Past Perfect Continuous (I had been doing)
Secondary English Grammar · Present and Past Tenses · Lesson 16
Also known as: Past perfect continuous
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Lesson questions (14)
- His clothes were dirty because he ___ in the garden.
Answer: had been working - We ___ for two hours when the bus finally came.
Answer: had been waiting - She was tired because she ___ all day.
Answer: had been studying - The ground was wet. It ___.
Answer: had been raining - They had ___ playing for an hour when it started to rain.
Answer: been - How long had you ___ living there before you moved?
Answer: been - I had been ___ for that job for months.
Answer: hoping - Her eyes were red. She has been crying.
Answer: False - He had been smoking for 20 years when he stopped.
Answer: True - When I got home, Ali had been lie on the sofa. He was asleep.
Answer: False - Choose the correct sentence.
Answer: We were exhausted because we had been driving all night. - Choose the correct sentence.
Answer: She had been working there for three years before she got promoted. - I have been waiting for 20 minutes when he called.
الخطأ:have· التصحيح: had - They were out of breath because they have been running.
الخطأ:have been· التصحيح: had been
About this lesson
“Past Perfect Continuous (I had been doing)” is from Secondary English Grammar (Present and Past Tenses) and has 14 questions with answers. Sample questions: “His clothes were dirty because he ___ in the garden.” and “We ___ for two hours when the bus finally came.”. Every question can be played in any Hessa Play game or activity.
Lesson words: had been working · had been waiting · had been studying · had been raining · been · hoping · had · had been
How to use it in class
- Show the question on the board and let students think before the options appear.
- Split the class into two teams; every correct answer earns a point.
- Display it on the smart board, send it as homework by link, or play it solo or in two teams.
Related lessons
- Present Continuous (I am doing)
- Present Simple (I do)
- Present Continuous vs Present Simple
- Present Simple and Continuous with State Verbs
- Past Simple (I did)
- Past Continuous (I was doing)
- Present Perfect (I have done)
- Present Perfect: Ever, Never, Just, Already, Yet
- Present Perfect Continuous (I have been doing)
- Present Perfect Continuous vs Present Perfect Simple
Questions about this lesson
How do we form the past perfect continuous?
Use had been + the verb with -ing: He had been waiting for two hours.
When do we use it?
For an action that continued for a period before a moment in the past: When she arrived, I had been working all day.
What is the difference between it and the past perfect simple?
The continuous focuses on the duration and continuation of the action, while the simple focuses on its completion and result.
Do students need an account to play this lesson?
No. The teacher shares the lesson link; the student types a first name and plays on a phone or computer, and the score reaches the teacher.
Which games suit this lesson?
You can play it in Gameshow Quiz, Mixed questions, Find & fix, Complete the sentence and the other games and activities on Hessa Play.