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The past perfect continuous (also called past perfect progressive) is a verb tense which is used to show that an action started in the past and continued up to another point in the past. Read on for detailed descriptions, examples, and present perfect continuous exercises.

Past Perfect Continuous Forms

The past perfect continuous is formed using had + been + present participle. Questions are indicated by inverting the subject and had. Negatives are made with not

Statement: You had been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.

Question: Had you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived?

Negative: You had not been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.

Complete List of Past Perfect Continuous Forms

Past Perfect Continuous Uses

USE 1 Duration Before Something in the Past

We use the past perfect continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. For five minutes and for two weeks are both durations which can be used with the past perfect continuous. Notice that this is related to the present perfect continuous; however, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Examples:

They had been talking for over an hour before Tony arrived.

She had been working at that company for three years when it went out of business.

How long had you been waiting to get on the bus?

Mike wanted to sit down because he had been standing all day at work.

James had been teaching at the university for more than a year before he left for Asia.

A: How long had you been studying Turkish before you moved to Ankara?
B: Ihad not been studying Turkish very long.

USE 2 Cause of Something in the Past

Using the past perfect continuous before another action in the past is a good way to show cause and effect.

Examples:

Jason was tired because he had been jogging.

Sam gained weight because he had been overeating.

Betty failed the final test because she had not been attending class.

Past Continuous vs. Past Perfect Continuous

If you do not include a duration such as for five minutes, for two weeks, or since Friday, many English speakers choose to use the past continuous rather than the past perfect continuous. Be careful because this can change the meaning of the sentence. Past continuous emphasizes interrupted actions, whereas past perfect continuous emphasizes a duration of time before something in the past. Study the examples below to understand the difference.

Examples:

He was tired because he was exercising so hard.

He was tired because he had been exercising so hard.

REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-continuous verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for mixed verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using past perfect continuous with these verbs, you must use past perfect.

Examples:

The motorcycle had been belonging to George for years before Tina bought it. Not Correct

The motorcycle had belonged to George for years before Tina bought it. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

You had only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived.

Had you only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

Examples:

Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant's fantastic dinners for two years before he moved to Paris.

The restaurant's fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to Paris.

NOTE: Passive forms of the past perfect continuous are not common.
More About Active / Passive Forms
Past Perfect Continuous Exercises

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Complete description of the past perfect continuous verb tense with past perfect continuous exercises and examples. ( A.k.a. past perfect progressive )

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Past perfect

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Past Perfect Tense-Grammar Rules | Grammarly

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The past perfect, also called the pluperfect, is a verb tense used to talk about actions that were completed before some point in the past.

We were shocked to discover that someone had graffitied "Tootles was here" on our front door. We were relieved that Tootles had used washable paint.

The past perfect tense is for talking about something that happened before something else. Imagine waking up one morning and stepping outside to grab the newspaper. On your way back in, you notice a mysterious message scrawled across your front door: Tootles was here. When you're telling this story to your friends later, how would you describe this moment? You might say something like:

I turned back to the house and saw that someone named Tootles had defaced my front door!

In addition to feeling indignant on your behalf, your friends will also be able to understand that Tootles graffitied the door at some point in the past before the moment this morning when you saw his handiwork, because you used the past perfect tense to describe the misdeed.

The past perfect formula

The formula for the past perfect tense is had + [past participle]. It doesn't matter if the subject is singular or plural; the formula doesn't change.

When to use the past perfect

So what's the difference between past perfect and simple past? When you're talking about some point in the past and want to reference an event that happened even earlier, using the past perfect allows you to convey the sequence of the events. It's also clearer and more specific. Consider the difference between these two sentences:

We were relieved that Tootles used washable paint. We were relieved that Tootles had used washable paint.

It's a subtle difference, but the first sentence doesn't tie Tootles's act of using washable paint to any particular moment in time; readers might interpret it as "We were relieved that Tootles was in the habit of using washable paint." In the second sentence, the past perfect makes it clear that you're talking about a specific instance of using washable paint.

Another time to use the past perfect is when you are expressing a condition and a result:

If I had woken up earlier this morning, I would have caught Tootles red-handed.

The past perfect is used in the part of the sentence that explains the condition (the if-clause).

Most often, the reason to write a verb in the past perfect tense is to show that it happened before other actions in the same sentence that are described by verbs in the simple past tense. Writing an entire paragraph with every verb in the past perfect tense is unusual.

When not to use the past perfect

Don't use the past perfect when you're not trying to convey some sequence of events. If your friends asked what you did after you discovered the graffiti, they would be confused if you said:

I had cleaned it off the door.

