Formation of the past perfect progressive

For the past perfect continuous or progressive the past perfect form of the auxiliary verb ‘to be’ (which is ‘had been’) is required and combined with the continuous form (ing-form / present participle) of the corresponding main verb. It often appears in connection with the if-clause type III and the indirect speech. Compare the following examples and the full conjugation in the table below:

• Example sentences of the use of the past perfect continuous:
  • “We had been sitting in the waiting room for half an hour when the nurse came in.”
  • “She said she’d been waiting for us for five hours.”

Verb forms of the past perfect continuous/progressive

Example verb: ‘to read’

Positive/affirmative sentences

Negative sentences

Further explanations relating to the ‘Formation of the past perfect progressive’

The following explanations relate to the topic ‘Conjugation and verb forms of the past perfect progressive/continuous’ and could also be interesting:

• Use of the past perfect continuous
• Use of the past perfect simple
• Formation of the past perfect simple