Which one should I use?
Use the past continuous for an action in progress at a past moment. Use the past perfect continuous for an activity that continued before or up to a past moment.
I was reading at 8.
I had been reading for an hour.
They were playing when it rained.
They had been playing before it rained.
Ask: then, or before then?
In progress then?I was cleaning at 6.Use past continuous.
Already happening before then?I had been cleaning for two hours by 6.Use past perfect continuous.
Past result from activity?She was tired because she had been running.The running happened before the tired feeling.
Use it for action in progress at a past time.
At a past timeI was studying at 7 o'clock.The action was happening then.
Interrupted actionShe was cooking when I called.Cooking was in progress.
Two actions togetherThey were singing while we were clapping.Both were in progress.
Use it for activity before a past time.
Duration before past timeI had been waiting for ten minutes when the bus came.The waiting started earlier.
Since a starting pointShe had been studying since morning before the test began.Activity continued up to then.
Cause in the pastThey were tired because they had been walking.The walking happened before the tired feeling.
Time words can help.
Past continuous cluesat 5, when, while, as, thenIn progress at that past time.
Past perfect continuous cluesfor, since, all day, all morning, before then, by thenDuration before a past time.
Think meaningWas it happening then?
Or had it been happening before then?Meaning matters most.
Or had it been happening before then?Meaning matters most.
Past continuous forms.
AffirmativeI was working.
They were playing.was/were + verb-ing
They were playing.was/were + verb-ing
NegativeI wasn't working.
They weren't playing.was not / were not + verb-ing
They weren't playing.was not / were not + verb-ing
QuestionWere you working?
Was she reading?Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?
Was she reading?Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?
Past perfect continuous forms.
AffirmativeI had been working.
She had been reading.had been + verb-ing
She had been reading.had been + verb-ing
NegativeI hadn't been working.
She hadn't been reading.had not been + verb-ing
She hadn't been reading.had not been + verb-ing
QuestionHad you been working?
Had Sara been reading?Had + subject + been + verb-ing?
Had Sara been reading?Had + subject + been + verb-ing?
Same verb, different meaning.
I was doing homework at 7.The action was happening at 7.Past continuous.
I had been doing homework for an hour by 7.The activity started before 7 and continued up to 7.Past perfect continuous.
Why?Was doing = in progress then.
Had been doing = already happening before then.Choose from meaning.
Had been doing = already happening before then.Choose from meaning.
Do not mix the forms.
CorrectShe was writing at 8.Past continuous.
CorrectShe had been writing all morning before lunch.Past perfect continuous.
Not correctShe was been writing.
She had writing all morning.Keep each form complete.
She had writing all morning.Keep each form complete.
Choose the correct form.
Maha ___ at 8 o'clock.
Choose the correct form.
Ali ___ for two hours before the bus came.
Choose the correct question.
___ they playing when it started to rain?
Which sentence shows action in progress then?
Choose the best sentence.
Which sentence shows duration before a past time?
Choose the best sentence.
Fill five blanks.
Choose past continuous or past perfect continuous. Think about the time idea.
It when we left school.
It for an hour before we left.
My friends at the gate when I arrived.
They there since 2 o'clock.
Maha when she saw us.
Mixed question types of 5
Answer all five. Then tap Finish test to see your result sheet.
1. Sentence completion
At 9, Sara ___ a story.
2. MCQ
Which sentence shows duration before a past time?
3. Type the answer
___ they been working long before you arrived?
4. Type the answer
Ali and Omar ___ football when it got dark.
5. MCQ
Which sentence explains why she was tired?
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