They'd likely be wondering what happened next because using the past perfect implies that your action of cleaning the door occurred before something else happened, but you don't say what that something else is. The "something else" doesn't always have to be explicitly mentioned, but context needs to make it clear. In this case there's no context, so the past perfect doesn't make sense.

How to make the past perfect negative

Making the past perfect negative is simple! Just insert not between had and [past participle].

We looked for witnesses, but the neighbors had not seen Tootles in the act. If Tootles had not included his own name in the message, we would have no idea who was behind it.

How to ask a question

The formula for asking a question in the past perfect tense is had + [subject] + [past participle].

Had Tootles caused trouble in other neighborhoods before he struck ours?

Common regular verbs in the past perfect tense

Common irregular verbs in the past perfect tense

*The past participle of "to get" is "gotten" in American English. In British English, the past participle is "got."

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The past perfect, also called the pluperfect, is a verb tense used to talk about actions that were completed before some point in the past. We were shocked to discover that someone had graffitied "Tootles was here" on our front door. We were relieved that Tootles had used washable paint.

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Simple Present Tense (Present Indefinite) | Grammarly

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The simple present is a verb tense with two main uses. We use the simple present tense when an action is happening right now, or when it happens regularly (or unceasingly, which is why it's sometimes called present indefinite). Depending on the person, the simple present tense is formed by using the root form or by adding s or es to the end.

The other is to talk about habitual actions or occurrences.

Typically, when we want to describe a temporary action that is currently in progress, we use the present continuous: Pauline can't come to the phone right now because she is brushing her teeth.

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How to form the simple present

In the simple present, most regular verbs use the root form, except in the third-person singular (which ends in s).

For a few verbs, the third-person singular ends with es instead of s. Typically, these are verbs whose root form ends in o, ch, sh, th, ss, gh, or z.

For most regular verbs, you put the negation of the verb before the verb, e.g., "She won't go" or "I don't smell anything."

The verb to be is irregular:

How to make the simple present negative

The formula for making a simple present verb negative is do/does + not + [root form of verb]. You can also use the contraction don't or doesn't instead of do not or does not.

How to ask a question

The formula for asking a question in the simple present is do/does + [subject] + [root form of verb].

Common verbs in the simple present

The verb to be in the simple present

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Simple Present Tense: How to Use It, With Examples

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The simple present is a verb tense with two main uses. We use the simple present tense when an action is happening right now,...

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Present continuous

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The present continuous verb tense indicates that an action or condition is happening now, frequently, and may continue into the future.

The Present Continuous Formula: to be [am, is, are] + verb [present participle]

Key words: Verb, present participle, tense, dynamic verbs, stative verbs

Here's a tip: Want to make sure your writing always looks great? Grammarly can save you from misspellings, grammatical and punctuation mistakes, and other writing issues on all your favorite websites.

The present continuous (present progressive) tense is a way to convey any action or condition that is happening right now, frequently, and may be ongoing. It adds energy and action to writing, and its effect helps readers understand when the action is happening. Imagine Aunt Christine has surprised her nephew Scott for his birthday and is going to take him out to his favorite restaurant, Polly's Pancake Diner. If I wanted to tell the story after it happened, I'd use the past tense:

But what I really want to convey is how the event unfolded, showing the action as it is happening:

From this narrative point of view, the action is immediate and continuous; there's momentum. Sometimes writers use this tense to add suspense or humor in fictional pieces. What kind of pancakes will Scott and his aunt order? The suspense is killing me!

The Present Continuous Formula

To form the present continuous, follow this formula:
To Be [Am, Is, Are] + Verb [Present Participle]
When to Use the Present Continuous Tense

Use the present continuous tense with the appropriate "to be" verb and a dynamic verb. A dynamic verb shows action and/or process. For example,

When Not to Use the Present Continuous Tense

Do not use the present continuous tense with stative verbs. Stative verbs show a state of being that does not show qualities of change. These verbs can stay in the simple present. For example,

Here, the stative verb to prefer shows opinion, and therefore should not be conjugated into the present continuous. Stative verb categories include emotion (to love), possession (to belong), and thoughts (to recognize), and none of these should use the present continuous form.

The Exception to the Rule

Some verbs can be both dynamic and stative! Think about the verbs to be and to think. In its dynamic form, the verb to be can show action:

But in its stative form, the verb to be is awkward if conjugated in the present continuous.

Here are some more examples:

Idiomatic Expressions and Style

English can be confusing; what is grammatically correct isn't always what you might hear in music, in advertisements, or during regular conversations. The present continuous is often used incorrectly. Consider the popular slogan for McDonald's: "I'm Lovin' It." This is a grammatically incorrect sentence because to love is a stative verb, so why would McDonald's use it in their advertisements?

