Grammar
Tense: Past perfect ou Pluperfect continuous – Grammar in use
1st Part
Grammar in use
2nd Part
Form
3rd Part
Drills
1st Part
Grammar in use
- Topic : HAD BEEN +VB-ING
- Skills : Grammar
Use
The past perfect continuous is used to talk about actions or events which started before a particular time in the past and were still in progress up to that time in the past.
Example: She had been working at that company for a year when she met Nicolas.
| FOCUS ON | ACTIONS |
|---|---|
| The Past Perfect ou Pluperfect continuous is used to focus on the duration of an action in the past. (+ time marker). Avec le past perfect et un marqueur de temps on insiste sur la durée d’une action au passé. (bilan au passé) |
He had been working for six hours. Since Christmas, he had been travelling overseas frequently. |
| The Past Perfect continuous is used to focus on the impact/ the consequences of a past action on another past action. Avec le past perfect continu on insiste sur l’impact d’une action passée sur une autre action passée.(valeur de résultat) |
What had you been doing to impress him so much? (= he already knew him) |
Adverbs and phrases used with the Past perfect
| for | since | before | by the time | all day/night/week/month/year. |