The past perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that was ongoing for some time in the past before something else happened. It’s helpful when you want to talk about how long something had been happening up until a certain moment.
The structure is: had been + verb-ing
Example: She had been studying for hours before the lights went out.
This article gives you over 100 examples that show how to use this tense naturally. They’re grouped by real-life situations so you can see how it works in stories, conversations, and descriptions. Whether you’re writing or speaking, these examples will help you express past events with clarity.
Describing Long Actions Before a Past Event
The past perfect continuous tense is often used to describe actions that were in progress before another past event occurred.
- She had been working on the project before her laptop crashed.
- I had been waiting for the bus for 30 minutes before it finally arrived.
- They had been walking through the forest when it started to rain.
- He had been writing his paper all night before submitting it.
- We had been practicing for weeks before the final performance.
- The students had been studying hard before the exams began.
- He had been fixing the roof before the storm hit.
- I had been trying to reach her before she changed her number.
- They had been discussing the plan before the manager arrived.
- She had been searching for the file before she realized it was deleted.
- We had been cleaning the house before the guests came.
- He had been driving for five hours before taking a break.
- I had been cooking when the gas ran out.
- They had been building the shed before winter came.
- She had been reading that book before the class discussion started.
- The team had been training for months before the tournament.
- He had been calling you before his phone battery died.
- We had been making changes before the client reviewed the draft.
- I had been writing emails all morning before the server crashed.
- She had been preparing for the interview before the cancellation notice came.
Talking About Past Habits or Routines
The past perfect continuous tense can also describe actions that were repeated or habitual over a period of time before something else happened in the past.
- He had been jogging every day before his schedule changed.
- We had been meeting for coffee every Friday before exams started.
- She had been taking piano lessons before she moved to a new city.
- I had been waking up early before the holiday break began.
- They had been watching that show every weekend until the season ended.
- He had been reading the newspaper each morning before switching to podcasts.
- We had been cooking dinner together before their work hours shifted.
- She had been writing in her journal daily until the semester got busy.
- I had been walking to school before my parents bought a bike.
- They had been eating at the same café every weekend before it closed.
Explaining Causes and Background of Past Situations
The past perfect continuous is helpful for giving background or explaining why something happened in the past. It shows what had been happening leading up to another event.
- I was exhausted because I had been studying all night.
- She looked upset because she had been arguing with her friend.
- They were soaked because they had been walking in the rain.
- He was out of breath because he had been running to catch the train.
- We missed the deadline because we had been dealing with technical issues.
- The road was muddy because it had been raining for hours.
- Her hands were stained because she had been painting the wall.
- He was frustrated because he had been waiting in line for a long time.
- I couldn’t concentrate because I had been thinking about the results.
- She was feeling dizzy because she had been working without a break.
- They were behind schedule because they had been fixing errors in the report.
- He was in pain because he had been lifting heavy boxes.
- The teacher looked concerned because the students had been skipping classes.
- I felt relieved because I had been preparing for weeks.
- She was nervous because she had been practicing for the audition.
Negative Sentences in Past Perfect Continuous
To form negative sentences, use had not been (or hadn’t been) followed by the -ing form of the verb. These sentences show that an action was not happening continuously before a past event.
- I hadn’t been sleeping well before the trip.
- She hadn’t been attending classes regularly.
- They hadn’t been following the instructions carefully.
- He hadn’t been taking his medication on time.
- We hadn’t been practicing enough before the competition.
- She hadn’t been preparing for the presentation.
- I hadn’t been checking my emails that day.
- He hadn’t been studying much before the test.
- They hadn’t been using the new software properly.
- We hadn’t been eating healthy before the doctor’s advice.
- She hadn’t been saving money for the vacation.
- He hadn’t been paying attention during the lecture.
- I hadn’t been exercising until last month.
- They hadn’t been discussing the details seriously.
- We hadn’t been tracking our progress closely.
Questions in Past Perfect Continuous Tense
These examples show how to ask about actions that were happening continuously before something else in the past. The structure is:
Had + subject + been + verb-ing?
- Had she been waiting for long before the gate opened?
- Had you been studying when the lights went out?
- Had they been working on the assignment together?
- Had he been feeling unwell before the meeting?
- Had we been using the right format all along?
- Had I been repeating the same mistake?
- Had she been calling you before you picked up?
- Had he been spending too much time online?
- Had we been handling the task correctly?
Dialogue-Friendly Examples for Conversation
These short, natural-sounding examples are great for use in storytelling or casual conversation, where the past perfect continuous helps provide context or build emotion.
- I had been meaning to talk to you about that.
- She had been hoping you’d show up.
- They had been planning the surprise for weeks.
- He had been thinking about changing his job.
- We had been expecting a response before Friday.
- I had been looking forward to that movie all week.
- She had been trying to fix the issue herself.
- He had been practicing before the big day.
- They had been working late almost every day.
- We had been waiting for the results nervously.
Mixed Practice Sentences (Positive, Negative, Questions)
This section combines positive, negative, and interrogative forms of the past perfect continuous tense to reinforce flexibility in usage.
- I had been reading that book before the class started.
- She hadn’t been attending the sessions regularly.
- Had they been practicing enough before the event?
- We had been planning the schedule for over a week.
- He hadn’t been feeling well all morning.
- Had you been using my laptop before it crashed?
- They had been working together on the assignment.
- I hadn’t been thinking clearly at the time.
- Had she been staying with her aunt before moving here?
- We had been hoping for a better outcome.
- He had been studying the same chapter for days.
- She hadn’t been preparing for the interview properly.
- Had the team been following the new strategy?
- I had been waiting for that message since morning.
- They hadn’t been responding to emails.