Past perfect continuous

I - Form:

It is composed of two element.
the past perfect of the two verb ( be ) had been + the present participale ( base + ing ).

Ex: to buy

     Affirmative                               Negative                                     Interrogative

I had been buying                  I had not been buying                    Had I been buying?
You had been buying             You had not been buying               Had you beenuying buying?
He had been buying               He had not been buying                 Had he been buying?
She had been buying              She had not been buying                Had she been buying?
It had been buying                  It had not been buying                   Had it been buying?
We had been buying              We had not been buying                Had we been buying?
You had been buying             You had not been buying               Had you been buying?
They had been buying             They had not been buying             Had they been buying?

Rule:

• Affirmative: Subject + had been + past participal.
• Neggative: Subject + had not been + past participale.
• Interrogative: Had + Subject + been + past participale?

II - Uses:

• The past perfect continuous correspond to the present perfect continuous but with reference to a time earlier than "before now" again we are more interrested in the process (duration).
• We use in reported speech.

Ex: - "I have been gardening all afternoon"
        --> She said that she had been gardening all afternoon.
      - "I was working late that afternoon"
        --> John told the police that he had been working late that afternoon.

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