Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Select the sentence that is written in the past perfect continuous tense.

• She had been studying for the test all week.

• She was studying when her friend called.

• She has studied for many tests before.

• She studied hard for the test.

Answer explanation

This sentence correctly uses the past perfect continuous form 'had + been + verb-ing' (had been studying) to describe an action that continued over a period of time in the past. The other options use past continuous, present perfect, and simple past tenses.

Complete the sentence: My thumbs were sore because I _____ video games for hours.

• had been playing

• was playing

• have played

• did play

Answer explanation

The correct form is 'had been playing' because it shows an ongoing action (playing video games) that happened in the past and caused a result in the past (sore thumbs). The other options do not correctly express this continuous past action leading to a past result.

True or False: The sentence 'They hadn't been waiting long before the movie started' is a correct negative sentence in the past perfect continuous tense.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

This statement is true. The sentence correctly forms the negative of the past perfect continuous by using 'had not been' (contracted to 'hadn't been') plus the '-ing' form of the verb.

Which question is formed correctly in the past perfect continuous tense?

• Had you been practicing the piano before I arrived?

• You had been practicing the piano before I arrived?

• Did you were practicing the piano before I arrived?

• Have you been practicing the piano before I arrived?

Answer explanation

To form a yes/no question in the past perfect continuous, the auxiliary verb 'had' is moved to the beginning of the sentence, before the subject. The other options show incorrect word order or use the wrong auxiliary verbs.

Complete the sentence: By the time the bell rang, we _____ on our science project for a full hour.

• had been working

• were working

• worked

• have been working

Answer explanation

The phrase 'by the time' signals that one past action was in progress for a duration before another past action occurred. 'Had been working' correctly shows the project work was ongoing before the bell rang.

Identify the sentence that correctly places the adverb 'always'.

• He had always been helping his mom with chores.

• He always had been helping his mom with chores.

• He had been always helping his mom with chores.

• He had been helping always his mom with chores.

Answer explanation

In the past perfect continuous tense, adverbs like 'always', 'just', or 'never' are typically placed after the first auxiliary verb, 'had'. Placing it anywhere else in the verb phrase is awkward or incorrect.

True or False: The sentence 'I knew the answer because I had been paying attention' uses the past perfect continuous to show a completed action.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

This statement is false. The past perfect continuous ('had been paying attention') is used here to emphasize the duration of an action (paying attention) that led to a result in the past (knowing the answer), not to show a single completed action.

Complete the sentence: My dad was mad because my brother _____ his tools without asking.

• had been using

• was using

• used

• has been using

Answer explanation

The past perfect continuous ('had been using') best explains the cause of a past situation. The brother's ongoing action of using the tools in the past is the reason the dad was mad in the past.

Which sentence best contrasts a longer, earlier action with a shorter, later one?

• They had been hiking for miles before they saw the bear.

• They were hiking for miles when they were seeing the bear.

• They had hiked for miles, then they saw the bear.

• They have been hiking for miles before they saw the bear.

Answer explanation

This sentence correctly uses the past perfect continuous ('had been hiking') to describe the long action that was happening before the simple past action ('saw') interrupted it or occurred.

Complete the sentence: She didn't get the joke because she _____ to the conversation.

• hadn't been listening

• wasn't listen

• hadn't listened

• didn't been listening

Answer explanation

The negative form 'hadn't been listening' correctly explains the ongoing reason in the past (not listening) for a past result (not getting the joke). The other options use incorrect verb forms or tenses.