Pasado perfecto continuo (Past perfect continuos)

Forma

had been + presente participio

Ejemplos:

• You had been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.
• Had you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived?
• You had not been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.

Uso 1 Una acción ocurría antes de que otra acción pasara.

Usamos el pasado continuo para indicar que una acción ocurría en el pasado y continuó hasta que fue interrumpida por otra acción.

Ejemplos:

• 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: I had not been studying Turkish very long.

Uso 2

Usamos el PASADO PERFECTO CONTINUO antes de otra acción en el pasado para indicar causa y efecto.

Ejemplos:

• 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.

Pasado Continuo y Pasado Perfecto Progresivo

La diferencia entre el Pasado Continuo y el Pasado Perfecto Progresivo es que el Pasado Continuo se refiere a acciones interrumpidas en el pasado, mientras que el Pasado Perfecto Progresivo se refiere a la duración de tiempo antes de otra acción en el pasado. 

Ejemplos:

• He was tired because he was exercising so hard.
  Esta oración enfatiza que el estaba cansado porque estaba haciendo ejercicio en ese momento exacto.

• He was tired because he had been exercising so hard.
  Esta oración enfatiza que el estaba cansado porque el había estado haciendo ejercicio por un periodo de tiempo. Es posible que el estuviese haciendo ejercicio en ese exacto momento o que acababa de terminar de hacerlo.

Usos correctos e incorrectos:

Ejemplos:

• The motorcycle had been belonging to George for years before Tina bought it. Incorrecto
• The motorcycle had belonged to George for years before Tina bought it. Correcto

Posición del adverbio.

Los ejemplos a continuación , le muestran la posición  del adverbio en el presente perfecto continuo. Adverbios tales cómo:  always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc…

Ejemplos:

• 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?

ACTIVO/ PASIVO

Examples:

• Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant’s fantastic dinners for two years before he moved to Paris. Active
• The restaurant’s fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to Paris. Passive

NOTA: Las formas pasivas del PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS no son comunes.