Past Perfect Continuous

Formare Past Perfect Continuous

Afirmativ: subiect+had been+verb de conjugat+terminatia -ing

He had been working

Negativ: subiect+had not/hadn’t been+verb de conjugat +terminatia -ing

He had not been working sau He hadn’t been working.

 Interogativ: had +subiect+been+verb de conjugat +terminatia -ing

Had he been working?

Pentru regulile de ortografie la adaugarea terminatiei -ing, vezi AICI.

Utilizare Past Perfect Continuous:

Past perfect continuous exprima:

1. o actiune care s-a terminat cu putin timp inaintea altei actiuni trecute sau a unui moment din trecut

I had just been talking to him when she came. – Tocmai vorbisem cu el cand a venit ea.

2. o actiune trecuta, inceputa inaintea altei actiuni trecute sau a unui moment din trecut, actiune care continua in momentul respectiv (cu specificarea perioadei sau duratei de desfasurare a actiunii)

Bill had been eating for ten minutes when his mother came home. –  Bill manca de zece minute cand s-a intors mama lui.

She had been working there since her parents’ divorce. – Ea lucra acolo de la divortul parintilor ei.