This marks the difference between grammar and style. Using the present continuous as a means to exaggerate is a stylistic trend, and as such, it would not be surprising to hear this conversation:

Here Scott and his Aunt display their excitement in a silly way, emphasizing their feelings. On the other hand, you would never hear a native speaker say these sentences:

The Final Say

If you are teaching English or learning it, I'd recommend simply sticking to grammatically correct constructions and leaving the idiomatic expressions to the creators of advertisements and song lyrics. In formal writing, the experts recommend that when you can use fewer words to express a thought, you should, so use the present continuous sparingly-short and sweet can't be beat!

Common Construction in the Present Continuous Tense

Common Dynamic Verbs that USE the Present Continuous

Common Stative Verbs that DO NOT USE the Present Continuous

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The present continuous verb tense indicates that an action or condition is happening now, frequently, and may continue into the future. The Present Continuous Formula:...

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The Present Perfect tense is a rather important tense in English, but it gives speakers of some languages a difficult time. That is because it uses concepts or ideas that do not exist in those languages. In fact, the structure of the Present Perfect is very simple. The problems come with the use of the tense. In addition, there are some differences in usage between British and American English.

In this lesson we look at the structure and use of the Present Perfect tense, as well as the use of for and since, followed by a quiz to check your understanding.

The Present Perfect tense is really a very interesting tense, and a very useful one. Try not to translate the Present Perfect into your language. Just try to accept the concepts of this tense and learn to "think" Present Perfect! You will soon learn to like the Present Perfect tense!

How do we make the Present Perfect tense?

The structure of the Present Perfect is:

subject

+

auxiliary have

+

main verb

conjugated in Present Simple

have, has past participle

The auxiliary verb (have) is conjugated in the Present Simple: have, has

The main verb is invariable in past participle form: -ed (or irregular)

For negative sentences we insert not between the auxiliary verb and the main verb.

For question sentences, we exchange the subject and the auxiliary verb.

Look at these example sentences with the Present Perfect tense:

subject

auxiliary verb

main verb

Contraction with Present Perfect

When we use the Present Perfect in speaking, we often contract the subject and auxiliary verb. We also sometimes do this in informal writing.

I have

I've

You have

You've

He has
She has
It has
John has
The car has

He's
She's
It's
John's
The car's

We have

We've

They have

They've

You've told me that before.

John's seen Harry Potter.

In negative sentences, we may contract the auxiliary verb and "not":

You haven't won the contest.

She hasn't heard from him.

He's or he's??? Be careful! The 's contraction is used for the auxiliary verbs have and be. For example, "It's eaten" can mean:

It has eaten. (Present Perfect tense, active voice)

It is eaten. (Present Simple tense, passive voice)

It is usually clear from the context.

How do we use the Present Perfect tense?

This tense is called the Present Perfect tense. There is always a connection with the past and with the present.

We use the Present Perfect to talk about:

experience

change

continuing situation

Present Perfect for experience

We often use the Present Perfect to talk about experience from the past. We are not interested in when you did something. We only want to know if you did it:

I have seen an alien.
He has lived in Bangkok.
Have you been there?
We have never eaten caviar.

Connection with past: the event was in the past
Connection with present: in my head, now, I have a memory of the event; I know something about the event; I have experience of it
Present Perfect for change

We also use the Present Perfect to talk about a change, or new information:

The police have arrested the killer.

Connection with past: the past is the opposite of the present
Connection with present: the present is the opposite of the past

Americans do use the Present Perfect but less than British speakers. Americans often use the Past Simple tense instead. An American might say "Did you have lunch?", where a British person would say "Have you had lunch?"

Present Perfect for continuing situation

We often use the Present Perfect to talk about a continuing situation. This is a state that started in the past and continues in the present (and will probably continue into the future). This is a situation (not an action). We usually use for or since with this structure.

I have worked here since June.
He has been ill for 2 days.
How long have you known Tara (for)?

Connection with past: the situation started in the past.
Connection with present: the situation continues in the present.
For and Since with Present Perfect tense

We often use for and since with perfect tenses:

We use for to talk about a period of time: five minutes, two weeks, six years

We use since to talk about a point in past time: 9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday

for

since

a period of time a point in past time

- - - - - - - - - - - -- * - - - - - - - - - -

20 minutes

6.15pm

three days

Monday

6 months

January

4 years

1994

2 centuries

1800

a long time

I left school

ever

the beginning of time

etc

etc

Look at these example sentences using for and since with the Present Perfect tense:

I have been here for twenty minutes.

I have been here since 9 o'clock.

John hasn't called for six months.

John hasn't called since February.

He has worked in New York for a long time.

