Example of Conversation In English In Past Perfect Continuous

If two or more people have a conversation in English in the past perfect continuous, they are chatting in this language about an event that kept going for a while already passed, like a custom or a habit, and was stopped or interrupted at a time ago, which may be far in the past. When using this tense in a sentence, what is usually done is to mention the event that interrupted that custom.

For example:

She had been trying to open the door until they arrived.

For its translation into Spanish:

She had been trying to open the door until they arrived.

The main action that is to "open the door" occurred for a certain period of time, she insisted and maintained that action. This was interrupted by their arrival, which is indicated in the past simple as "they arrived."

In this tense, known in English as Past Perfect Progressive, there are grammar rules that define its affirmative, negative and question structure.

Conversation structure in English in the past perfect continuous affirmative

If the conversation in English in the past perfect continuous is affirmative, it will obey the form:

Subject (person's name or noun) + verbs hadbeen (indicate the past perfect) + verb in gerund (-ing, indicates the continuous time) + predicate or rest of the sentence

In English it is written:

Name or noun + verbs had been + gerund + rest of the sentence

For example:

They had been talking to the guardian until the director came.

Translation to Spanish:

They had been talking to the guard until the director arrived.

Conversation structure in English in the past perfect continuous negative

If the conversation in English in the past perfect continuous is negative, it will obey the form:

Subject (person's name or noun) + verbs hadnot been (indicate the past perfect, already with the denier not) + verb in gerund (-ing, indicates the continuous time) + predicate or rest of the sentence

In English it is written:

Name or noun + verbs had not been + gerund + rest of the sentence

For example:

We hadn't been doing exercise until aunt Valery came.

Translation to Spanish:

We hadn't been exercising until Aunt Valery arrived.

Conversation structure in English in past perfect continuous in question

If the conversation in English in the past perfect continuous is a question, it will obey the form:

Verb had + subject (person's name or noun) + verb been + verb in gerund (-ing, indicates continuous time) + predicate or rest of the sentence

In English it is written:

Had + name or noun + been + gerund + rest of the sentence

For example:

Had John been working from 6am to 8pm every day?

Translation to Spanish:

John had been working from 6am to 8pm every day?

• Learn more at: Past perfect continuous in English

Example of conversation in English in past perfect continuous in an office

Phoebe: Bill had been sleeping in his office until the boss got him.

Carl: Really? That´s so funny! Had he been dreaming about Jennifer, by the way?

Jennifer: Don´t be silly! Maybe he had been hallucinating after all the beers he drunk.

Phoebe: The worst of all is that he had been postponing the report.

Carl: The report? The one we had been staying awake for?

Jennifer: Are you serious? I had been having nightmares until I sent it on email.

Phoebe: That same report. He had been hanging around all this time, and got nothing done.

Carl: That dude is dead. We had been praying for him but finally he is not worth it.

Jennifer: I agree. I also had been worrying about getting fired, but he made me realize I´m not so bad.

Phoebe: I had been calling his number of him several times but he never woke up. I surrendered.

Carl: It doesn´t matter. The boss had been trying to catch him asleep, so this was the time.

Translation to Spanish

Phoebe: Bill had been sleeping in his office until the boss caught him.

Carl: Really? He is so funny! He's been dreaming about Jennifer, by the way?

Jennifer: Don't be silly! He maybe he had been hallucinating after all the beers he drank.

Phoebe: Worst of all, he had been putting off reporting.

Carl: The report? The one we had been keeping awake for?

Jennifer: Are you serious? I've been having nightmares until I emailed it.

Phoebe: That same report. He had been loafing the whole time, and he did nothing.

Carl: That boy is dead. We had been praying for him but in the end he is not worth it.

Jennifer: I agree. I had also been worrying about getting fired, but he made me realize that I'm not too bad.

Phoebe: I had been calling his number several times but he never woke up. I gave up.

Carl: It doesn't matter. The boss had been trying to catch him asleep, so this was the moment.

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