been waiting long? and How long had she been working there?
Had you been waiting long?
Ты долго ждал?
Yes/no question.
How long had she been working there before she left?
Как долго она там работала, прежде чем ушла?
How long question.
What had they been doing before we arrived?
Что они делали до нашего прихода?
Wh-question.
Had he been studying all night?
Он учился всю ночь?
Yes/no question.
Short answers use had or had not without repeating been and the main verb.
For example, Yes, I had. No, she had not.
Had you been waiting long? — Yes, I had.
Ты долго ждал? — Да.
Short answer.
Had she been working there long? — No, she hadn't.
Она там долго работала? — Нет.
Negative short answer.
Had they been studying? — Yes, they had.
Они учились? — Да.
Short answer.
Had he been running? — No, he hadn't.
Он бегал? — Нет.
Negative short answer.
Use the Past Perfect Continuous for an activity that started before a particular point in the past and continued until that point.
For example, She had been working for three hours when her manager arrived.
She had been working for three hours when her manager arrived.
Она работала уже три часа, когда пришёл её менеджер.
Activity continued up to a past point.
They had been living in London for ten years before they moved.
Они жили в Лондоне десять лет, прежде чем переехали.
Duration up to a past point.
We had been driving for six hours when we stopped for petrol.
Мы ехали шесть часов, когда остановились заправиться.
Ongoing activity until a past moment.
He had been playing the piano for years before he gave his first concert.
Он играл на пианино много лет, прежде чем дал первый концерт.
Earlier continuing activity.
The Past Perfect Continuous often emphasizes how long an activity had been happening before another past event.
It is commonly used with expressions such as for two hours, since Monday, all day, and how long.
We had been waiting for two hours before the bus finally came.
Мы ждали два часа, прежде чем наконец пришёл автобус.
Emphasis on length of waiting.
She had been working on the project for months before it was cancelled.
Она работала над проектом несколько месяцев, прежде чем его отменили.
Duration important.
They had been arguing all morning before they reached an agreement.
Они спорили всё утро, прежде чем пришли к соглашению.
Duration before result.
He had been trying to call her all day.
Он пытался дозвониться ей весь день.
Emphasis on duration of attempts.
Use for to express a period of time and since to express the starting point of an activity.
For example, They had been living there for ten years and She had been working there since 2018.
They had been living there for ten years.
Они жили там десять лет.
for + period.
She had been working there since 2018.
Она работала там с 2018 года.
since + starting point.
We had been travelling for a week before we reached the coast.
Мы путешествовали неделю, прежде чем добрались до побережья.
for + duration.
He had been feeling ill since the previous night.
Он плохо себя чувствовал с прошлой ночи.
since + past time.
Use How long with the Past Perfect Continuous to ask about the duration of an activity before a point in the past.
For example, How long had you been waiting before the bus arrived?
How long had you been waiting before the bus arrived?
Как долго ты ждал, прежде чем пришёл автобус?
Question about duration before a past event.
How long had she been working there before she left?
Как долго она там работала, прежде чем ушла?
How long + Past Perfect Continuous.
How long had they been living in Rome before they moved?
Как долго они жили в Риме, прежде чем переехали?
Duration question.
How long had he been driving when the accident happened?
Как долго он вёл машину, когда произошла авария?
Question about duration before past event.
The Past Perfect Continuous can explain the cause of a past situation by describing an activity that happened before it.
For example, He was tired because he had been working all night.
He was tired because he had been working all night.
Он устал, потому что работал всю ночь.
Earlier activity caused later state.
She was sunburned because she had been lying on the beach all day.
Она обгорела, потому что весь день лежала на пляже.
Cause and result.
The ground was wet because it had been raining.
Земля была мокрой, потому что шёл дождь.
Earlier rain caused wet ground.
They were hungry because they had been hiking all day.
Они были голодны, потому что весь день ходили в поход.
Activity caused hunger.
Use the Past Perfect Continuous for activities that stopped shortly before another event when their effects or results were still noticeable.
For example, Her hands were dirty because she had been gardening.
