Past Perfect Continuous

Practice Exercise on Past Perfect Continuous

(had been + present participle)

Past Perfect Continuous

Please wait while the activity loads.
If this activity does not load, try refreshing your browser. Also, this page requires javascript. Please visit using a browser with javascript enabled.

If loading fails, click here to try again

Start

Congratulations - you have completed Past Perfect Continuous. You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%. Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%

Your answers are highlighted below.

Question 1

Bobby miss the train because he ___ ____ _____ too slow to the station.

A	had been walking
B	have been walking
C	has been walking
D	had walked

Question 1 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 2

How long ____ you ____ ______ English before you took the IELTS Exam?

A	had you been studied
B	had you been studying
C	have you been studying
D	has you been studied

Question 2 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 3

Carlos ____ ___ ______ for six hours when he caught his first fish.

A	has been fishing
B	had been fishing
C	will be fishing
D	has fished

Question 3 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 4

How long ___ the baby ____ _______ before the ambulance arrived?

A	has the baby been crying
B	was the baby cryng
C	did the baby cry
D	had the baby been crying

Question 4 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 5

She ___ ____ _______ for only ten minutes when it started to rain.

A	had been gardening
B	has just gardened
C	has been gardening
D	was only gardening

Question 5 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 6

Martha ____ _____ _________ her English for two hours before her class started.

A	have practiced
B	had been practiced
C	has been practicing
D	had been practicing

Question 6 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 7

___ you ______ ______ anything before you got sick?

A	Had you been eating
B	Have you ate
C	Did you eat
D	have you been eating

Question 7 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 8

Lucy _____ _____ ______ at the factory for only two months when it went out of business.

A	will be working
B	had been worked
C	had been working
D	was working

Question 8 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 9

Karen gained a lot of weight because she ___ ____ _______ over the holidays.

A	has been overeating
B	have overeaten
C	has eating everything
D	had been overeating

Question 9 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 10

Linda failed the class because she ____ ____ _______ to the teacher.

A	was always listening
B	hadn't listened
C	wasn't listening
D	had not been listening

Question 10 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 11

She ___ ____ ______ of her Prince long before he showed up on horseback.

A	often dreams
B	had been dreaming
C	has dreamed
D	have been dreaming

Question 11 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 12

Mariya ____ _____ ______ for three years before she felt confident enough to perform in front of people.

A	will be dancing
B	has danced
C	had been dancing
D	has been dancing

Question 12 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 13

I ____ _____ ______ very long when you called.

A	have not been sleeping
B	hasn't been sleeping
C	haven't slept
D	had't been sleeping

Question 13 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 14

You did great on the exam because you ___ _____ ______ to the teacher.

A	was listening
B	had been listening
C	have always listened
D	were listening

Question 14 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Question 15

The dog ___ ____ _____ the rabbit when it ran down it's hole.

A	has been chasing
B	had chased
C	was chasing
D	had been chasing

Question 15 Explanation:

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. Unlike the Present Perfect Continuous, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Once you are finished, click the button below. Any items you have not completed will be marked incorrect. Get Results

There are 15 questions to complete.