The past perfect continuous tense is a powerful tool for expressing actions and events that span over a period of time and have already been completed. It can be used to show how something has been changing in the past or describe an activity that was going on until another event occurred. This article will provide 15 examples of how to use the past perfect continuous tense in English.
15 Sentences in Past Perfect Continuous Tense
- I had been studying for hours when my friends called me to go out.
- She had been cooking dinner for two hours when the guests arrived.
- They had been living in that house for five years before they decided to move.
- He had been working as a doctor for 10 years before he changed his career.
- The team had been practicing for weeks before the big game.
- She had been painting the walls all morning when she realized she ran out of paint.
- He had been driving for hours when he finally arrived at his destination.
- They had been waiting for the bus for half an hour when it finally came.
- She had been running for an hour before she felt tired.
- He had been playing the guitar for years before he joined a band.
- They had been watching the movie for two hours when it suddenly stopped.
- She had been writing her thesis for months before she finally submitted it.
- He had been studying Spanish for years when he decided to take a trip to Spain.
- They had been saving money for a long time before they could afford to buy a house.
- She had been working at the company for 10 years before she was promoted to manager.