Her hands were dirty because she had been gardening.
Её руки были грязными, потому что она работала в саду.
Visible result of earlier activity.
He was sweating because he had been running.
Он потел, потому что бегал.
Recent activity with visible result.
The room smelled of paint because they had been painting.
В комнате пахло краской, потому что они красили.
Result.
She was crying because she had been watching a sad film.
Она плакала, потому что смотрела грустный фильм.
Earlier activity caused present past state.
The Past Perfect Continuous can describe repeated or continuous activity over a period leading up to a point in the past.
For example, I had been calling him all morning before he finally answered.
I had been calling him all morning before he finally answered.
Я звонил ему всё утро, прежде чем он наконец ответил.
Repeated activity leading up to a past point.
She had been visiting her grandmother regularly before she moved abroad.
Она регулярно навещала бабушку, прежде чем уехала за границу.
Repeated activity in the past.
They had been going to the gym every day before the wedding.
Они ходили в спортзал каждый день перед свадьбой.
Repeated activity.
He had been sending her messages all week before she replied.
Он слал ей сообщения всю неделю, прежде чем она ответила.
Repeated.
The Past Perfect Continuous can emphasize that an activity was temporary or ongoing before another event in the past.
For example, She had been staying with friends before she found an apartment.
She had been staying with friends before she found an apartment.
Она жила у друзей, прежде чем нашла квартиру.
Temporary activity before a later event.
He had been working on a temporary project before he got the permanent job.
Он работал над временным проектом, прежде чем получил постоянную работу.
Temporary.
They had been using a temporary office while their building was renovated.
Они пользовались временным офисом, пока их здание ремонтировали.
Temporary activity.
I had been taking a course before I started my new job.
Я проходил курс, прежде чем начал новую работу.
Temporary activity.
The Past Perfect Continuous often describes the earlier ongoing activity, while the Past Simple describes the later event or reference point.
For example, We had been driving for hours when the car broke down.
We had been driving for hours when the car broke down.
Мы ехали несколько часов, когда машина сломалась.
Past Perfect Continuous for earlier ongoing; Past Simple for later event.
She had been working all day when she finally took a break.
Она работала весь день, когда наконец сделала перерыв.
Earlier continuous, later simple.
They had been arguing for hours before they reached a compromise.
Они спорили несколько часов, прежде чем пришли к компромиссу.
Continuous earlier, simple later.
He had been jogging every morning before he injured his knee.
Он бегал по утрам, прежде чем повредил колено.
Repeated ongoing before a simple past event.
The Past Perfect Continuous describes an activity leading up to a past point, while the Past Continuous describes an activity in progress at a particular moment in the past.
Compare I had been working for three hours before she arrived with I was working when she arrived.
I had been working for three hours before she arrived.
Я работал уже три часа, прежде чем она пришла.
Past Perfect Continuous: duration up to a past point.
I was working when she arrived.
Я работал, когда она пришла.
Past Continuous: action in progress at that moment.
They had been living there for years before they moved.
Они жили там много лет, прежде чем переехали.
Past Perfect Continuous.
They were living there when the earthquake happened.
Они жили там, когда произошло землетрясение.
Past Continuous.
The Past Perfect often focuses on completion or results, while the Past Perfect Continuous emphasizes duration or the ongoing process.
Compare She had written five emails with She had been writing emails for two hours.
She had written five emails.
Она написала пять писем.
Past Perfect: completed result.
She had been writing emails for two hours.
Она писала письма уже два часа.
Past Perfect Continuous: duration.
They had painted the room.
Они покрасили комнату.
Completion.
They had been painting the room all day.
Они красили комнату весь день.
Duration.
Choose the Past Perfect when the completed result is important and the Past Perfect Continuous when the duration or activity itself is important.
For example, He had painted three pictures focuses on the result, while He had been painting all afternoon focuses on the activity.
He had painted three pictures.
Он нарисовал три картины.
Focus on completed result.
He had been painting all afternoon.
Он рисовал весь день.
Focus on duration/activity.
She had cooked dinner.