He has worked in New York since he left school.

For can be used with all tenses. Since is usually used with perfect tenses only.

Present Perfect Quiz
Back to 12 English Tenses

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Present Perfect Tense | Grammar | EnglishClub

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The Present Perfect tense is a rather important tense in English, but it gives speakers of some languages a difficult time. That is because it uses concepts or ideas that do not exist in those languages. In fact, the structure of the Present Perfect is very simple.

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Complete description of the present perfect continuous verb tense with present perfect continuous exercises and examples. ( Also called: present perfect progressive )

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Future simple

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Using the Future Continuous Tense | Grammarly

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The future continuous tense, sometimes also referred to as the future progressive tense, is a verb tense that indicates that something will occur in the future and continue for an expected length of time. It is formed using the construction will + be + the present participle (the root verb + -ing).

The simple future tense is a verb tense that is used when an action is expected to occur in the future and be completed. For example, let's suppose you have a meeting tomorrow at five o'clock.

I will arrive is the simple future tense of the verb to arrive. You arrive once; beyond that, you can't keep on arriving. However, once you get there, you may be doing something that goes on continuously, at least for a certain period of time.

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Will be meeting is the future continuous tense of the verb to meet. The construction will + be + the present participle meeting indicates that the meeting isn't going to happen in an instant, all at once. It will have a duration. The will + be + present participle construction always indicates the future continuous tense.

The Future Continuous Tense Is for Action Verbs Only

It is important to note that the future continuous tense is only used with action verbs, because it is possible to do them for a duration. (Action verbs describe activities like running, thinking, and seeing. Stative verbs describe states of existence, like being, seeming, and knowing.) To use the will + be + present participle construction with a stative verb would sound very odd indeed.

As you can see, only the simple future tense is suited to stative verbs like to be and to seem.

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The future continuous tense, sometimes also referred to as the future progressive tense, is a verb tense that indicates that something will occur in the future and continue for an expected length of time. It is formed using the construction will + be + the present participle (the root verb + -ing).

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Form The future perfect is composed of two elements the simple future of the verb “to have” (will have) + the past participle of the main verb

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The Future Perfect Continuous tense looks at the past from the future.

How do we make the Future Perfect Continuous Tense?

The structure of the Future Perfect Continuous tense is:

subject

+

auxiliary will

+

auxiliary have

+

auxiliary be

+

main verb

invariable

invariable

past participle

present participle

will have been base + ing

For negative sentences in the Future Perfect Continuous tense, we insert not between will and have. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and will. Look at these example sentences with the Future Perfect Continuous:

subject

auxiliary verb

auxiliary verb

auxiliary verb

main verb

We sometimes use shall instead of will, especially for I and we.

Contraction with Future Perfect Continuous

In speaking with the Future Perfect Continuous tense, we often contract the subject and WILL:

I will

I'll

you will

you'll

he will
she will
it will

he'll
she'll
it'll

we will

we'll

they will

they'll

I'll have been driving for five hours.

She'll have been watching TV.

In negative sentences, we may contract with won't, like this:

I will not

I won't

you will not

you won't

he willnot
she will not
it will not

he won't
she won't
it won't

we will not

we won't

they will not

they won't

You won't have been drinking, will you?

We won't have been driving for long.

How do we use the Future Perfect Continuous Tense?

The Future Perfect Continuous tense is like the Future Perfect tense, but it expresses longer actions or states extending up to some specific event or time in the future. For example:

Ram starts waiting at 9am. I am late and cannot arrive before 10am. Ram will have been waiting for an hour by the time I meet him.

Ram will have been waiting for one hour when I arrive.

past present future

Ram starts waiting at 9am.

I will arrive in future at 10am.

Notice that the long action or state can start at any time in the past, present or future, but of course it always ends in the future.

Next Monday we will have been living here for exactly five years.

past present future

Look at these examples:

He'll be tired when he gets here. He'll have been travelling all day.

How long will Jo have been working when he retires?

Next month I'll have been studying Chinese for two years.

Will you have been working when I arrive?

He won't have been studying long enough to qualify.

Next week Jane is going to swim from England to France. By the time she gets to France she'll have been swimming non-stop for over thirteen hours.

Note that continuous tenses are also called progressive tenses. So the Future Perfect Continuous tense is sometimes called the Future Perfect Progressive tense.

Future Perfect Continuous Quiz
Back to 12 English Tenses

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The Future Perfect Continuous tense looks at the past from the future. The structure of the Future Perfect Continuous tense is: subject + auxiliary will + auxiliary have + auxiliary be + main verb invariable invariable past participle present participle will have been base + ing For negative sentences in the Future Perfect Continuous tense, we insert not between will and have.