Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous: Useful Differences

Past Perfect vs Past Perfect Continuous! What is the difference between Past Perfect and Past Perfect ContinuousTense? Learn the differences with useful rules and examples.

Past Perfect vs Past Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous Differences in Form

We form the Past Perfect withhadand thepast participle:

Had + Past Participle

We form the Past Perfect Continuous with had been and the -ing form of the verb:

Had been + V-ing

Past Perfect vs Past Perfect Continuous Differences in Usage

  • Thepast perfecttense expresses a past action, already finished when another past action happened; thepast perfect continuoustense describes a past action which started in the past and continued to happen after another action or time in the past.

Examples:

I met themaftertheyhad divorced.(past perfect)

Sarahad been workingherefor two weekswhen she had the accident.(past perfect continuous)

  • Thepast perfecttense emphasizes the result of an activity in the past; In contrast, thepast perfect continuoustense emphasizes the duration of an activity in the past.

Examples:

Ihad beento Londontwiceby the time I got a job in New York.(past perfect)

Richard needed a holiday because hehad been workinghard for six months.(past perfect continuous)

  • Thepast perfecttense shows two events in the past that are linked, while thepast perfect continuoustense shows the cause of a past action.

Example:

I couldn’t take my flight because Ihad forgottenmyboarding pass.(past perfect)

Ihad been travellingall night, so I was tired.(past perfect continuous)

Difference between Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous | Picture

Difference between Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous Pin

Difference between Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous Pin

All Tenses in English

Learn all (12) tenses in English with useful grammar rules, examples and ESL worksheets.

Verb Tenses Chart

Last Updated on July 17, 2019

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