Она приготовила ужин.
Completed result.
She had been cooking for an hour before the guests arrived.
Она готовила целый час до прихода гостей.
Duration.
Stative verbs are not normally used in the Past Perfect Continuous when they describe states rather than actions.
Verbs such as know, believe, understand, own, and belong usually use the Past Perfect instead. For example, I had known her for years.
I had known her for years.
Я знал её много лет.
Stative: Past Perfect, not continuous.
She had believed in ghosts since childhood.
Она верила в привидений с детства.
Stative verb.
They had owned the house for twenty years before selling it.
Они владели домом двадцать лет, прежде чем продали его.
Stative possession.
He had understood the problem from the beginning.
Он понимал проблему с самого начала.
Stative cognition.
Some verbs can be used in either the Past Perfect or the Past Perfect Continuous, depending on whether the focus is on a state, result, duration, or activity.
For example, She had lived there for ten years and She had been living there for ten years can both be possible depending on context.
She had lived there for ten years.
Она жила там десять лет.
Past Perfect: state, duration.
She had been living there for ten years.
Она жила там десять лет.
Past Perfect Continuous: possible, emphasises ongoing.
He had worked at the bank since 2018.
Он работал в банке с 2018 года.
Past Perfect.
He had been working at the bank since 2018.
Он работал в банке с 2018 года.
Continuous also possible.
The Past Perfect Continuous can be used with before and by the time to show the duration of an earlier activity.
For example, By the time the guests arrived, we had been preparing dinner for several hours.
By the time the guests arrived, we had been preparing dinner for several hours.
К тому времени как гости пришли, мы готовили ужин уже несколько часов.
By the time + Past Perfect Continuous.
Before she found a job, she had been looking for months.
Прежде чем найти работу, она искала её несколько месяцев.
Before + Past Perfect Continuous.
By the time the police arrived, the suspect had been hiding for an hour.
К тому времени как прибыла полиция, подозреваемый прятался уже час.
Duration before past point.
Before they moved, they had been renting for years.
Прежде чем переехать, они много лет арендовали жильё.
Before.
The Past Perfect Continuous is commonly used with expressions that show duration before a past event.
Common expressions include for, since, all day, all morning, how long, before, and by the time.
I had been waiting for an hour before he arrived.
Я ждал час, прежде чем он пришёл.
for an hour.
She had been working since early morning.
Она работала с раннего утра.
since early morning.
They had been travelling all day.
Они путешествовали весь день.
all day.
How long had you been learning English before you moved to London?
Как долго ты учил английский, прежде чем переехал в Лондон?
How long.
Use the Past Perfect Continuous in narratives to describe an activity that had been happening before the main events of the story.
For example, They had been walking for hours when they finally found the village.
They had been walking for hours when they finally found the village.
Они шли несколько часов, когда наконец нашли деревню.
Narrative: earlier activity.
She had been searching for her keys all morning before she found them in her bag.
Она искала ключи всё утро, прежде чем нашла их в сумке.
Storytelling.
The children had been playing in the garden before it started to rain.
Дети играли в саду, прежде чем начался дождь.
Setting background.
He had been working on the novel for years before he finally published it.
Он работал над романом много лет, прежде чем наконец опубликовал его.
Duration before later event.
Use had been followed by the correct -ing form and use the tense only when an earlier ongoing activity or its duration is important.
Common mistakes include omitting been, using the past participle instead of the -ing form, confusing the tense with the Past Perfect, and using continuous forms with stative verbs.
I had working there for two years.
Я работал там два года.
Incorrect: missing been; should be "had been working".
She had been worked there for a long time.
Она давно там работала.
Incorrect: use -ing form, not past participle.
I had been knowing her for years.
Я знал её много лет.
Incorrect: stative verb "know" should not be continuous.
They had been waiting since two hours.
Они ждали два часа.
Incorrect: use "for two hours", not "since two hours".
We had been finished the project before the deadline.
Мы закончили проект до срока.
Incorrect: Past Perfect Continuous not needed; use Past Perfect "had finished" for completed result.