Use had been + -ing for an activity that was going on for a while before a moment in the past, often one whose effects were still visible at that moment.
A Something going on before a past moment
Yesterday evening Kirsty came home and opened the front door. The kitchen smelt of paint and her flatmate had white speckles in his hair.
He had been painting.
He was not painting when Kirsty walked in. He had stopped. He had been painting before she arrived, and the evidence was in his hair.
had been + -ing is the past perfect continuous:
| Subject | had | been | -ing |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / we / you / they | had (I'd, we'd) | been | doing, working |
| he / she / it | had (he'd, she'd) | been | playing, painting |
You can also say that something had been happening for a while when something else happened.
- My knees were muddy because I'd been weeding the garden.
- Leon was shattered when he got in. He'd been driving since five in the morning.
- I stayed with my cousin in Glasgow last spring. She hadn't been living there long, but she already knew every bus route.
- We'd been walking for about an hour when the fog came down.
B have been -ing and had been -ing
The present perfect continuous (have been -ing) looks back from now. The past perfect continuous (had been -ing) looks back from a moment in the past.
| Present perfect continuous | Past perfect continuous |
|---|---|
| I hope the doctor sees me soon. I've been sitting here for an hour. (before now) | At last the doctor called my name. I'd been sitting there for an hour. (before the doctor called me) |
| Amira's face is red. She's been cycling. (she has been) | Amira's face was red. She'd been cycling. (she had been) |
- I've been revising all afternoon, so I'm going for a walk.
- I'd been revising all afternoon, so I went for a walk.
C was -ing and had been -ing
The past continuous (was -ing) describes what was in progress at the past moment. The past perfect continuous (had been -ing) describes what was going on before it.
- It wasn't snowing when we set off. The sky was clear. But it had been snowing, so the roads were white.
- Callum was asleep in the armchair. He was worn out because he'd been helping his dad move house.
D Verbs not used in continuous forms
Some verbs, such as know, are not normally used in continuous forms (be + -ing). With these, use the past perfect simple (had known), not the continuous.
For a list of these verbs, see Unit 4A. For have, see Unit 17.
- They were close friends. They had known each other since school. (not had been knowing)
- Last month Dev shaved off his beard. We hardly recognised him, because he'd always had one. (not he'd been having)
Exercises
16.1 Read each situation and make a sentence using the words in brackets.
Leon was shattered when he got home. (He / drive / all day)
He'd been driving all day.
He'd been driving all day.
The two boys came into the kitchen soaking wet, holding fishing rods. (They / fish / in the river)
They'd been fishing in the river.
I was gutted when the gig was cancelled. (I / look / forward to it)
I'd been looking forward to it.
Ben woke up suddenly at three in the morning, sweating and confused. (He / have / a nightmare)
He'd been having a nightmare.
When I came downstairs, my sister was sitting at the laptop. She had just closed it. (She / play / a game)
She'd been playing a game.
The people in the queue at the post office were looking very fed up. Only one counter was open. (They / wait / a long time)
They'd been waiting a long time.
16.2 Read each situation and complete the sentence.
We went for a bike ride yesterday, but we didn't get very far. We'd been cycling (We / cycle) for twenty minutes when my chain snapped (my chain / snap).
We'd been cycling for twenty minutes when my chain snapped.
I had arranged to meet Becky outside the cinema. I got there and waited. (I / wait) for half an hour when (I / realise) that (I / come) to the wrong cinema.
I'd been waiting for half an hour when I realised that I'd come to the wrong cinema.
Pete worked at the steelworks for a long time. The steelworks has now closed. When the steelworks (close), Pete (work) there for twenty-two years.
When the steelworks closed, Pete had been working there for twenty-two years.
I went to see a play. Not long after it started, something unexpected happened. The actors (perform) for about fifteen minutes when the fire alarm suddenly (go) off.
The actors had been performing for about fifteen minutes when the fire alarm suddenly went off.
I set off walking along the road into town. I (walk) for about ten minutes when a car (stop) next to me.
I had been walking for about ten minutes when a car stopped next to me.
16.3 Which is right? Choose the correct form.
There was a lot of shouting from the park last night. Some lads ___ football. (were playing / had been playing)
were playing
There was a lot of shouting from the park last night. Some lads were playing football.
When we finally reached the campsite, we were exhausted. ___ for nine hours. (We were walking / We'd been walking)
When we finally reached the campsite, we were exhausted. We'd been walking for nine hours.
Aisha was crawling around under the table. ___ for her earring. (She was looking / She'd been looking)
Aisha was crawling around under the table. She was looking for her earring.
Rhys was bent over at the side of the track, gasping for breath. ___. (He was running / He'd been running)
Rhys was bent over at the side of the track, gasping for breath. He'd been running.
Meg and I walked into town together. ___ so fast that I could hardly keep up with her. (She was walking / She'd been walking)
Meg and I walked into town together. She was walking so fast that I could hardly keep up with her.
I was quite upset when we sold the caravan. ___ it since the children were small. (We've had / We'd had)
I was quite upset when we sold the caravan. We'd had it since the children were small.
I was sorry when the old bakery on our street shut. ___ there every Saturday for years. (I was going / I'd been going)
I was sorry when the old bakery on our street shut. I'd been going there every Saturday for years.
I'm doing a sponsored swim next week. ___ at the leisure centre three times a week. (I've been practising / I'd been practising)
I'm doing a sponsored swim next week. I've been practising at the leisure centre three times a week.
I'd arranged to meet Liam at the station, but my train was delayed. When I finally got there, ___ for me. He was in a bad mood because ___ such a long time. (he was waiting / he'd been waiting) (he was waiting / he'd been waiting)
When I finally got there, he was waiting for me. He was in a bad mood because he'd been waiting such a long time.
Nina and I both work at the same garden centre. She got her job there before me. When I started three years ago, ___ there. (she was already working / she'd already been working)
When I started three years ago, she was already working there.
I started at the garden centre three years ago. At the time I started, Nina ___ there for five years. (was already working / had already been working)
At the time I started, Nina had already been working there for five years.
Nina still works at the garden centre. ___ there a long time now. (She's been working / She'd been working)
Nina still works at the garden centre. She's been working there a long time now.