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The past perfect progressive, also called the pluperfect progressive is a compound verb form. It requires three verbs: the simple past of the auxiliary verb HAVE (had), the past participle of the verb BE (been), and a present participle (verb+ing). Before you continue, review these lessons: Verb HAVE | Present participle | Past perfect
subject | aux. verb |
past part. |
present participle |
|
I | had | been | sleeping | deeply. |
The boys | had | been | playing | football. |
It | had | been | raining | all night. |
The past perfect progressive is used to talk about on ongoing action that was occurring in the past before another event occurred in the past.
I had been sleeping deeply when the thunder awoke me.
Here is a diagram to help make this more clear.
Note that there are three events on the timeline:
- I was sleeping.
- I awoke.
- Now, I am telling you what happened.
Here is another example:
Two days ago the streets were slippery because it had been raining all night.
Again, there are three events on the timeline:
- It rained all night.
- The roads were slippery the next day.
- Now, two days later, I am telling you about this.
Warning! Some native English speakers might use the past progressive in the second clause instead of the past perfect progressive; however, this is incorrect.
correct | incorrect | |
Two days ago the streets were slippery because it had been raining all night. | Two days ago the streets were slippery because it was raining all night. |
Related lessons: